Leadership Isn't For Cowards: How to Drive Performance by Challenging People and Confronting Problems

Chapter 28

What’s That Weight on Your Back?

The big finale of this section, the one thing that will tie the last three chapters together, is committing to the habit of coaching. Coaching provides a venue for accountability, development of habits, and brainstorming ways to do different things. I am still amazed at how many leaders do not have an authentic, structured, accountable coaching culture. After reading this chapter, you will have zero excuse for lacking one. There is no way you can possibly drive performance if you are not spending one-on-one time with your followers in meaningful, performance-based conversation. If you are going to be effective, you must be an engaging and compelling coach.

The goal of coaching is pretty straightforward. It’s all about moving people from what they currently do to what you and they realize they can do. It’s about driving them from their current level of performance to a more desirable state of performance. It’s about improving what they do and how they do it.

Coaching is not punishment. It’s not required because they have been bad children. It is a helpful, appropriate part of self-development. Unfortunately, our culture still sees receiving help as a weakness as opposed to an expected part of improvement. Coaching is a gift—a benefit of employment—and should be treated that way. I don’t know if anything has had a bigger impact on my success than having coaches throughout my life. Coaches have helped me adjust my expectations and see things ...