I didn’t understand how big an impact coaching makes, until I spent nearly ten years without it. Ten years without an invested leader partnering with me for long-term success.
The other day, someone described their own similar experience as ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘limiting’ in their career.
Each day of those years felt like single-handedly pushing a rock uphill. The exhaustion, frustration, survival mode, isolation, and emptiness had very physical, emotional and performative impacts. Not because I wasn’t capable or skilled to do my job, but because I was on an island, responsible for knowing, doing and figuring out how to all the things, alone.
Most firms use the word “coaching” in a variety of ways, and with the best intentions. But rarely is it practiced as truly defined:
“A structured, collaborative partnership designed to unlock a person's potential and achieve specific personal or professional goals.” (International Coaching Federation)
This gap is costing firms and the accounting profession our best people.
Hopefully, you’ve had the opportunity to work with a great leader, an internal or external coach, in your career. Do you remember how it felt to have someone intentionally invest in your success?
For me, it expanded what I believed to be possible for myself. It created a path for growth, established confidence, and helped me develop capabilities and capacities I would not have had without an engaged, intentional leader coaching me.
These types of outcomes do not come from leaders who are maxed out, the performance evaluation process, or a quarterly coffee check-in.
The strategic advantage of the future is capacity.
The firms with the most leaders who can think strategically, develop people and lead through complexity will have the advantage. Capacity is so often sacrificed for the billable hour, the demanding client, or the inefficient process. Capacity in time, energy, skills, and mental and emotional load will be of the highest value, but this kind of capacity has to be sought, developed and vehemently protected.
This is where coaching becomes a strategic advantage. Unlocking human potential for achievement and performance. Right now, your firm has high performers who are capable of more. The question is, do they have someone helping them see, believe and accomplish what they are capable of? To “call them to greatness,” as Alex Dorr so often says.
So, if you could strengthen leadership capacity in one group within your firm this year, where would it matter most?
- Newly promoted supervisors
- Seniors preparing for manager roles
- High performers in stretch roles
- Leaders responsible for people, clients, projects and firm priorities
A true coaching partnership turns overwhelm into ownership, exhaustion to energy, anxiety to confidence, and frustration to clarity. When that happens witha firm’s most influential and impactful leaders, everyone wins BIG!
I’ve spent my career leading and developing leaders, and I’ve personally experienced how one leader can change the trajectory of someone’s life – most of the time that comes through 1:1 individualized coaching and development. I believe leaders have a responsibility to see and unlock the potential in their people to help them flourish.
Coaching develops better leaders. Better leaders build stronger firms.
There are several groups within your firm who could benefit from increased leadership capacity. Did you pick one from the list, or is there another? How could you set the stage to help the highly capable people in your firm flourish through meaningful work, enabled by intentional leadership?
I'm always happy to talk all things coaching. If something here resonated, I'd love to hear from you at asimmonds@lcvista.com.
