Has your organization’s Leadership style evolved to a Coaching style to engage the next generation of employees better?

A sportsman is incomplete without a coach, however talented he or she may be. Consider the case of Sachin Tendulkar, a household name in India, who broke records in cricketing with ease. Tendulkar was extremely talented, and blessed with amazing cricketing skills, so why did he revere and credit his coach Mr. Ramakant Achrekar all the time he succeeded? Achrekar was not only responsible for teaching him cricketing techniques but also for instilling discipline and confidence and targeting Tendulkar’s never-ending thirst for the game. He ensured Tendulkar persevered, helped him navigate the vast web of the cricketing world smoothly, and was a mentor and partner in his success. Had he not been there, Tendulkar’s brilliance might not have shone so much or worse remained untapped. This is a classic case where coaching elevated one’s potential to an extraordinary accomplishment.

As coaches are to sportsmen, mentors are to professionals, guiding them to excel and achieve in business. Traditional leadership models rooted in hierarchy and control are becoming obsolete in today’s dynamic business environment. Today’s workforce, especially the younger generation, prioritizes teamwork, purpose, and autonomy over strict guidance. An authoritarian manager’s approach can often discourage innovation, creativity, and independence which can demotivate and disengage the employees. Thus, with rapid socio-economic changes and increasing complexities in workplaces, coaching provides a way to traverse professional challenges and life’s uncertainties. A coaching culture empowers individuals to build resilience, adapt to change, and find purpose in their work. It’s a shift from managing tasks to cultivating an environment where creativity, innovation, and personal growth can thrive. Coaching is no longer optional but essential for organizations and individuals aiming to excel in an unpredictable world.

Why “Command and Control” no longer works

Earlier, high-performing employees were promoted to managerial roles based on their domain expertise. However, as seen in sports, mastery of a skill does not necessarily translate into the ability to teach or guide others. Even highly skilled professionals can struggle to lead effectively without adopting a coaching mindset.

This realization highlights the need to evolve from being just a manager to becoming a COACH. Managers used to lead with a “command and control” approach, similar to directing players without understanding their unique strengths. Coaches, on the other hand, empower individuals to find their best path to success.

In today’s fast-paced business world, agility and innovation are paramount. Managers must become catalysts for growth, much like Achrekar was for Tendulkar. They should be able to inspire teams to embrace challenges and adapt to change. In the words of Gareth Chick, a seasoned leadership coach,’ True leadership lies in asking the right questions and facilitating the discovery of new answers.” This philosophy aligns with the mission at Kognitivus: to transform managers into transformative leaders who inspire excellence. As businesses navigate through challenges and rapid change, the role of a manager must evolve. Coaching is not a passing trend; it is the foundation of effective leadership.

At Kognitivus, we believe that Coaching is the transformative power which is the key to unlocking organizational excellence. This is the philosophy that our CAPTIVATE program seeks to implant, enabling managers to quickly acquire coaching skills to expand creative teams and instill excellence in them. Our CAPTIVATE program equips leaders with the tools to:

• Accelerate Coaching Abilities: Transform managerial practices into coaching excellence, empowering teams to innovate and achieve ambitious goals.
• Create pioneering Teams: Foster a culture of innovation where employees are encouraged to explore new ideas and take calculated risks.
• Inspire Visionary Leadership: Develop leaders who drive excellence by aligning personal goals with the organization’s vision.

At Kognitivus, we envisage a future where every leader is a coach, guiding their teams to thrive in uncertainty and grab opportunities.

By adopting the CAPTIVATE program, organizations can:

• Equip leaders with the competencies needed to embrace coaching as a leadership style.
• Establish a culture where creativity and adaptability are fostered
• Develop a workforce that is motivated, self-sufficient, and capable of navigating future challenges.

The transition from a manager to a coach is not merely an evolution; it is a revolution in leadership. There is a need to embed coaching into the culture of organizations. To institutionalize coaching, organizations must establish structures and processes that support this philosophy. Kognitivus offers tailored solutions to enable this transformation:

• Leadership Assessment Survey: This survey will help gain insights into assessing the organizational leaders on key coaching competencies.
• Overall and Individual leadership reports: This report will provide insights into the areas of leaders’ strengths and opportunities and the organization as a whole.
• Performance Architecture Recommendations: Reports suggest changes to the performance management system to encourage positive behaviors and support them in the organization.
• Facilitator-Led-Coaching: Through group coaching, common competencies that the leaders need to work on are conducted and also 1:1 with individual leaders on their opportunity areas.

These initiatives empower managers to adopt a coaching style, creating a ripple effect across the organization that makes the employees feel valued and supported, leading to increased engagement, productivity, and innovation.