Once viewed as more extraneous than essential, leadership coaching has shifted the way leaders and organizations approach developing future leaders and, over time, helped them come to understand how invaluable it can be.
It’s much like the relationship between an athlete and a coach: The athlete has natural talent and ability, and the coach has the experience to forecast and mitigate the challenges, and knows the steps needed to overcome them.
But there are still only 24 hours in a day, all occupied with countless obligations and responsibilities, limiting time for coaching. So for coaching to be effective, church leaders need to understand why they need coaching and what specific actions they need to take.
1. Nurture.
People learn from people they trust. Coaches build trust by nurturing relationships, being honest about the objectives chosen, showing good judgment, being patient and honoring any promises made.
2. Assess.
Only an accurate and honest assessment of where your leaders are today can help you get them to where you want them to be tomorrow. Coaches help others gain self-awareness, insight and direction. Do you know …
… where your church is now and where you want it to go?
… what leadership skills are needed to get it there?
… who you should develop and how?
… what feedback, information and experiences can build those needed skills?
… how to set strategic goals for your church?
3. Challenge.
Coaches ask the right questions – the difficult questions – while encouraging alternative solutions and reasonable risk-taking to connect the dots between your purpose and your end results.
4. Support.
Coaches act as partners – not superiors – by listening with open minds and hearts without judgment. They encourage progress and, maybe even more importantly, celebrate their successes. People are encouraged knowing their efforts are recognized.
5. Achieve.
With meaningful goals set, a coach can help leaders establish milestones, determine the metrics of success, identify potential steps for achieving goals, and promote accountability.
As your leadership coaching processes and goals become clearer and more consistent, your leaders will have new ways to develop and grow, and your church will be poised to equip more people to serve God.