It's very possible that I'll follow this article with additional focus on each of these three characteristics.  So, I'm making this request.  If you have a comment you'd like to make or a question you'd like me to address about either confidence, competence, or awareness, please share your perspective.  I'll welcome the opportunity to ponder your observation or question and think about how to make some relevant information available to all my readers.
     Meanwhile, I hope you find value in “Confidence, Competence, and Awareness.”
     Dennis
 
 
     My objective in my articles is to give practical, clear direction to leaders for how they can be more effective.  Last week's article and this week's article may feel like marketing for coaches.  I apologize for that.
     The audience for the teleconference from which this article was taken was other coaches.  I took the subject matter intended for coaches and worked to transform the information such that it would be encouraging for leaders.  I hope I was successful.
     I invite your feedback on this second part of “Why Would A Leader Need a Coach?”
     Dennis
 
 
     A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to lead a teleconference of one of the coach associations of which I am a member.  The topic was the same as this week’s article, “Why Would a Leader Need a Coach?”

    I’ve worked to compress the hour’s presentation into two articles.  I cover half my points in this week’s article; the other half will be in next week’s article.

     If you'd like to listen to the entire hour of the teleconference, go to www.christiancoaches.com.  In the upper right-hand portion of the page are the words "Why Leaders Need Coaching."  Click on that link and it will take you to the recorded teleconference.

     Dennis
 
 
     The classroom is not the place to learn leadership skills.  But learning leadership skills while performing your regular work requires intentional effort.  It can be done.  I help organizations and individual leaders do it all the time.  This week's article “Where Can You Go to Learn Leadership?” gives you the keys.

     Dennis
 
 
     It's not easy to identify an organizational perspective.  The term used to describe the norms, values, and perceptions of a group is "culture."  You may believe you could define your organization's culture, but it's usually very hard to put into words!  And until you can do that, it's hard to align the organization and its leaders on action steps designed to improve that culture.
     Read about “organizational health assessments” in this week’s article, “What Your Organization Hasn’t Told You.”
     Dennis
 
 
     When you contract with a coach, you typically have some desired outcome--an improvement you believe can be better made with some assistance.
     Along the way, however, your coach should be delivering a wide variety of support.  Take a look at "What Does Your Coach Deliver to You?" to see how much service your coach is providing.
     Dennis Hooper
 
 
     This week's article is more of a report on the Southeast Prism Award conference in Atlanta than my typical practical guidance on how to take action with your colleagues, boss, and direct reports.

     If you are not currently using a competent caring coach, personally or organizationally, perhaps this week’s article, “Of What Value is Coaching to an Organization?” will stimulate your considering it.

     Dennis
 
 
     Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee, on page 92 of their book Primal Leadership," write “Leaders have more trouble than anybody else when it comes to receiving candid feedback, particularly about how they're doing as leaders."

     But that shouldn't be such a devastating situation, right?  Don't leaders naturally have a pretty good idea of how they perform as leaders?

     Nope.  Not according to the same authors:  "The higher up the ladder a leader climbs, the less accurate his self-assessment is likely to be."

     Self-deception may be the biggest problem a leader faces.  How does one overcome this problem?  Feedback.

     But it's not as simple as saying the word.  Obtaining accurate, actionable feedback is not easy for leaders.  Enhancing you leadership skills starts with greater awareness of both what your skills actually are and what your skills could be.

     Take a look at today’s article, “Why You Don’t Find Out What You Need to Know.”

     Dennis
 
 
     The reference books identified in the article have shown that leadership skills cannot be learned in conferences and the classroom like a person can learn technical and functional skills.
     Perhaps your organization already has a process similar to the one described in this week’s article, “A Proven Process for Building Leadership Skills.”

          I welcome your feedback and comments.

     Dennis
 
 
     Most of my work is done with the formal leaders of organizations.  However, as I observe the operations, certain people just seem to catch my attention.  They interact with the other members of their teams as I describe in this week's article, “Detecting and Supporting Informal Leaders.”
     Sometimes I'm allowed the privilege of working with these individuals, and it is astounding to see how they blossom.  As they learn why certain things work, they are able to be more intentional about their influence.  And they are able to enhance the capabilities of their teammates, because their influence is real.  The relationships are built on existing trust, and that is very powerful!
     Dennis