Many believe that servant leadership is the ideal approach. However, “leader as coach” can be even more effective in fostering growth and accountability within teams and leaders. Both styles shift away from the outdated command-and-control model, where managers are seen as all-knowing, and instead move organizations toward a people-centric focus that prioritizes employee development and empowerment. The key difference lies in their approach and emphasis.
The Difference Between a Leader as Coach and Servant Leadership
Servant Leadership is centered on the leader prioritizing the needs of others, especially their team members, before their own. The primary goal is to serve rather than to command, with the key principles being:
- Empathy: Understanding and being sensitive to the needs and concerns of others.
- Listening: Actively listening to the team to understand their needs and feedback.
- Healing: Helping to solve conflicts and supporting emotional well-being.
- Awareness: Being aware of one’s surroundings, emotions, and the needs of the team.
- Persuasion: Convincing others rather than coercing compliance.
A Leader as Coach approach emphasizes guiding and developing team members to reach their full potential. The leader’s role focuses on facilitating growth, helping individuals achieve their personal and professional goals, as well as unleashing fresh energy, innovation, and commitment. The key principles are:
- Guidance: Providing direction and advice to help team members navigate challenges and achieve goals. But not always solving for the team. The collective often generates better solutions than one person.
- Feedback: Offering constructive feedback to improve performance and skills.
- Support: Providing the necessary resources and encouragement to help team members grow.
- Empowerment: Empowering individuals to take ownership of their development and decision-making processes.
- Questioning: Using questions to provoke thought, reflection, and insight in team members.
- Goal Setting: Helping individuals set and achieve specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals.
- Accountability: Holding team members accountable for their progress and encouraging self-discipline.
- Outcome: The team becomes more self-reliant, capable, and innovative, with individuals who are motivated to excel and to grow within the organization.
Pros and Cons of Leader as Coach and Servant Leadership
Philosophically, servant leadership is about serving the team first, focusing on their needs and well-being. The leader as a coach approach, while still supportive, focuses more on guiding and developing individuals to achieve their goals and stretch to potential. Coaching frameworks such as GROW (Grow, Reality, Options, Way Forward) and what Carol Dweck calls growth mindsets, shift people from “know-it-alls” to “learn-it-alls,” who generate fresh energy, innovation, and ownership.
Acting as a facilitator, thought partner, and advisor, the leader as coach approach offers people the ability to learn and evolve on their own, in addition to sparking insight and self-efficacy, often innovating in unexpected ways.
Servant leaders may act more as a caretakers and stewards, which can lead to compassion fatigue and burnout. I’ve seen this time and again.
This is the real truth – a blend of these two styles is where the magic lies. Placing your organization and your employees first while empowering them to take ownership in their own personal development may be the best of both worlds and can minimize the potential for burnout.