Cathy Liska 
by Monique Betty, MBA, PCC
Managers are often the unsung heroes within organizations. They serve as the essential bridge between an organization’s stated goals and the actual performance results. When the bridge is strong and healthy it is prepared to withstand the volatility of conditions that are thrust it’s way. On the other hand, when the bridge is brittle and unhealthy, then the likelihood of lost resources and compromise to performance and results is high.
It is for this reason that when coaching individuals who are responsible for managing others, I believe it is important to understand how to coach them with a strengths-based approach. My premise is that coaching managers with a strength-based approach results in increased engagement and job performance for the individual, their team, and the organization.
In my chapter Coaching Managers with A Strengths-Based Approach within Coaching Perspectives IX, I expand on this premise and describe in detail the three pillars in support of this approach.
- Pillar 1: Self-awareness
- Pillar 2: Know and Understand the Talents of Each Team Member
- Pillar 3: Successful Management of the Team’s Collective Talents.
What I find interesting is the method by which many professionals land in the role of manager. Oftentimes, because of their standout performance as an independent contributor or their tenure with an organization, a person is awarded a promotion to the role that has the responsibility for managing others. Less common is it that someone is fully trained, developed, and in turn, deemed ready to move into a manager role.
However they arrived in the role of manager, I have discovered they achieve positive results in the shortest amount of time while using a strengths-based approach. When using one of the many available assessments, my clients are often surprised by the accurate portrayal of their natural talents in the personalized report. With a thorough review and understanding of their insights and what is most meaningful in their current managerial role, clients are equipped for charting a course of action to level up their leadership skills in a way that supports their increased job performance.
In turn, the managers invite their direct reports to complete an assessment and the new awareness gained of the talents held by team members contribute to a manager’s effort to support the professional development of each individual and the team.
Learn more with the full chapter in Coaching Perspectives IX.
