Empowering leaders though coaching

Whether it's an Olympic champion or the weekend golfer from a small town in western Queensland, we can all benefit from the wisdom and experience of a personal coach.  Now it seems that coaching will be one of the most effective tools developed for empowering leaders in the Uniting Church. 

To launch coaching as a strategy for leadership development the Synod held a two day coaching workshop at Margate in late June, 2003.  Forty-five participants from all parts of Queensland were present at the event.  "The attendance far exceeded my expectation," said Graham Beattie, Synod Mission Consultant. 

The coaching process is very specifically focused on developing the person being coached.  The coach concentrates on where person is now and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be in the future.  A survey taken showed that people felt twice as confident of their abilities in a coaching role as a result of participating in the workshop.  "The participants had their horizons widened and could see coaching as a key resource for leadership development," said Graham. 

Coaching recognises the individual as the expert in his or her life and work, and good coaches believe that every person is creative, resourceful and whole.  The coaching model that will be used in Queensland will be the GROW model.  This four step model focuses on the person's goals, the reality of their situation, the options available to them and their will to make concrete steps forward. 

Coaching will be particularly helpful for rural congregations.  "We had ten people attend the workshop and they thought this coaching model was the best thing since sliced bread.  It's a very empowering and helpful model, and we see it as a key strategy for our presbytery particularly because of our isolation," said Peter Martin, Presbytery Minister in Central Queensland.

Whether it's a youth leader, small group leader or person just struggling to be authentically Christian in their workplace, coaching encourages learning, invites creativity and leads to better performance.  It respects people, builds confidence and generates a culture where responsibility sits with the individual, not the coach.

While the professional supervision of church workers is already an established practice in the church, coaching will become an essential tool for leadership development for all people in ministry.  "The GROW coaching model has given empowerment to key lay people," said Bruce Moore, Youth and Children's Ministry Unit Director, "It can be used in a wide range of settings and we have already incorporated it into YACMU's new ENtine leadership development program." 

The course leaders from Church Resource Ministries in Melbourne stressed that coaching was just one very effective way of developing leaders in the church.  "We will encourage our people to use this tool as a supplement to the other strategies we have for developing leaders long-term," said Paul Jensen, Downs Presbytery Minister. 

"The most critical challenge for the health and expansion of the church world wide is the identification and development of leaders," says Ken Morgan from Church Resource Ministries.  The Queensland Synod Leadership Team has also identified equipping and supporting people for leadership in the church and community as a key strategy in their recent Future with Heart and Soul document. 

"We recognise that we are at a crisis of leadership in our church and this is one model for skill development that is comparatively simple to grasp," said Dr Ray Reddicliffe, South Moreton Presbytery Minister.  "It seems to generate a lot of energy and excitement, and can do a power of good," he said.  "I'm very positive about how we can use it across our church."