The 4th Role of a Leader
If you have ever read the book E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber, you know it talks about the three roles that need to be played by the business leader:
- The Entrepreneur: the visionary who sees where we want to be.
- The Manager: the leader who directs our time and attention.
- The Technician: the person who does the work to produce the product.
There is a 4th role that is not talked about in the book. And that role might be the one that ties all the others together: The Coach.
What does a coach do exactly?
The coach is the part of the leader that understands how to connect emotionally with their employees by showing empathy, communicating clearly, and building rapport. The coach bridges the gaps between the technician, manager, and entrepreneur. It augments the three into more subtle versions and provides an avenue for higher levels of achievement and employee enrichment.
Leaders need to be more in tune with the psychology of their people now more than ever. After all, people are constantly being told about how their emotions are tied to their overall well-being. In a CEO Survey conducted by Deloitte in 2020, CEOs stated that employee well-being is what they have struggled with the most during the COVID pandemic. A good coach knows what to do in the workplace to help us make our lives better through our work, instead of sitting back and waiting on our jobs to tear us down. Good coaches have:
- Good communication skills (this includes listening skills)
- Integrity
- Respect
- Servant leadership mentality
- Positive attitude
There is proof in the workplace that leaders who are in tune with their employees’ well-being are making a difference. According to this Accenture article, Care To Do Better, groundbreaking research has found that by meeting six fundamental human needs through work, companies unlock their people’s full potential. It pays to make business personal. As employers create meaningful and trusting relationships with employees, they see an increase in business performance.
Clear Leader has the tools you need to be an effective coach.
We use a scientifically-backed software called the Predictive Index (PI) to help leaders play the role of coach. Essentially, PI measures the psychological drives of people so that we can better predict their motivational needs and behaviors in the workplace. This allows us to play the role of the coach without near as much training. We can understand just enough about what is going on in the minds of our people so we can lead them better. We don’t need a degree or certificate. Contact us today. You will be glad you did!