Former Players Make Strong Coaches When They Invest in Understanding and Ask the Right Questions
The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer found that most people (74%) trust peers and scientists to drive innovation over businesses, CEOs and government leaders. This creates a tremendous opportunity for managers who can build a player-coach relationship with their direct reports to also build trust and empower their teams to become high-performers in the process.
Ragan spoke with Gloria St. Martin-Lowry, president at HPWP Group about how managers can structure conversations to invest in understanding, ask the right questions and build collaborative relationships.
From CommPRO:
The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer unveils a pivotal trend: 74% of people trust peers and scientists over CEOs and government leaders for innovation. This presents a golden opportunity for managers to adopt a player-coach relationship with their teams, fostering trust and empowering high performance. Gloria St. Martin-Lowry of HPWP Group highlights the importance of managers transitioning from being players to effective coaches. She emphasizes the necessity for managers to invest time in understanding their team's roles, challenges, and expectations to build collaborative relationships.
Key takeaways for PR leaders include the benefits of former players becoming coaches, as they possess firsthand job experience, making them more relatable and effective leaders. Investing in understanding, setting clear expectations, and fostering open, collaborative relationships are crucial. Active listening and asking the right questions can empower teams, encouraging innovative solutions and trust. This approach not only strengthens team dynamics but also enhances overall organizational performance. PR leaders can learn from this model to navigate the evolving landscape of trust in leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and mutual respect in building successful teams.
