Webster’s Dictionary describes a “partner” as an ally or an association built around common interests and goals.

A partnership denotes a joint venture, a relationship built on equal status (rather than inequality). Mutual consent and consideration from both parties are important attributes.

Organizations need leaders with a personal commitment to idea of building partnerships with employees by establishing goals and missions, listening, being accessible, understanding, empowering others, and maintaining accountability. They need leaders with a sense of dedication for employee productivity, who develops unconditional support and concern. They need leadership coaching to change employees’ patterns of reacting to situations to a more “proactive” style of influencing events. They need people who are empowered risk takers, who can accomplish and break through tasks. Dictatorial edicts, autocratic requests, domineering opinions that amount to marching orders, have no place in this kind of partnership.

Partnering is a more useful approach to building a relationship with an employee. A problem-solving or motivational one-on-one coaching exchange acknowledges a mature adult-to-adult relationship and allows both parties to participate. The employee recognized coach’s greater experience, and coach appreciates and helps develop employee talent.

Leadership coaching is a two-way street, which involves quality communication and trust between manager and employee. Its underlying premise is always mutual benefit. The better one partner looks, better other will too. A lot of power and creativity can come from both managers and employees working together to build and maintain this two-way partnership relationship.

Leadership coaching is a responsibility to effectively coach, train, and develop employees. Research demonstrates that skillful leaders use their ability to listen, reason, ask penetrating questions, and bring out best in employees. Top managers show that they are really trying to understand other person. They are coachable themselves. They rely less on authority and dictums and more on collaboration and negotiation. Effective leaders blend and weave ideas and solutions, and when appropriate defer to employee. They avoid hammering on employees, criticizing their work and acting in non-productive ways.

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