The Multiple Hats Leaders Wear

We expect a lot from our leaders (in addition to doing and managing and evaluating “the work”). Be a coach. Mentor others. Train on-the-job. These people-focused roles require specific skills and different mindsets, and the agility to switch from one to another seamlessly, often in the same conversation.

In this week’s newsletter, we explore leaders’ different hats - and how to wear them comfortably.

Leader = coach.

“[Coaching is] partnering with leaders in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” -- International Coaching Federation

You’re coaching when you ask more than you tell, when you explore your team member’s path with genuine curiosity while walking alongside rather than in front. My mentor coach (yes - coaches have, should have, and need their own coaches) writes in her book, Coaching Conversations, that when we coach we “witness and uncover [others’] greatness as well as shine light on obstacles they may need to handle.”

As a leader, you wear your coach hat when empowering team members to tap their own experience and expertise, when you’re unlocking their self-confidence and unleashing their abilities.

• “What ideas do you have?” 
• “How would you handle this situation?” 
• “How can you apply similar experiences to this new challenge?”
• "What holds you back from achieving what you want in this situation?

Leader = mentor.

"Mentoring is a reciprocal and collaborative at-will relationship that most often occurs between a senior and junior employee for the purpose of the mentee’s growth, learning, and career development….Effective mentors often act as role models and sounding boards for their mentee and provide guidance to help them reach their goals." - Association for Talent Development

Mentors have been in the time machine. They've traveled the paths we’re on, absorbed lessons we're learning, and overcome challenges we’re facing. Team members want to hear how YOU did something, why YOU took this road vs. that one. You’re mentoring when you share your stories, impart your wisdom and tell more than ask. 

Can mentors coach? Absolutely - just follow your telling with a question. “Here’s what I did in your role. How could you build on that?” or “What would you do differently?” Can coaches mentor? Sure! I ask permission to don my mentor hat - “Can I share something from my own experience?” If given, I shift into telling, relay a concise and relevant story, and smoothly swap hats as I return to asking. 

Leader = Teacher.

You know things your team members don’t. You know how things are done at your organization, how the executives like to receive information, whom to ask for what, the smoothest path to accomplish a task. You’ve learned how to use a system, run a report, or present to specific audiences. When you’re “showing the ropes,” explaining, or demonstrating - you’re wearing your teacher/trainer hat. 

Can teachers coach? Yup. “Here’s how to run this report. How might we improve this process?” You can follow a training session with coaching - after your team member has had time to practice the new skill. Can teachers mentor? Of course! “Here’s how to use this system. When I was learning it, I found it best to practice with a few sample invoices.” 

Wrapping up.

The World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report 2023” predicts that 44% of workers’ core skills will be disrupted, because technology is moving faster than companies can design and scale up their training programs.” It is vital that leaders invest in their people - expanding capabilities as teachers, inspiring new behaviors as mentors, and unleashing potential as coaches. Step up and get comfortable with all of your hats - we tip ours to you!

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Tina has played at the intersection of humans + technology + work for more than 25 years. As founder of WorkJoy, she wears multiple hats - coach, consultant, speaker, educator - to help organizations unleash the potential of their humans. WorkJoy helps develop leaders through 1-to-1 coaching, 1-to-many training and team facilitation, and 1-to-all speaking engagements. Let's try on hats together!