by Lorin Walker, MOB, PhD

So, what is this leadership coaching…?

A little while ago I was having dinner with a friend. He asked about my current work at the company I was consulting to. I said “leadership coaching”. He said

“Coach me”. He is a leader of no small accomplishment. I had little context for his current leadership situation/challenges, and did not want to pepper him with my “consultant questions”. So I demurred and we discussed other subjects.

Coaching at 28,000 feet

But at 28,000 feet, flying home, I began to think – could I give a generic 28,000 feet leadership coaching overview to anyone, sans context, sans motive, sans everything? I came up with the following list that leaders could usefully apply to themselves and their situations, so here it is:

1. Make everyone an insider
2. Ask for what you want
3. Be lavish with credit; stingy with blame
4. Praise in public; criticize in private
5. Hire slowly; fire quickly
6. Don’t carry people for too long
7. Do not excuse yourself because of the weakness of others
8. Always have a plan
9. Hold your friends close; hold your enemies closer
10. Remember – a non-result with a good excuse does not equal a result
11. Make at least one unreasonable request a week
12. What you measure grows; what you ignore shrinks – usually
13. Say often – “I need your help”; ask often “What do you think”?
14. Tell people three things – what you want them to do, how to do it, and how they are doing
15. Do not ask anyone to do anything that you are not willing to do yourself. All of these merit more explanation. Many have an interesting history. Many are grounded in deep (painful?) experience. But this will do for now.

Putting it into practice

A list is of no use unless used. How about picking one of the above and putting it into practice? A police sergeant I know, who supervises an elite team of 5, has posted my list on his wall and has 2 favorites he is currently applying. Or better yet, write your own leadership coaching list. You will be surprised how it energizes and focuses your thinking!