PODCAST: Coaching, developing and Combating the 'I don't knows'
Summary: The most effective way to manage situations that develop between a leader and team member is coaching. But it's not a skill that comes naturally to most new people leaders, so in this podcast we ask two highly experienced coaches to tell us how it's done.
Written by Darin Fox Released 03 Aug 2020

In the HFL Fastlead leadership program we spend a significant amount of time focusing on the role of the leader as coach. We believe most situations between a leader and a team member are most effectively dealt with through a coaching approach. And it one of the most powerful techniques a leader has to support the development of the team. However, it is not an approach or skill that comes naturally to most new people leaders, so we provide a few extra hints and tips from two highly experienced coaches – one a senior leader and two, a professional executive coach and consultant.

In Episode seven of the Fastleader podcast, Darin Fox, Chief Research Officer at HFL, asks a senior leader Rachael Grant and executive coach Greg Holland-King, to explore five questions:

  • When is it NOT a good time to use a coaching technique and why?
  • What do you do when your coachee is aware of the coaching process?
  • So many leaders struggle with how they might develop their team members outside of formal training. What are some other ways leaders might use to develop their people?
  • What are some hints and tips about dealing with the coaching curve balls a leader might experience?
  • How might a leader know when the situation may have evolved suddenly into something that a coaching conversation can’t resolve?

Key quotes

  • “Leadership is about relationships.”

  • “Give people a safe place to fail.”

  • “I used to be nose-bleed level perfectionistic. But I’m much better now.”

  • “You often need to combat the ‘I-don’t-knows.”

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Show notes

Hershey’s & Blanchard Situational Leadership. Wikipedia.org

70/20/10 learning model. Deakinco.com

Fastlead’s GRROW coaching model. Fastlead.com

Take the Fastlead management challenge: https://fastlead.com/challenge

More resources: the Fastleaders homepage

Created by Fastlead, AsiaPac’s pioneer of small group leadership coaching. Hosted by Darin Fox, Chief Research Officer.

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Rachel Grant, Global Head of Talent and Capability at Genesis Care.

Greg Holland-King, Principal Consultant at ghk Consulting and Associate at the Melbourne Business School.

Darin Fox, Chief Research Officer of HFL and Fastlead.

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