Leadership coaching can have a profound impact when individual leader development is integrated with a team-focused approach. This dual focus leverages the interdependent nature of leadership teams, maximizing the benefits of coaching for both individuals and the organization. The foundation for these improvements lies in self-discovery, achieved through greater awareness of influence and effectiveness.
At the heart of this process is a validated and highly reliable assessment tool, developed by Human Synergistics International over 40 years ago. This tool effectively enhances leaders’ awareness of their behaviors and their impact on others. By fostering this awareness, coaching helps leaders and teams develop strategies that improve leadership effectiveness and their ability to positively influence others.
Leaders engage in a safe and constructive environment to address challenges collaboratively and identify opportunities. This process also includes measurable outcomes, with pre- and post-coaching assessments to evaluate leadership performance.
The Coaching Process: From Insight to Impact
The coaching journey begins with evidence-based tools to ensure the process is both valid and meaningful. Our certified coach utilizes Human Synergistics 360-Degree Feedback Assessments, which include two key components:
- Self-Report Inventory: Captures a leader’s own perception of their leadership strategies.
- Description by Others Inventory: Provides feedback from senior leaders, peers, and team members on the leader’s effectiveness, offering a comprehensive view of their leadership style and its impact.
These results are compiled into a detailed report, featuring a visual profile (Circumplex) to illustrate behavioral patterns and effectiveness. Through this comprehensive analysis, leaders gain valuable insights into how their actions are perceived by others.
From Individuals to Teams
The process extends to leadership teams by consolidating individual assessment results into a team profile. This profile highlights collective behaviors that either support or hinder organizational performance. The shared use of the assessment tool fosters a common language for discussing leadership strategies, enabling open and productive dialogue between:
- The coach and individual leaders
- The coach and the leadership team
- Team members themselves
Equipped with these insights, leaders and teams can identify actionable opportunities for improvement and promote constructive leadership behaviors. In practice, we encourage leadership team members to partner and support each other, providing real-time feedback on progress toward their development plans.
To sustain the coaching process, leaders receive guidance on how to foster the development of others. This ensures that daily support and accountability remain integral to the team’s growth.
Driving Results with a Dual Coaching Approach
This dual coaching process enables leaders to understand their personal impact while uncovering team dynamics that shape organizational culture and performance. This shared understanding allows the team to identify areas for improvement and establish strategies for sustained growth.
Periodic retesting provides metrics to track progress and ensure accountability. This ongoing evaluation fosters continuous improvement, turning the coaching initiative into a long-term investment rather than a one-time program.
Testimonials and Evidence of Impact
Confidentiality agreements prevent us from sharing specific client details. However, feedback from leaders and teams demonstrates the power of this approach. For example:
- A senior executive shared:
This process gave me the tools to see myself through others’ eyes and make meaningful changes in how I lead.
- A leadership team noted:
The common language we developed helped us resolve challenges we had struggled with for years, transforming how we collaborate and achieve results.
Research from Human Synergistics International further supports these outcomes, showing measurable improvements in team alignment, organizational culture, and overall performance.
A Path to Transformative Leadership
Leadership coaching is most effective when it bridges the gap between individual growth and team excellence. By combining evidence-based tools, individualized coaching, team-focused approaches, and mechanisms for monitoring change, organizations can develop leaders who are both self-aware and equipped to drive collective success.
With this approach, transformative leadership is no longer a distant goal but an achievable reality.
For more information about this coaching approach, please contact Deborah Eininger.
