The Hats We Wear, and The Question to Ask
- Denny Moynihan
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
It’s great to rub elbows with people who are smarter than you; it makes you smarter yourself. That’s certainly been the case for me in the last few months.
Since October I’ve been a student in Georgetown University’s Executive Certificate in Leadership Coaching program through the Georgetown SCS Institute for Transformational Leadership.
I still have a way to go before finishing the program, but so far, there’s one key takeaway: coaching is a different hat for leaders to wear. Leaders may at times serve as teacher, mentor, consultant, or coaches. The art lies in knowing which hat fits the moment.
Our experiences can be invaluable, and many of us come from a solutions-oriented cultures. See a problem, fix a problem is what many leaders get paid to do. Surely our experiences as leaders can serve to help fix someone else’s problem, right?
Maybe. Our experiences are all different, and what worked a few years ago for one person might not be the right approach for someone today operating in a different set of circumstances.
When we feel ourselves lurching to share our own experiences with someone we are serving, I’ve learned a great question to ask from Eric de Nijs.
Who are we serving when offering those experiences?
That simple question has helped get me to listening and asking the right questions rather than offering potential solutions. In doing so, others can find what’s possible for them.
Sometimes the other person might need a helpful perspective, and the frameworks that worked for us could be of service. The right sea story at the right time can be instructive.
Other times, they might need a coach to listen attentively and ask the right questions so they can discover their own way forward.
If you’re curious about how coaching could help you navigate challenges or unlock new possibilities, I’d be happy to talk.
