Coaching and Guidance

"I cannot teach you anything. I can only ask the right questions so you can find the answer."
—Socrates

A coaching leader prioritizes individual conversations with each team member, mastering the art of asking insightful questions that help individuals discover thoughts and solutions, unlocking knowledge and fostering development. 

Originally, the term "coach" derives from the Hungarian word kocsi, meaning "carriage from Kocs." The coach was the driver responsible for guiding the horses. Symbolically, a coach transports someone from their current state to their desired way of living. Thus, coaching becomes a tool for transformation and learning processes, emphasizing individual growth and the willingness to change. 

Today, coaching is viewed as a leadership style rooted in an optimistic, humanistic, and existential perspective, focusing on learning, possibilities, and solutions. It is considered a form of self-leadership, where the leader acts as a learning architect, emphasizing democracy and dialogue. Coaching is seen as a leadership strategy that meets the complex demands of today's leadership roles. 

Additionally, coaching serves as a reflective and conversational method for personal realization of individual resources. Its primary purpose is to promote personal and professional development, enhancing awareness and learning. Coaching is action-oriented, with the coach helping the individual find effective alternatives. 

Key attitudes and skills of a coach include:
•    A resource-oriented view of people and a desire to help
•    Empathy and the ability to adopt others' perspectives
•    Active listening on multiple levels
•    Asking exploratory questions
•    Paraphrasing to reflect and clarify
•    Offering alternative inputs for further exploration
•    Distinguishing between one's own experiences, thoughts, and feelings, and those of others

Leaders in kindergartens and schools face the daily responsibility of overseeing operations and evaluating the quality of employees' work and development. If an employee does not show growth, tensions can arise between being both a leader and a coach. Therefore, one is primarily a leader and secondarily a coach. 

Stiftelsen IMTEC offers individual leadership support through coaching and guidance. With IMTEC, you gain a sparring partner to discuss your leadership challenges. The goal is to support you in reflecting and finding solutions, while also challenging you to further develop as a leader. 

Learn more about: Individual Leadership Support

Written by: Vigdis Nordahl Hansen
Last updated: February 28, 2024