The journey of leadership is filled with challenging obstacles and the deep satisfaction that comes from overcoming them. This is both fulfilling and draining at the same time. Open doors of opportunity are exciting, but it’s frustrating when doors won’t open, don’t open, or are just plain slammed shut!
When leaders often feel like they aren’t functioning at their full potential, options seem limited and opportunities to move forward seem unrealistic. Leaders quickly feel stuck—like the keys they have don’t match the locks they encounter in the ever-changing landscape of modern leadership.
What would it feel like to unlock the potential of your leadership? Leaders all over the world are using Coaching to explore ways to keep moving forward while discovering new approaches and solutions in their leadership journey.
Here are 4 doors that Coaching can unlock that enable leaders to reach their full potential:
Isolation
Leadership can be a lonely place. The room seems to be closing in when there’s no one to talk to, laugh with or turn to for support. The impact of isolation resonates across the globe as Gallup* reports “Millions of people experience loneliness in their daily lives. Research shows that loneliness is associated with elevated risk for a wide range of physical and mental health conditions.”
The key that unlocks the isolation door is connection. Leaders find it very difficult to authentically connect. After all, who does “the fixer” turn to? Many leaders are leveraging the power of Coaching to create space where they can connect authentically. Connecting with another leader outside the box, but in your corner opens up a world of possibilities.
Imposter
When looking inward and leading outward, there’s often a stark contrast. Leaders can easily feel like they're always doing it wrong. There’s pressure to have it all under control, when in reality, things are spiraling. Leaders have a tendency to feel fake because of the masks they wear. This shouts loudest when leaders are faced with chaos in their personal lives while trying to calm the storms of others. The imposter shows up often when there’s the self-expectation to be the pioneer, the expert, or the superhero. Adding the perfectionist tendencies can cause leaders to feel fake and frozen.
The key that unlocks the imposter door is calling. Remembering the roots of our calling sheds some light on the imposter mask. Leaders should have the opportunity to deflate the pressure of us being the only one that responds, answers, and fixes. A leader's calling reminds them that while they are equipped and can develop deeper growth. Coaching exposes the imposter that stands in the way of reaching our full potential. Through Coaching, leaders can rediscover the power of calling. A coach comes alongside leaders to move forward to reach their full potential.
Influence
Leadership is all about influence. John Maxwell says “the true measure of leadership is influence.” The arena where our calling is expressed is within various circles of influence. Leaders share a common desire to make a difference, but there’s a disconnect on how to leverage influence.
The key that unlocks the influence door is community. Leadership can be isolating. Leaders are able to leverage their influence in the context of community. Leaders need each other, and there’s a powerful energy when leaders gather. There’s comrade in community. Engaging in 1-on1 coaching conversations gives the space for influence to be cultivated so leaders can reach their full potential. There’s a great community where leaders flourish at coaching.ag.org/coaching. Leaders form a diverse community where influence can thrive.
Innovation
Leaders can fall into a rut when it comes to innovation. Simply meeting every week’s expectations can be consuming, leaving little room for creativity. It’s easy to get inspired to try something new, but to authentically translate inspiration into action takes innovation. Coaches evoke that creativity in a space where leaders can dream, create, and experiment with the change they find so inspiring.
The key that unlocks the Innovation door is collaboration. Collaboration is “the action of working with someone to produce or create something.” The coaching relationship is built on collaboration. The coach’s role is not to fix and create, instead it’s to draw out awareness and inspiration that already lies within the heart of the leader. There’s a powerful together dynamic. One coach said to their client “Well, if you’re wrong ... we'll be wrong together!” When there’s room to collaborate, the creative lid is lifted. This results in hope-filled possibilities. Innovation then has the space to breathe again. Consider your coach, your collaborative thought partner, truly a co-laborer, as you dream, innovate, and create a new version of your leadership that is thriving at the next level.
There are other keys that unlock a leader’s potential, but to summarize: use Coaching to address the trouble areas of isolation, imposter, influence, and innovation. Reach your full potential by leveraging the power of connection, calling, community, and collaboration.
So what’s your next step? How can you reach your full potential? First, would you reach out to other members of your team, leaders in your network, or friends in your circle. Leadership should not be done alone. Take another step and reach out to the professional coaching community over at www.coaching.ag.org/coaching.
Eric Stender is a graduate of CBC/Evangel University. He is a husband, dad, disciple, and ordained minister in Illinois. Alongside local church ministry, he coaches leaders to intentionally lean forward in their life and leadership. He launched Leaning Forward Life Coaching to coach leaders to make cross-cultural connections with clarity, confidence, and consistency. www.leaningforward.life/coaching.
*Gallup https://www.gallup.com/analytics/509675/state-of-social-connections.aspx