4 Strengths Effective Coaches Have

As leadership consultant Peter Drucker used to say, being effective means doing the right things. So what would be noticeable signs of a coach’s effectiveness? Here is a presentation of 4 essential strengths effective coaches demonstrate, backed by third-party research.

1. A Coaching Mindset

The first step towards becoming an outstanding coach is developing the mindset. This involves adopting a perspective of continuous learning, growth, and development, combined with non-judgment, openness and curiosity. According to the ICF global coaching study, 99% of coaches agree that a coaching mindset is crucial for effective coaching.

2. Clear and Conscious Communication

As a coach, your ability to articulate your thoughts clearly and confidently is paramount. In addition, it is not just important to speak well—but also to listen consciously and respond. The Harvard Business Review shows that great listeners are often the best communicators, reinforcing the importance of active listening in coaching.

3. Setting Specific and Achievable Goals

Setting specific and achievable goals is another crucial aspect of the coaching process, providing a roadmap for success. Coaches are expected to guide their coachees toward the realization of their leadership and career aspirations by 1) collaborating to identify measurable objectives, 2) formulating a plan to achieve them, and 3) following up periodically.

4. Constructive Feedback (or Feedforward)

Finally, great coaches master the art of giving feedback, which should be timely, precise, constructive, and forward looking (feed forward). It should highlight areas of strength and pinpoint opportunities for improvement. Gallup found that employees who receive regular feedback and opportunities for growth are more engaged, more likely to stay with their organization, and have higher productivity levels. 

A coach’s journey is one of ongoing discovery and effective coaches must possess a myriad of skills. However, these 4 may well be the most crucial to help others realize their full potential.

To further enhance your coaching skills, a free introductory course on Stakeholder Centered Coaching^® is at your disposal here, as well as this brand new eBook full of coaching success stories (here).

About MGSCC:

Marshall Goldsmith is among the very few who have been recognized by the prestigious Thinkers50 and Harvard Business Review as the #1 Leadership thinker in the world. Marshall also held a record for 10 years as the #1 Executive Leadership coach.

Over the past 20+ years, we have improved Leadership Effectiveness, supporting Fortune 500 and SME leaders globally with our proprietary methodology: Stakeholder Centered Coaching®

Stakeholder Centered Coaching® has been used by more than 150 of the Fortune 500 companies and has enabled successful people to lead more effectively through continuous change in Leadership behavior by using a process that is highly effective and time efficient.

We are the world’s largest Executive Leadership coaching network, with more than 4,800 coaches certified in Stakeholder Centered Coaching® across 110 countries.

The MGSCC brand is trusted because we constantly deliver improved Leadership with measurable results.