Course Guide

The Importance of Coaching in Leadership and Teamwork

“Is there any more our team can give?” “Is this already the best that we can give or get?” “Is our output enough?” “Can our team beat this obstacle?” “Can we fulfill our vision and mission?” “How far can we go from here? How can we get there?” These questions often plague most leaders in companies, teams and organisations.

Outstanding leaders are visionaries – they create and sustain a vision for an organisation which calls for discipline and creativity. Their vision is what fuels them to have the passion, the strength of will, and the necessary knowledge to achieve long-term goals. However, good leaders also know that fulfilling their vision is not possible without a capable team with them.

Good leaders can inspire and bring out their team’s personal best. Bringing out these potentials amongst team members can improve their performance at work thus helping a team, company and organisation achieve their goals.

The purpose of coaching

One main purpose of coaching is to bring out the best in every individual and to maximise their potential. A good example of where this purpose is applied is in the area of sports. When watching sport games, most people would be exhilarated and be carried away by the thrill the games give. Their focus would be on the players and how they play the game.

But if you look at the game at a deeper level, you would realise that it is not merely the players who are playing. Coaches contribute a lot to the game. They are like chess players. They strategise and direct every movement each player makes in order to win.

Learning from a sports game, a team that neglects the importance of coaching manifests the following:

• Lack of Team Collaboration
• Undeveloped player/s
• Missfire of Targets
• Lack of Morale

These manifestations always sum-up to defeat or loss. In the same way, organisations and companies that neglect the importance of coaching would always exhibit less than optimal results. On the other hand, companies which value coaching and have leaders who are equipped to coach exhibit the following:

• Teamwork  Coaches always give importance to teamwork. Teams are the driving force of companies and organisations. Teamwork is the combination of shared goals and collaboration of each person to achieve a desired result.

 Development  Coaches aim to develop their coachees whether they are a person, group/team, organisation, or a company. Development in the coaching process encompasses the physical, EQ and IQ aspects of a person. This includes either or both the heightening of existing abilities or/and the acquisition of one. Like sports, coaches always want to develop their team players to become a star-player or MVP. Developing a team’s potential can greatly improve the individuals’ performance at work.

• Accomplishment of Goals  Goals are the stepping-stones towards the achievement of the Vision and Mission. Like in a sports game, if the players’ vision is to win, they must first strive for the goal. In a corporate setting the goals are the targets, e.g. sales, production or performance.

• Achievement Drive – Coaches are there to help you boost up your self-esteem. They will cheer you up and challenge you, to bring out the best in you and to stimulate your thirst for achievement.

Always remember that in every major sports game, coaching is always emphasised. The same goes in the business world; managers and leaders must always adapt and be aware of the fundamentals of coaching because coaching determines the success of great leaders and managers. As Reese Witherspoon (actress, producer, entrepreneur) said, “With the right kind of coaching and determination you can accomplish anything!”

To learn more about coaching and how to become a professional coach, visit our website and download our free Course Information Guide.