Coaching is a form of leadership that requires a person who is disciplined and determined. It is a calling that goes beyond the salary that one is paid. Sometimes, a coach needs to sacrifice time, money and other resources to ensure that the team achieves the required outcome. Leaders are expected to be hardworking and selfless to ensure that their organizations succeed.
One of the most famous concept or principle that coaches observe is presence. Every team during competitions looks up to their coach for support and encouragement. Leaders need to be available to respond to the grievances of the people they represent. Another important concept is the caring nature in that most coaches always care about the welfare of the players. If one of the players for instance is unwell, the coach is the first person to note. Caring leaders always ensure that there are few suicidal cases and fewer conflicts because they identify a problem at its early stage and solve it before it becomes a major problem (Goldsmith, 2006).
Coaches always expect the best from their teams. Every coach wishes his team to appear as the best in any competition. Positive expectation helps in boosting the morale of the players. Leaders need to think positive and expect positive results because in life, it is those people who dream big that achieve big things. Humility is another unique virtue that most coaches have. Coaches always believe that they are the servants of their teams. Leaders must embrace servant leadership and understand that they are the servants of the people. Servant leaders are more compassionate, and they blend well with people of all classes (Jones, 2008).
Adventure in executive leadership is key to success in any organization. Most organizations for instance organize staff trips whereby the organizational personnel can meet outside the usual working environment and discuss their issues openly. Leaders who have adopted such programs get the best from the labor force. Either adventure may be created from within or outside the organization, but the main objective is capacity building.
Coaching relationship also plays an essential role in leadership. After the initial introduction and sharing of experiences, the coach begins to build a good rapport with the team. In successful organizations, a good relationship does exist between the executive personnel and the junior staff (Stober, 2006).
Another important concept is pressure based on three aspects; competence, confidence, and credibility. When both elected and appointed leaders take office, there are certain expectations from them. If a leader is not under any pressure, the performance standard is likely to be minimal. Pressure ensures that a leader remains competent, credible, and confident in whatever they are doing. Finally, work is a journey of many miles.
It is extremely rare to find someone working in one organization or one job group for his or her entire life. In most organizations, people work under contractual basis after which they can shift to another organization when the contract expires. Leaders must therefore understand how to manage the emerging trends because things have changed unlike in the past where managers only had to deal with issues of promotion and demotion. A leader must know that he or she is not in that position forever and move with speed to bring the required change and reforms in the organizations they have been mandated to lead.
References
Goldsmith, M., & Lyons, L. (2006). Coaching for leadership: The practice of leadership coaching from the world’s greatest coaches. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Jones, T. S., & Brinkert, R. (2008). Conflict coaching: Conflict management strategies and skills for the individual. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Stober, D. R., & Grant, A. (2006). Evidence based coaching handbook: Putting best practices to work for your clients. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.