Largely in part due to the pandemic, the role of manager has evolved into a role with increased emphasis on guidance and support, rather than delegation and judgments. If there’s anything we’ve learned throughout the past 2 years, it’s that command-and-control leadership is no longer a sustainable approach to management. 

As a result, many organizations are leaning on managers to step into a more of a coaching role. But with all that managers already have on their plate, it can be difficult to know how to appropriately embrace a coaching approach. Luckily, simply understanding what a coach is (and isn’t) is the perfect place to jump in.

To get you started, we put together a blog post on 3 Coaching Myths, Debunked.
(Read also: Coaching in the Workplace)

As you’ll discover, many people use the terms “coach” and “mentor” interchangeably, which somewhat muddies the distinctive qualities of coaching. But in short, mentors typically offer insight and advice on their path to success, while coaches ask thoughtful questions about goals and ambitions. 

This Forbes article hits on another key characteristic of coaching, noting that, “By nature, coaches are usually very prescriptive and proactive, actively participating in strategizing and co-creating successful outcomes with their clients.” 

From asking better questions to co-creating successful outcomes with your team, it’s never been more important to start learning the skills for becoming a manager-as-coach. 

“Coaching… a skill that good managers at all levels need to develop and deploy.”

As this Harvard Business Review article points out, “Increasingly, coaching is becoming integral to the fabric of a learning culture—a skill that good managers at all levels need to develop and deploy.” 

In all, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you, as a manager, must become certified to coach your team on a daily basis. What it does mean is that it will take plenty of time and practice to really ingrain these skills. But don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be as daunting as it may sound. 

In fact, the process of refining your coaching skills as a manager can even be straightforward, incredibly rewarding, and rather enjoyable! 

To evolve into the best manager you can be, you ought to know your strengths.

A great place to start cultivating your coaching muscle as you step into the role of manager and beyond, is by utilizing a Strengths-Based Development approach. 

Coaching your team from a place of Strengths will help you embody more self-confidence, build better relationships with your direct reports, and improve your ability to draw out the best in employees as you’ll be able to identify and celebrate their unique talents. 

When you’re ready to learn, level up, and embrace your role as a leader and coach, we encourage you to learn more about our 21-Day Strengths Challenge. This challenge will help you: 

• Maximize your leadership development 

• Increase employee engagement 

• Navigate challenging conversations 

• Become a more effective manager-as-coach 

We look forward to welcoming you inside the fascinating world of strengths and coaching!