Education leaders are being challenged and leaned on like never before. We recommend EVERY leader needs a leadership coach in 2020-2021, and we offer nine compelling benefits.
(Five Minute Read)
In a previous blog, we recommended one support structure campus and district leaders need during the pandemic: Leadership Coaching. Think about it. Leaders just went through the hardest spring semester they ever faced, and with little or no time off this summer, have to pivot to figure out how to reopen schools-a daunting task to say the least.
Aside from burning the candle from both ends, the whole notion of work-life balance became more challenging, as working from home creates new sets of hurdles, blurring the lines between “traditional” home and work.
Finally, we know how caring leaders are. As leaders, we are consistently concerned and care about our students, their families and our teachers without a pandemic. The added concern makes it much easier to for a leader to forget about herself, as her concerns are now multiple times deeper than ever before.
It has been suggested these three reasons combined can heavily weigh on the emotional and psychological wellness of campus and district leaders. Who do they lean on? Who is their thought partner? Who helps them set goals and take appropriate actions to reach those goals? A highly credentialed, International Coaching Federation and Board-Certified coach can play those roles and much more, the kind of coaching we have been doing for over a decade with 800+ leaders throughout Texas.
Leadership coaching has mostly been reserved for the business world. It is time it becomes prevalent in education. Leadership Partners has developed a unique and highly personalized coaching model that results in some big pay offs for leaders. And leaders need BIG payoffs as 2020-2021 revs up during a pandemic.
Our Leadership Coaching Model….
1. Empowers leaders and helps them to become effective agents of change.
Why is this important? During the pandemic, change will be the ONLY constant and a well-coached and supported leader will lead change more effectively. Our coaches also understand change management theory and can help support leaders as they deal with the daily and weekly changes that will surround them.
2. Provides support to leaders in developing cohesive plans in terms of their focus and how they lead day to day.
Why is this important? Leaders need to be taught how to think, act and plan in certain ways so they can show up the “best version” of themselves to lead. Our coached leaders know this and know how to show up as that best version of herself.
3. Clarifies and aligns a leader’s priorities.
Why is this important? Of ALL the things you could do each day, which should you and why? If coached well, leaders do not struggle with this. They learn how to prioritize and not overload themselves.
4. Addresses leadership “gaps” in a proactive and positive way.
Why is this important? Every leader has “blind spots.” The coached leader has set professional and personal goals with her coach to address the blind spots.
5. Meets leaders where they are through personalized and individualized support.
Why is this important? Our coaches build highly confidential and professional relationships with leaders, learn who they are, and offer them the support they need personally and professionally.
6. Provides leaders with an incredible sounding board and thought partner.
Why is this important? Our coaches are not biased and trained to listen well, reflect back what leaders are saying, and help them think through challenging issues. Leadership can be a very isolated role, and our coaches make sure leaders are not alone in their journey.
7. Allows leaders to see how their leadership is perceived from multiple stakeholders.
Why is this important? Leaders who are coached by us partake in a highly specialized 360 assessment that they take, their supervisor takes, peers take, and direct reports take. The data thus derived allow for a complete look at themselves in order to preserve strong leadership traits and work on ones that need improvement. In addition, our coaches use the 360 to help them set goals for themselves.
8. Provides accountability and support that leads to great execution on key initiatives.
Why is this important? While being a thought partner is of great help to a leader, our coaches also serve as accountability partners to support leaders as they meet personal and professional goals and initiatives.
9. Creates balance and emotional resilience in leaders, which decreases turnover.
Why is this important? With all the above benefits of our coaching model, one out come we know of is that our leaders become “tougher”, more resilient, more confident and more empowered due to being coached. This shields them from burn out and saves the district time, money and preserves consistent, strong leaders. ONE principal turnover is a $75,000 price tag and happens in schools of poverty more than anywhere. Our coached leaders know coaching is an “inside job” and know how to survive.
Leaders need coaching perhaps more than any other form of support as they lead through the pandemic and into the new normal. To find out more about our leadership coaching, please look here . We are eager to help and support in any way we can!
Also, please leave your name and email below if you would like to join our network of over 1500 leaders throughout Texas. We would also like to hear any comments you have about this blog. Stay safe!!
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