I recently took a writing class called “Show and Tell” where we explored the differences between “showing” the reader how something was happening – through dialogue and description – versus “telling," which entails simply explaining what happened. Both are valuable ways of sharing a story. It’s how and when you choose to do one versus another that shapes how the story evolves.
I think the same is true when you are trying to engage an organization to embrace a coaching-based approach to leadership. You are, in effect, weaving a story about a possibility. And in doing so, you need to both show people what coaching-based leadership is all about as well as telling them how this new style of leadership can make a positive difference for the organization.
I think we’re all pretty familiar with what telling looks like. We give presentations, we explain, we cajole, we lecture, we write emails, and more often than not, we discover that, despite our best efforts, people often don’t seem to fully grasp what we’re talking about.
That’s were showing comes in. There are several ways to “show” people what coaching-based leadership is all about. You can ask an influential leader to experience individual coaching and then ask him to share his experiences with others. Or you can ask a team or a group of people who are open and curious about coaching to take part in a pilot coaching skills training program and then engage them in enrolling others.
Most importantly, you have to show people what a coaching-based approach to leadership really looks like by role modeling a coaching approach in all that you do. People understand and feel the value of a coaching-based approach to leadership best when they experience it for themselves.
For example, rather than just telling a leader why coaching-based leadership is a good idea, use coaching approaches to explore where this person experiences limitations in her own leadership style and/or observes limitations in the preferred leadership styles of the organization. Try using coaching approaches to shift her perspective so she can see the possibilities that coaching-based leadership offers. In this way she will both “see” and “experience” what coaching is all about. She may not make the connection immediately, but it’s likely she will eventually do so if you use a consistent approach.
Like any good story, the more visceral the reader’s response the more engaged the reader becomes. Engage your organization in creating a culture of coaching by showing and telling them a story in which they want to play a part.
What’s Your Experience?
What has worked in your organization in terms of “showing” and “telling” others about the benefits of coaching-based leadership?
Comments