More and more organisations are hiring professional coaches to support the growth and development of their managers and leaders. The reasons for hiring a coach may vary, but the most common are: professional coaching has shown a high return on investment; talking to an independent neutral outsider allows the client to feel comfortable and safe; and organisations don’t have the time to support their managers in their leadership development. The biggest drawcard remains the high return on investment, because it’s very difficult to put a price tag on developing interpersonal relationships, building confidence, overcoming imposter syndrome, and developing visibility.
Coaching involves taking clients out of their comfort zones, which sometimes proves a bit challenging in some organisations. If we look at the ideal coaching topics for managers, often organisations provide a high-level outline, which acts as a guideline of what the coaching topics should be. However, oftentimes no outline is provided, and it is left to the manager and leader to discuss what they feel is hindering their professional growth.
What is a good coaching topic for managers?
Some of my clients talk about their situation, and ask if it’s a relevant coaching topic. It’s always a difficult question to answer, because there’s no such thing as a non-coachable topic, unless of course if it’s about illegal or unethical behaviour. If the topic is important to the manager, and if it’s limiting their growth, efficiency, interpersonal relationships, and being their best, then it’s worth exploring.
If I’m asked whether I’ve coached someone on that particular topic before, then the answer is usually yes. After 13 years of coaching, there isn’t a topic I haven’t come across.
Examples of regular management coaching topics
- Strategic thinking.
- Time management.
- Delegation
- Motivating and inspiring teams.
- Self-confidence.
- Assertiveness
- Becoming visible in an organisation.
- Career advancement.
- Self-care and self-leadership.
- Procrastination.
- Emotional Intelligence.
- Giving feedback.
As you will see, the list is endless, and the coaching topics focus primarily on interpersonal relationships with one’s team or direct report and then with oneself. There is no coaching topic that is taboo for managers, and often a coach is their only sounding board where they can articulate their feelings, fears, and thoughts.
Key take-aways of what is a good coaching topic for managers
- If the topic is important to you and is hindering your growth, it’s a coaching topic.
- Managers can set their own coaching topics.
- Organisations seldom determine the coaching topic.
- All leadership topics are coachable.
Over to you for sharing your comments and experiences.
What do you think is a good coaching topic for managers?
About the Author: Kerstin Jatho
Kerstin is the senior transformational coach and team development facilitator for 4Seeds Consulting. She is also the author of Growing Butterfly Wings, a book on applying positive psychology principles during a lengthy recovery. Her passion is to develop people-centred organisations where people thrive and achieve their potential in the workplace. You can find Kerstin on LinkedIn, Soundcloud, YouTube and Facebook.
