Why Develop the Internal Leadership Coach?

There is a growing need within organizations to create a more integrated approach to identifying, developing and retaining the leadership talent required in today’s competitive environment. One of the best approaches to meeting this need within organizations is to develop a cadre of internal leadership coaches who work from a consistent methodology and focus. The fundamental purpose of this article is to provide insight, concepts and a solid results-driven strategy for implementing a highly effective internal leadership coaching process. Many of the practices explored are also consistent with those employed by an experienced external coach. The information provided will work in virtually any type of organization. My basic intent is to articulate a holistic or integrated approach of organizational leadership development using the skill of an internal coach.

Things Have Changed Although the fundamentals of sound leadership have not changed, the organizational leadership environment has undergone major changes over the past twenty years. There are very few long-term careers complete with a clear and consistent pathway. Few organizations remain that propel an individual up the career ladder through lower, mid and upper management positions, with the help of mentors. Specifically, guided long-term training and education programs for those occupying leadership positions are rare. Also the luxury of “gradually” adding increased responsibilities—as skills are acquired –does not fit in the current fast-paced organizational settings.

Many of the executives that provided leadership during the great economic expansion of the 20th Century’s last decades are retired, leaving a leadership void. In most organizations the hierarchical structures of the past have been replaced with the flatter and more agile organizations of today. We have reengineered, downsized and right-sized to the point where many organizations been completely changed and re-shaped. In fact, mid-level management – the old grooming ground for future leaders – has been decimated, leaving a void in the leadership learning path.

All of these changes, along with modern technology and globalization, has both increased and compressed the functions of leadership and shortened the time allowed to attain leadership skills and competencies. Couple this with the many forms of diversity now found in virtually any organization, and it quickly becomes apparent, that the leaders in today’s organizations are under far more stress to perform with less preparation than in the past. Change in today’s world is dynamic, rapid and unending. Yet the demands on organizations and those that lead them remains the same – be successful, provide innovative products and service, make a profitable return on investment and make good use of resources. Because of all of the above, organizations have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to developing a new generation of leaders. It has become clear why the services of a leadership coach are in such demand. The leadership coach has the background and skills to help those individuals who find themselves in new positions of leadership, to more quickly assume the role of “effective leadership.”



Drivers of Organizational Success When a serious attempt is made at internal leadership coaching, it must be realized that change will take place. This change will not only affect the individuals being coached. It will, in addition, touch those that the coached individual is charged to lead. The individuals being coached will begin to lead in a new way and with a new level of energy. This new style and energy will raise the overall expectations of both the leader and those they lead. As a result of new insight gained from the leadership development coaching experience, it can be expected (at a minimum) that the following drivers of organizational change will be affected to some or even a great degree. A more highly energized leadership team will seek to build on known organizational strengths and to more precisely define and articulate:

• A clear mission statement – Why do we exist? What is our organizational purpose?

• A compelling vision – What clearly describes our future desired state? What fulfills the mission?

• A solid strategy – What is the logic and tactics that ensure the mission and vision will be achieved?

• A reevaluation or restatement of organizational values – What are the values the organization will both espouse and live by? Which values will satisfy all stakeholders’ needs? What culture do we want to create?

• A greater focus on sustainability, growth and talent – What do we need to be doing today for our survival? What do we need to be doing to ensure future growth? What talent do we need both to survive and ensure future growth?

• A strong emphasis on creativity, innovation and implementation – What products, services or other deliverables will support personal and organizational growth? How do you take these from a dream to reality?

• A possible structure change – How do we best organize to bring about the changes needed to facilitate new organizational demands, as well as desired strategies and needs?

My research on dynamic organizations and practical experience, as both a leader and an internal leadership coach, has shown how important the understanding of the above stated conditions are in the implementation of a successful internal coaching process and in developing an organization that can effectively navigate in today’s environment. The seven statements and what they imply set the stage for insightful and proactive thought. They provide the building blocks needed to enhance the possibility of creating and building organizational success. They are the “touch-stones” that leaders can continually go back to when seeking a higher level of personal and organizational achievement.

The Importance of Business Acumen In addition to the above, when coaching and developing the leadership of an organization, it is fundamental that the business aspect of the organization – profit or non-profit, public or private, business or government – be given serious consideration. Leaders of any organization come together to play whatever game their organization was designed to win. Whatever the game, it is necessary for the organization’s leaders to demonstrate fundamental business acumen – generation of cash, profitable margins, return on assets, consistent and predictable quarter to quarter results or the collection of revenue to support the optimum distribution of service – if they are to insure their own on-going success, as well as the success of their organization.

While coaching individuals to attain personal success is important, the internal leadership coach can never lose sight of the disciplined universal laws of effectively running the organization. If the ultimate value of leadership coaching is to be realized, it must at all times be rooted in the business strategies of the individual being coached and in attaining strategic goals or delivering business results for the organization. Further, coaching, leadership and business acumen are not separate and distinct. Each contributes to the other and they inevitably overlap. It is recognized that excellence in coaching will lead to excellence in leadership, which will show up (among other things) as demonstrated business acumen and mastery of the game. Unlike some other forms of organizational coaching, those who practice leadership coaching are expected to have a sense of business acumen and the “personal presence” that is comfortable within this unique form of coaching.



Effective leadership is more than simply understanding the drivers of organizational success or demonstrating good business acumen. Leaders must also seek to use their innate strengths, competencies and talents to move both themselves and their organizations to a higher level of significance. When a leader truly begins to understand who they are and uses their full knowledge and capacity to move themselves and their organization to new heights, the advantage of their position and their ability to demonstrate “true leadership” will have its greatest impact. I have found that effective coaching can be of great use in helping individuals see and experience the difference between standard management practices and transformational leadership.

The Impact of Coaching The impact of the internal leadership coach is both now, in the present, and in the future. Significant contributions the coach makes are not only to today’s bottom line or in the immediate enhancement of individual performance; the coach also has a profound impact on the long-term development of leaders and the organizations they are charged to lead. As a result, the leadership development coach can have a substantial impact on human potential and human possibilities. The coach serves as an expert in challenging others to make the connection between self, action and improved results. Focusing on introspection, and building upon the strengths and competencies of their colleague (the one being coached), the leadership development coach occupies a unique position, which fosters the creation of strong leaders, so they can enable organizations to grow and survive over time.

In organizations, especially in business organizations, we talk about how lonely it is at the top. Guess what? It does not have to be lonely. The leadership development coach can help the colleague feel more connected in a world that often seems to be disconnected. The coach can challenge and enable leaders to unleash more of their own courage, strengths, talents and competencies than they typically can on their own. The coach can help leaders keep getting extraordinary things done for themselves and their organization by helping them search for meaning and think more objectively through times of chaos and uncertainty. In the context of a trusting and confidential relationship, the leadership coach can be a good listener, advisor and sounding board. A leadership development coach can help others create new ideas from old information, reformulate problems into opportunities, and help their colleagues grasp the essential issues of a complex problem.

The Internal and External Leadership Coach Although this article is mainly directed at the “internal” leadership development coach, much of what is covered applies to working with an external coach as well. Unknown to the organization, many senior executives use the service of an external coach. There are several reasons for this. The coach may be a personal friend or a colleague, or the executive and coach have a long-standing relationship. Some leaders fear that having a coach, who is visible to the organization, may be viewed as a sign of weakness; however, most see the use of an outside coach as providing them with a better perspective or larger world view. Whatever the reason, the use of an external leadership coach can be very effective.

The use of an internal coach is also used for various reasons. With the vital support of the CEO and other senior leaders, the internal coach can be very effective in the establishment of a strong coaching culture. This, in turn, demonstrates a true commitment to empowering employees. An internal coach is often able to leverage opportunities for networking more effectively within the organization. Because of their position of living daily within the organization, internal coaches also can have a better understanding of the “real” culture in which the leadership coaching takes place. This high degree of familiarity of the corporate culture provides the internal leadership coach with the ability to help new leaders to an organization better and more quickly assimilate into their leadership roles. There is no doubt that both the external and internal coach can provide an added dimension to increasing the overall effectiveness of both the individuals being coached and the organization as a whole.



The Human Endeavor: Values, Mission, Vision and Strategies When you tie mission, vision, strategy, organizational values, focus on sustainability, growth and talent, innovation, the ability of the organization to change, training and development and leadership coaching into one dynamic package, the results – and that’s what it’s all about – will be outstanding! With all that is said and implied about the cold and calculated impact of technology in today’s workplace, leadership remains a very human endeavor. Leadership is all about people. Coaching leaders so they can better orchestrate the social capital – the collective value of people within an organization – is what I believe to be a special investment in the development of human potential. Leadership coaching is not a fad. Leadership development through coaching is becoming to organizations what a coach is to sports. Coaching is one of the requirements for winning.

Within the internal leadership development coaching process it is important to know and understand what the stated and actual organizational values are, so both the coach and the colleague can better understand how people fit or align themselves within the organization. As a coach, you need to be sensitive to how things are actually done within the organization in which you are going to be coaching leaders and other key individuals. This understanding will help you be more effective in asking the right questions or challenging individuals to follow the right assumptions. This will also provide you with insight as to what will be the important values that your colleague needs to be in alignment with or possibly what values need to be changed to allow greater individual and organizational success. With both the coach and the colleague being clear on the organizational values, the coach can better advise (coach) the colleague on how to most effectively use his or her strengths, talents and competencies to attain the greatest impact.

Much has been written about mission and vision statements. Some organizations can’t stand them, others swear by them. Some organizations are successful without them, while others believe they are, in part, the reason for their success. Strategy is another aspect of organizational life that has received a fair amount of both good and bad attention. Used incorrectly, all (mission, vision and strategy) simply become words without meaning or statements of the obvious. Used correctly, a good mission statement, a well-conceived vision, and the strategies put in place to make it all come alive, can make the difference between an organization that merely does well and one that is truly great. For best results, the internal leadership coach and the organization should be clear about its mission, vision and strategies.

Mission A well-written mission statement can promote unity, provide clarity and focus, move the organization from ideas to action, align and allocate scarce resources, and help define and establish the culture of the organization. Because of these factors, the mission statement can be a powerful force in clearly defining the organizations purpose for existence. The organizational mission statement should state why the entity was formed or what specific mission it performs. This can be discovered by answering the following types of questions. Why are we in business? Why (in very specific terms) do we exist? What do we provide and why? What primary function do we fulfill and why? Why does this work matter? What is most important about what we do?

Vision Where there is no vision, people get confused, lose heart and do not perform at their best. A vision defines a “desired future.” It clearly describes the organization’s future desired state. The vision fulfills the stated mission and helps all who accept the vision to more fully understand it. The vision must also be explicit, bought into, short, and in writing, so all stakeholders operate on fact rather than assumption. A vision generates a unity of purpose by capturing the hearts and minds of an organization. For this reason, the vision should ideally strike an emotional cord rather than being an intellectual statement. A vision acts to align all individuals towards a mental image of the future. Vision is the imagined possibility, stretching beyond today’s organizational capabilities. A vision eliminates status quo thinking and transcends day-to-day thinking and actions by providing an inspirational bridge from today to tomorrow. A well thought out vision is simply the articulation of a realistic, credible, desirable and attractive future for the organization.

Strategy Just as you would develop a vision to support a mission, so too, it is necessary to generate a strategy for accomplishing the mission and the implementation of a vision. Strategy is the unique formula or nucleus around which plans can be formed which leads to organizational success. Developing strategy is not that complicated; yet it is an underused activity in many organizations. Figuring out strategy can be basic. Where is the organization today? Where does it want to be in the future? Where is our competition today? What is our cost position to beat them in the future? Strategy simply defines the logic and tactics that ensure the mission and vision will be achieved.

Values The internal leadership coach must develop a solid understanding of the true values of the organization because values are the bedrock of any organizational culture. In fact, there is abundant evidence that the displayed values (good or bad) of members of an organization culture make a substantial difference in organizational performance. Because of this fact, the statement can be made that “values are important” and “culture counts.” Culture is the mortar that holds the organization together – it’s about people. Culture is often described as the “soft” side of the business and is therefore thought to be easy to define, mold and change. You should challenge that assumption. The “soft” side of the business or organizational environment is most often very difficult to orchestrate. Culture within an organization is deep, extensive and complex. Culture is a very powerful and often unconscious set of forces that determines individual as well as collective behaviors, beliefs, values and ways of perceiving situations and doing things.

Sustainability, Growth and Talent In order to secure their continual success, leaders and their organizations must do three things. First, they must ensure Sustainability – which involves maintaining and securing the present day-to-day discipline of running the organization and applying sound business principles. Second, they must ensure Growth – which involves having innovation, drive, determination and focusing on the future. Growth is vital to our collective prosperity. Growth is the great elixir. Every person, department, company and economy must grow if prosperity is going to be realized. This is the major polarity we face – disciplined sustainability and innovative growth. It is not a matter of stopping the train and taking the time to redesign the tracks ahead. It is keeping the train going, while anticipating when and where the next switch will be thrown, that will keep the organization going along the best right-of-way. As an internal leadership coach, one must realize that sustainability, growth and the talent to accomplish both are the key ingredients in any organization’s success.

Talent is closely related to the challenge of sustainability and growth. Effective leadership requires the fostering of creativity, innovation and implementation. In a survey conducted by the American Management Association, the top answer to the question “What must be done to survive in the 21st Century?” was “Practice creativity and innovation.” The word implementation has been added because of the important role it plays in most organizational strategies. The three words together – creativity, innovation and implementation – can be viewed as a process or the practice of entrepreneurship. All are important; however, innovation should be considered the centerpiece when thinking of future growth.



Structural Change As an organization clearly defines its mission, paints a vision of the future, aligns strategies, states the desired values, understands the challenge, and implements the innovation processes required for growth, then and only then can it begin to form the organizational structure that will best support what the organization is passionate about accomplishing. Organizational structure is important because it provides the physical and intellectual form around which people will interact. Structure also dictates the way organizational members will behave with others--both internally and externally. To be most effective, the structure must be solid enough to help individuals understand where their role fits in the big picture—but agile enough to change—as the business and systems change to meet outside forces and market demands.

Because it is virtually impossible to describe structures that will fit even the most typical organization, there will not be an attempt to suggest a typically good structural framework from which you can clone and modify your organization. A good rule to follow when building the structure of an organization is to remember that structure follows or is formed around the business or mission of the organization, not the other way around. If the organizational structure is preventing a customer focused and performance oriented mind-set, it is the wrong structure. The structure must support the mission, vision and strategy of the organization.



Operate In the Present/Prepare for the Future Whether you consider an individual or an organization, the mark of success is to be able to operate effectively in the present and at the same time prepare and be accomplishing actions that take you or the organization into the future (sustainability and growth). However, people and organizations often get caught in doing only those things that deal with the immediate or they are constantly only planning and dreaming in the future. This can be played out by leaders who continue to micro manage the present or by leaders who spends all their time away from the organization are on their own strategic hunt, and are not communicating the real future to the rest of the organization.

The key is to be doing some of both at the same time and in an orchestrated manner. This sounds logical almost to the point of being a “no brainer.” However, many people and organizations do not see the importance of balancing exceptional day-to-day performance with acquiring the skills and knowledge that will ensure future growth. The sports coach understands the importance of winning today’s event, but also is challenging the athlete to visualize and practice those innate strengths, that will result in being at the top of their game in the future. Think of all the daily practice and special events in which an Olympian competes for that one chance every four years to be recognized as the best in their sport. The internal leadership coach can play an important role in challenging their colleague to maintain this critical balancing act.

Closing Comments: The Subject of Leadership Leadership is not about title, position, place, structure, system or technique. Leadership is about having and demonstrating a passion and genuine caring for something of significance. When you believe in something and have a passion for it, you will be persistent and stand up for it. If you do not have a passion and excitement about your organization, department, team, product, service or customer, how can you expect those you lead to provide excellence in what they do? Passion plays an important role in driving you personally and in soliciting the support of those you lead. Yes, you must master the fundamentals, the tools, concepts and techniques of leadership. An aspiring leader can no more skip the fundamentals than can an aspiring sports figure. However, people follow that to which they can genuinely respond. People will follow how you embody your message. People will follow your true voice. People will follow a leader who they believe to be “credible.” They will follow leaders who listen and whose actions match their words. Internal leadership coaches must themselves think and act as leaders if they are to effectively coach others to lead.

The best leaders are continually developing their capabilities through a never-ending process of reflection, self-study, education and most importantly, experience. While each of us can have a firm grasp on our strengths, core competencies and skills, it is mainly through the experience of trial and error, and reflection and feedback on the depth of those experiences, that a good leader can grow into a solid leader. There are few easy lessons in leadership, because leaders are out in front, setting the pace, and often going where most have not been or would not go without their leadership. By having a firm understanding of the organization and through the use of insightful Socratic questioning, the internal leadership coach can have significant impact on the individual being coached and the organization as a whole.

If you have the desire to be a successful internal leadership coach, ask yourself these questions. Why would a highly talented person choose to be coached by me? What skills can I offer that will help an individual attain a higher level of personal and organizational success? Do I truly understand the business and goals of the organization? Do I demonstrate the leadership attributes and qualities that I wish to bring out in others?

Ultimately, the act of being an internal leadership coach is demonstrating action through the people you coach. It is about setting the right example and challenging others in ways that will help shape and define their own expression in deeds, not words. The role of the internal leadership coach is to maximize your colleague’s well being, not their comfort. Instead of giving your colleague false assurance that their best is good enough, as a leadership coach you must insist that they surpass themselves. The internal leadership coach must help their colleague determine what will be needed to stretch and develop themselves. The internal leadership coach must focus not only on the individual being coached, but also direct their efforts toward the overall success of the organization. If the above is accomplished the fundamental question is answered: why develop the internal leadership coach?

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Roger M. Ingbretsen, Author, Speaker, Leadership Coach, Organizational and career developer For more information, visit www.ingbretsen.com or call 509 999 7008.



Why Develop the Internal Leadership Coach? - To learn more about this author, visit Roger Ingbretsen's Website.

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