Leadership Coaching and Counselling

Written By: Dr. Martin Rovers, Psychologist with Capital Choice Counselling Group.

Being in leadership can be very satisfying, but also comes with great challenges and a high failure rate. Some people have natural leadership skills, however, many need to learn them along the way. Even with natural leadership skills, leaders can benefit from the help of leadership coaching and/or counselling. For more evidence that this is true, check out this article entitled Behind Every Good CEO should be a Coach by Ray Williams.
 
The challenges of leadership are many. You may find yourself in the position of mediating a conflict between two employees, making complicated decisions in which there are several avenues that could be pursued, feeling overwhelmed by the stress of the position, or feeling caught between the demands of the workplace and the expectations of home. Perhaps the maxim “If only I could get rid of 5% of my employees, then I would be rid of 75 % of my problems!” has run through your head. Leadership Coaching can gives you the skills required for the situation at hand, and help you with confidence on how to handle a particular issue or person. Simple listening or facilitation skills do not always come naturally and this is where leadership coaching can come in. Leadership Coaching can help to address these areas by:

CCCG Leadership Coaching and Counselling

  1. 1. Providing a sounding board to help make strategic decisions
  2. 2. Providing an objective third party to aid in providing solutions to employee conflict, as well as training in effective listening and managing of conflict.
  3. 3. Providing strategies for managing stress, and accountability for following up on those strategies.

 
There are more ways that coaching is effective, but at times what is needed goes beyond the scope of leadership coaching.  You may have employees that are struggling with a sense of depersonalization or PTSD.  Workplace stress can also have an impact on mood and relationships, and vice versa. Perhaps there is a lack of self-awareness in your leadership strategy that is causing more problems than it is solving.  Perhaps the confidence needed in order to take a leadership position has gotten in the way of being able to hear some of your employees concerns. Or it might be the complete opposite, that you feel your job requires you to keep a facade of confidence where internally you struggle with the smallest decision. These concerns often go beyond the simple leadership coaching model. Therefore, Leadership Counselling can help by:
 

  1. 1. Providing a safe place to discuss your feelings of insecurity, and develop ways to counter the internal critic that robs you of confidence.
  2. 2. Providing authentic feedback about your relational style, with the goal of developing further self-awareness.
  3. 3. Providing trained therapy for marital distress, or mental health issues such as depression, PTSD, or anxiety.

 
Often the lines between coaching and counselling are not so distinct. So when do I need leadership coaching to be a better leader and when do I need leadership counselling to be a better person? The good news is that through Capital Choice Counselling Group’s Leadership Coaching and Counselling program, you do not have to choose. Our coaches/counsellors are professionals who have expertise, training, and experience in both realms (often with executive experience themselves), and can allow confidential and open conversations to happen in a secure and personal way.  Why settle for a coach when you can have a professional with all the skills needed. Contact us today to book an appointment or to have your further questions answered.