When we think of coaching we often think in terms of sports. However, great coaching occurs in every facet of life. Coaching is a powerful tool every leader should access, but it is especially critical when leading a high-reliability organization.
High-reliability organizations require consistency. Human beings struggle with consistency due to stress, uncertainty, and complexity. Leaders are not exempt from these pressures. To be consistent, leaders must be sensitive to the pressure to be inconsistent. That sensitivity benefits from an outwardly oriented view of our performance and thinking. Havng a coach, with that outside view, helps leaders create a framework for mental consistency is necessary to operate at high levels of reliability.
Consider the contagion unleashed by a satisfied, engaged leader. Not only can that leader identify and develop high-potential employees, but those high-potential employees become engaged and motivated in their role. Departmental strengths and areas for growth are identified and developed. Staff is empowered. Turn-over rates decrease. Lower turn-over rates translate into fewer hours devoted to new-staff training and re-configuring a team against the constant drain of new team members. It means working with a staff that knows and trusts each other. A team that can anticipate each other’s preferences, moves and decisions. It’s a recipe for a well-run, productive organization.
Now consider a coached leader’s impact on an HRO. By definition a High-Reliability Organization (HRO) is an organization that operates in a complex, high-hazard space for long periods of time without serious accidents or failures. It would go to argue that a team comprised of long-term, engaged staff who can anticipate and work well with their teammates would be of great value to pursuing the HRO model. Engaged employees who are motivated and carry high potential are required to endure the rigors that the HRO model prescribes. Leadership designed to create and develop engaged teams is essential to the HRO model and is enhanced through coaching.