By Thomas Davis, DNAP, MAE, CRNA
In his classic book, The 5 levels of leadership, author John Maxwell notes that in the lower levels, people follow leaders first because they must and later, if earned, because they want to. However, in the modern workplace, truly memorable leaders take the next step and achieve level 4 status by shifting their focus on developing the talents of members of the team.
The Gallup Q12 staff engagement survey is the gold standard for assessing staff engagement in the work environment. Reviewing the content of the survey reveals that aspects of teaching, coaching, and mentoring are present in half of items assessed, which reinforces the importance of professional development in the workplace. The Q12 survey reinforces the concept that teams with Maxwell level 4 leaders who focus on developing the strengths of its members are the groups with the highest morale and productivity.
Take your team to the next level through teaching, coaching, and mentoring
Teaching
Teaching is designed to impart academic information and instruction to a group of learners. In most cases, the material is presented in a pre-determined manner and is designed to fulfill a specific need. Communication is frequently one way and directed by the teacher. Presentation of information is focused on content related to the goal. In the workplace, leaders are called upon to assemble the team, explain changes in policies or workflow, and solicit support from team members. In addition, teaching sessions may be held to update the team on best practice guidelines for various procedures. Depending upon the size of the group, discussions can open the door for feedback however the bulk of the information is presented as one way communication from the leader to the group.
Coaching
Whereas teaching takes place in the classroom, coaching occurs in the actual work environment. Typically, the coach uses his/her knowledge and experience to teach skills to less experienced people on the team. Picture the little league coach who, in addition to teaching baseball strategy and teamwork, works one on one with each child to improve their personal skills at various tasks. In the workplace, the level 4 leader works one on one with team members, or they may hit a home run by matching the lesser trained person up with a senior person on the team who fills in as the coach. In this case the leader not only ensures that the newbie is coached, they also develop the coaching skills of the experienced person assigned to be the coach. In this case, two people walk away with a sense that the leader has an interest in their professional development.
Mentoring
Mentoring is a special relationship between two people in which the senior, more experienced person helps the underling define a vision, develop a plan, and achieve a goal. The relationship is built upon trust and often develops into a lifetime friendship between the two individuals. A key element of mentoring is for the senior person to be committed to helping the younger person achieve their goal. Often, effective mentoring enables the up and comer to become a leader somewhere else in the current organization or with another organization all together. One word of caution, a relationship in which the senior person attempts to build a clone of him/herself is doomed for failure. The key to success is helping the other individual to be the best person that they can be and encouraging their promotion.
“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others” ~Bill Gates
Frontline leaders are constantly pulled in many directions at the same time and in the chaos of crisis management may find it difficult to carve out time for developing individual members of the team. The savvy leader knows that accomplishing the workload and staff development are not mutually exclusive. Through teaching, coaching, and mentoring, members of the team are trained to pick up leadership tasks resulting in a reduced workload for the leader and more time available for additional staff development. The investment of time and effort spent on developing others improves morale, increases productivity, creates a pipeline of capable future leaders. In addition, it elevates you to “best boss” status. Expanding the capabilities of others is a cost-effective win-win activity for the team and the organization. Step up and capture the rewards of level 4 leadership.
Tom is an experienced leader, educator, author, and requested speaker. Click here for a video introduction to Tom’s talk topics.