I like this quote from Jeanne Liedtka, design thinking guru: “talk is the technology of leadership.” It is one of those quotes that came to me at a perfect time, and often I find myself reflecting on its meaning as it relates to leadership coaching practices.
Professionals in the manufacturing and technology industries tend to be head-centered, data-driven people and coaching can often come across as soft or fuzzy “talk”. So, lets unpack a few things about this type of talk as it relates to leadership coaching.
Guided coaching conversations provide a safe environment for our industry leaders and leadership teams to discuss and challenge existing mental constructs (stories we make up and tell ourselves) that skew perception and no longer serve them well. These constructs developed early in life and led to the creation of certain meanings and attachments to behaviors that serve as a default pattern, potentially limiting and getting in the way of leadership effectiveness.
Leadership coaching is the integration of interpersonal neurobiology, somatics, complexity theory, mindfulness, and adult development theory - all of which provide different perspectives and lenses to the process of human development. These lenses offer a rich foundation to explore and discuss outdated mental constructs; thus, inviting the leader (or team) to:
- reframe their limiting constructs and shift from a fixed to growth mindset,
- ideate new holistic disciplines, approaches, and habits,
- and iterate toward better collective solutions.
Coaching conversations connect the head (cognitive) to the heart and gut (sensing) and creates a holistic path for a new way of being and showing up with full-body awareness and presence.
Coaching is a fluid, dynamic conversation that can be messy, challenging, vulnerable, and enlightening all at the same time. This type of “talk” can unearth the potential that can galvanize the necessary leadership change they seek for themselves and their teams and can even impact the evolution of company culture.
Take a moment to pause and consider a limiting mental construct you may have. How might you reframe this thought, ideate new, more productive habits, and iterate those new ways of being into effective actions? Consider sharing and talking this through with a trusted confidant and begin to unearth your new leadership potential within.
Schedule a 30 minute call with an IMEC Leadership Development expert to see how you can improve your leadership coaching practices.
