When Leaders Need Coaches
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Bosses and managers are not immune to mental health struggles. But leadership coaching can ease the strain and facilitate higher workplace engagement as well as performance.
(Photo: Canva)
The struggle with mental health has affected not just the ordinary employee throughout this pandemic. Their bosses are feeling the strain as well. According to a Bloomberg report that cites a recent survey by Prudential Financial, six in 10 managers say that the health crisis has taken a toll on their mental wellbeing.
The pandemic has led to rapid change for businesses, and the need for adaptation has created mounting pressures for managers. Forty-four per cent of those who lead remote working teams, for example, say that the new hybrid arrangements have left them feeling burnt out.
DecodeHR Managing Director Evelyn Chow explains, “It has created a lot of stress for leaders who have not yet managed to find that balance of what employees want, what is right for the organisation and its clients, and what is needed to ensure continued good performance.”
The Burden of Leadership
For sure, the mental stresses of being a manager and leader are not new, says Gordon Tan, a Gallup-certified life coach.
However, adding on to the new challenges brought about by the pandemic is the fact that workplaces have become more specialised in recent years, he notes. “It becomes hard to execute your job well, or even to have the confidence that you can do it, when there are so many other things to worry about.”
It is a scenario that Gordon himself is familiar with. Previously in the banking industry, he recalls that he was a hard worker who consistently met his KPIs. Promoted for his good performance, he struggled, however, in his new position as a manager. “It was a totally different ballgame,” he says.
“In addition to continuing to do my job, I now also had to worry about the people in my team. I didn’t have the skills to manage.”
Adapting to new leadership responsibilities is a tedious process, adds Evelyn. “Leaders face tremendous stress and undergo extreme mental strain. The leadership journey can be a very lonely one too.”
Coaching a Leader
Natural born leaders, after all, are found in only about one out of 10 managers, according to a series of Gallup studies on managers and the workplace. But leaders can be made, and the skills for leadership and managing can be learned.
And just like there are coaches for competitive sports and athletics, the best managers require the support of a leadership coach to reach their full potential.
“Managers need help to understand themselves and their roles within the organisations they work for,” says Gordon. “Through this process, they will hopefully begin to feel more comfortable in their own qualities, which will then empower them to lead in a way that draws on their own personalities, strengths, skills and experiences.”
But leadership coaching is not about providing ready-made solutions. Instead, a good coach guides managers into arriving at the answers on their own. “The reality is that many of us already have them in our head,” says Evelyn.
“But often, we can get quite mired in our own thought process. Responding to questions or thinking it through with a coach makes it easier to get to that lightbulb moment.”
A Happier Workspace
Managers who are more aware of their individual abilities and roles within the organisation are empowered to lead with greater confidence. This, in turn, creates a more positive workspace with employees who are engaged and motivated.
(Photo: Canva)
Gordon says, “You help managers appreciate themselves and their own strengths and qualities. And when they are assured of their own value, they are better able to recognise the positive aspects and the value in their underlings. Together, they are a more cohesive, more aligned team.”
Having a leadership coach provide support also alleviates the mental strain that managers struggle with, Evelyn points out. “You need to be in the know at all times, keep yourself current, know what employees are thinking and what your competition is doing. In the midst of all that, you’re jumping on multiple conference calls and attending meetings in the office. It takes a toll.”
With leadership coaching, managers have a safe space for addressing these fears and insecurities, and for managing their feelings of anxiety and stress. Being able to reflect freely upon these struggles leads to growth in the ability to lead.
“A strong leader is a leader with self-awareness,” says Evelyn. “If they are able to adjust and adapt their behaviours successfully, that will help them to be a better version of who they are today.”
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