Coaching a New Leader

 Coaching can be defined as a process of equipping people with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to develop themselves and become more effective. Coaching a new leader focuses on concepts of increasing effectiveness, broadening thinking processes, identifying strengths and developmental needs, and setting meaningful and achievable goals. This document will focus on the foundational elements of coaching, applying humanistic theoretical approach to coaching a new leader, and potential and multicultural issues.

Foundational Elements

            The foundational elements of coaching a new leader focuses on the groundwork of developing a leader through coaching. The groundwork of developing a leader through coaching focuses on building or establishing a relationship, providing an assessment, challenging thinking processes and assumptions, supporting and encouraging, and driving results.

Building or establishing a relationship constitutes the first step in coaching that allows the relationship to grow while increasing the likelihood for elevated performance (Markovic, McAtavey, & Fischweicher, 2014). Effectively building or establishing a relationship provides an understanding of boundaries and build trust by being clear about the learning and development process and objectives. The coach and the new leader both should show and express good judgment, be patient, and follow through on any promises and agreements set forth (Harkavy, 2007). Providing an assessment allows for the coach and new leader to gain a perspective of where they are now and where they want to go. The coach provides insight and feedback to allow the new leader to gain self –awareness and clarity on the behaviors that he or she would like to change (Harkavy, 2007). Assessments focus on gaps or inconsistencies on current performance, actions, intentions, and impact.

            Challenging thinking processes and assumptions make the coach aware of the steps the new leader is willing to take and how his or her thinking processes works. The coach will ask open –ended questions and drive for alternative solutions to challenges and situations. The new leader will be encouraged to take on reasonable risks with the assumption that the challenges are achievable and meaningful (Harkavy, 2007).  Supporting and encouraging focuses on the coaches’ ability to provide support and encouragement during the coaching processes entirety. The coach will have the ability to be open to others perspectives in aiding in the new leaders’ growth and goal accomplishments. The coach will allow the new leader the ability to be able to vent out frustrations and emotions without judgment. The coach will encourage the new leader to make progress towards goals and recognize the success along the way (Markovic, McAtavey, & Fischweicher, 2014). Driving results reflect the meaningful and achievable goals that was set for the new leader by the coach and new leader. The driving results reflect the success of accomplishing the goals through the process of identifying behaviors and steps for meeting the goals and pulling through any challenge or situation that occurred during the process of growth and development. The driving results allows for the coach to produce results to the new leader in reflecting milestones and measures of success.

Humanistic Approach to Leadership

            The humanistic approach to coaching a new leader enhances the ideal of free thought by opposing censorship of ideas, promoting a wide variety of perspectives on human experience, and encouraging independent, critical thinking and problem solving. The humanistic approach focuses on concepts of self –actualization and self –concept, coach –client relationship, communication, and directive of the coach –client perspective.

            Self –actualization and self -concept allows the new leader to choose what is good for him or her and develop a sense of satisfaction through the experienced results of achievement. Developing self –actualization increases efforts of growth and development and self –concept maintains positive perceptions and expectations (Stober, 2006). The coach –client relationship develops over a collaborative connection that allows the coach and new leader to work together to construct meaningful choices and actions.

            Communication through the humanistic approach to coaching a new leader helps the coach identify the new leaders’ ability to listening carefully to criticism and communicate professionally and effectively. Also, the coach learns the new leader interpersonal skills and relations (Sternberg, 2010). Humanistic approach to communication allows for encouragement and support of the new leaders ability to recognize his or her own accomplishments and self –awareness. The coach –new leader directive focuses on the direction process and content of interactions (Stober, 2006). The coach facilitates the new leaders’ growth through engaging processes and interactions. The humanistic approach aims to help the new leader produce a vision of his or her limits and ideal existence and then develop and enact on the steps toward that ideal (Stober, 2006). The coach utilizes the humanistic approach to aid the new leader into developing and fully describing the steps and process that best fit the new leaders’ objectives and view of accomplishment.

Ethical and Multicultural Issues

            The coaching process can offer various aspects to helping a person accomplish goals that he or she wishes to obtain. During the coaching process it is important for a coach to understand and apply professionalism at all times. Applying professionalism during the coaching process involves the coach to develop clear and competent awareness. The professionalism of the coach is vital to understanding ethical and multicultural issues that could occur.

            Ethical issues could occur if the coach do not maintain a sense of integrity, confidentiality, responsibility for ones actions and challenges, values, and through conflicts of interest. The coach has the responsibility to maintain integrity (Neves, 2014). Integrity comes from reliable promises, sharing of valid information, and expressions of honesty. Integrity will address the values of the coach and the new leader, providing a sense of respect, reliability, and personal responsibility ((Markovic, McAtavey, & Fischweicher, 2014). Multicultural issues that could occur is the misrepresentations of the new leader according to his or her race, religion, ethnicity, culture, and or disability. The coach without regard could misrepresent how the new leader is approached through communication processes, addressing challenges, and response to criticism and interpersonal relations (Lowman, 2007). The coach is responsible to attaining professionalism, setting all bias aside and refraining from any negative perspectives that would produce multicultural issues and discomfort to the new leader (Neves,2014).

Conclusion

            Coaching a new leader takes the expertise of the coach and the experience of the new leader. The coach establishes a relationship with the new leader to gain trust and understanding of what the new leader wants to accomplish. Through various processes of support, encouragement, communication, and challenges, the coach and new leader obtain driven results. Through the humanistic approach to coaching, this allows the new leader to become more self –aware of his or her strengths in accomplishing goals. The new leader gain insight of his or her self –actualization, self –concept, develop coach –client relationship, communication, and coach –client directives. The professionalism of the coach to surpass ethical and multicultural issues is to refrain from any negative perspectives, biases, and personal issues that would create discomfort and awkwardness to the new leader.

References

Harkavy, D. (2007). Coaching leaders. Leadership Excellence, 24(8), 9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/204624224?accountid=27965

Lowman, R. L. (2007). Coaching and consulting in multicultural contexts: Integrating themes and issues. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 59(4), 296-303. Doi: 10.1037/1065-9293.59.4-296

Neves, L. (2014). Coaching and ethical leadership: A competence executive coaching model for the development of ethical leadership. Psychology Research, 4(4) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/1522838600?accountid=27965

Markovic, J., McAtavey, J., & Fischweicher, P. (2014). An integrative trust model in the coaching context. American Journal of Management, 14, 102-120. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/1539431197?accountid=27965 

Sternberg, R. (2010). Career paths in psychology: Where your degree can take you (2^nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Stober, D. R. (2006). Coaching from the humanistic perspective. Evidence Based Coaching Handbook, 17-51.