Teaching Leaders to Achieve Better Results

If leaders within your business keep doing things the way they always have done them, it is easy to predict the results. Results will be the same as they have always been. But if you desire more for your company, more than "the comfortable," more than "the status quo," then you need to be teaching leaders to achieve better.

Here are TWO LEADERSHIP COACHING SESSION IDEAS to help you get started. They are simple and do not require a large time investment or preparation.

SESSION #1: Ask leaders to track how they spend their time.

Assure them that you are not micro-managing them and that this exercise is for their eyes only. Hold a leadership coaching session after seven days of tracking to talk about time management. Ask questions to help leaders individually evaluate their results.

What surprised you most about how you spend your time?
What important activities dominated your time?
What unimportant activities dominated your time?
How much time was devoted to activities that must be done on a regular basis to maintain our company?
How much time was devoted to activities beyond maintenance, such as activities that move our company forward toward future goals and plans?
Are there activities that should be reduced, changed, or removed because they drain your time?
Did you discover any slots of time that might be available to devote to reaching a new goal or dream?

Invite leaders to share some of their findings with the team, if they would like. You may want to be transparent and go first. When leaders see you being open, they may be more willing to do the same. This session can be invaluable in teaching leaders to achieve better results.

SESSION #2: Ask leaders to help you find a solution.

Randy Pennington wrote in the Huffington Post: "People support what they help create." Here is an excerpt from his article Change: Less Management, More Leadership, Better Results.

"Involve others in crafting and implementing solutions. Most important, remember that people support and take positive action to change for their reasons not ours. Do the hard work of communicating the need and opportunity for change based on what is important to those from whom you need support. Compliance can be mandated, but commitment is volunteered."

For this leadership coaching session, choose a challenge your business is facing. Present it clearly to your team, providing as many details as possible. Tell leaders that you value their expertise and would like for them to help you come up with a solution.

Then be quiet.

Allow them to brainstorm. Do not shoot down a single idea.

Just listen.

After an allotted time, thank leaders for their insight and assure them that you will consider their ideas as you seek to solve the specific challenge.

Next, ask leaders how they felt to be involved in finding a solution to a company challenge. It is likely that their responses will be highly positive. Encourage them to use the same method with their own teams. This session is a great tool for teaching leaders how to lead a team!

If you would like to learn to communicate to those you lead based on what's important to them, our online leadership training can help you get there. We truly believe that this training will help you make a difference in your workplace.