What do we mean when we say Leadership Partners?

First, let’s clear up the most obvious confusion – we are not advocating that you make every manager in your business a partner!

The idea is that the managers and leadership teams within your business partner with you in leading the company.
They are invested, they want to see the business succeed – it’s within their best interests and they are inspired to make it happen.

The Oxford Dictionary Definition of Partner:
A person who takes part in an undertaking with another or others, especially in a business with shared risks and profits.

At RainTree we believe a leadership partner is a manager who takes ownership for their actions and the impact they have on business risks and profits.
This is the essence of leadership partnership that RainTree invokes through the group coaching that we do.
We work according to the Ontological Coaching Trust Model.
The cornerstone of this model is TRUST.

• Trust in your leadership partners
• Trust in the self as a leader
• Trust in the business to look after their needs
• Trust in the teams they govern and their abilities

No matter who is in your team and what your dynamic may be right now, trust can be coached, as can trustworthiness.

The five factors to build a trusting business relationship:

Sincerity

Sincerity is defined by Alan Sieler as “the genuineness of someone in their engagement with us. There is no hidden agenda of “cards being held to their chest”. Sincerity is critical. Leadership partners need to be open and honest with their opinions and feedback. Their staff should feel safe to provide direct and honest feedback.

Sincerity between leaders: When working together, leaders should be up front with their opinions.
Ask yourself this question: If every leader in your business was sincere with each other, you, and their staff, what would the impact be on the business profits and risks that present themselves?

Competence

A leadership partner must be competent. Competence is defined as the quality of being competent; adequacy; possession of required skill, knowledge, qualification, or capacity to perform this/her/their duties.

When lacking in skills or competence, a good leader is one who is sincere and courageous enough to ask for assistance from those within the team who do possess the required skills. A good leader does not have to be able to do everything themselves! They take on such projects while managing expectations and awareness around the support they require.
Ask yourself this question: When your leaders and their staff are competent, how does this impact your business risks and profits?

Involvement

A leadership partner is involved. A leadership partner is fully committed to the business and their role within it. They treat the business as though it was their own. They understand that the success of the business benefits them. These leaders look for opportunities, identify risks, and are proactive in the protection and growth of the business
Ask yourself this question: When your leaders are involved and have the business needs and interests at heart, how many risks are prevented, and profits improved?

Reliability

The leadership partner is reliable. They consistently meet the required standards and timeframes. A leadership partner understands delivering on promises and commitments impacts trust through all levels of the company. If they can’t deliver, they communicate timeously with the impacted parties. This acknowledges the impact they have on the others and displays respect.
Ask yourself this question: When your leaders are reliable, what happens to risks and profits in the business?

Respect

Leadership partners display intrinsic respect for the business and all who work within it. A leadership partner also displays self-respect. Respect allows ease of engagement as it invokes trust. This critical aspect allows leadership partners to be team players and independent thinkers.
Ask yourself this question: With respect as the core of all communication in the business, how much better would your business recognise and manage opportunities and risks? What would the impact of this be on profits?

At RainTree, we recognise the challenges you face in growing your business to its full potential. We coach these factors in your management teams, creating leadership teams who work together towards common goals. These leaders are the epitome of leadership partners.