Coaching is Essential to Christian Leadership

Coaching is Essential to Christian Leadership

By: Dr. Troy Davis

There is no linear method for how Christian Leaders deal with valleys within the Christian faith. A Christian leader's evolution develops through mental stress, how mentors/ leaders interpret biblical principles concerning emotional stress, and what that leader interprets as truth. Rather than chalking up a Christian leader's challenging session as a process toward leadership, we could approach it through the lens of cognitive behavior.  

My evolution as a Christian leader took me through a valley that a therapist identified as depression. However, my mentors semi-addressed my valley as a faith challenge under the cloud of biblical principles, rather than addressing the human frailty of the leader with diminished faith. The wisdom to differentiate one's duty to the Christian order while recognizing one’s inner vulnerabilities (self-actualization) is a key competence for Christian leadership.

Having a coach who can help leaders recognize the relationship between their psychological fortitude, spiritual journey, and self-actualization is a step in the right direction. Leaders who can reconcile the altering states of their behavior is a blessing.  

Shared Foundations

Psychology counseling and professional coaching have shared principles in the transformation of human behavior. Williams (n.d.) Psychology began as the investigation of consciousness and mental functions such as sensation and perception. Passmore (2021) Coaching is defined as a collaborative, solution-focused, results-orientated, and systematic process in which the coach facilitates the enhancement of performance, life experience, self-directed learning, and personal growth of individuals and organizations.

The shared principles such as introspection, cognitive behavior, self-perception, and understanding patterns are mirrored in psychology and coaching.  

Psychological Insights in Coaching

Passmore (2021) believes a person’s self-awareness and destiny are interwoven, focusing attention is a powerful constructionist tool that influences how we view ourselves, which, in turn, will influence the actions we decide to take and the circumstances we bring about. Psychology concepts strengthen coaching and are pivotal for personal growth, self-awareness, and identifying behavioral change through behavioral patterns.

Palmer and Whybrow (2019) asks, how do people block themselves from achieving their life, social, work, and subsequent coaching goals? One technique a coach could use to identify self-awareness, or change is incorporating a self-assessment tool such as the Meyer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Individuals' forgotten/ hidden strengths may appear as thin traces in their stories. No matter what profession or genre, leaders function out of their personality trait.

Coaching as Applied Psychology

Christian leaders are motivated by their call to duty from God. They intentionally construct or modify their behavior within their social, professional, and sometimes personal lives around their religious beliefs. From this belief construct, abilities are extracted, human gifts are realized, and barriers or challenges are overcome. Hendricks (2014) suggests, when you live with intentionality, you have a purpose. You’re on a mission. You select where you devote your energy. You don’t just live randomly or passively. You can’t control the future or what happens to you. But you can head to your North Star, regardless of whether life cooperates.   

For example, we can measure a Christian leader’s motivation by assessing him with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. From that information, we can identity patterns of cognitive behavior in hopes to address valley’s and strengthen their resolve. Coaching as applied psychology examines the insights and barriers that prevent Christian leaders from achieving their goals.

Complementary Perspectives

As the Christian leader continues to develop, reaching the projected goals will boost their confidence for the overall vision. Professional coaching and psychology intersect in various ways. Retaining a well-versed coach in this intersected knowledge will improve the Christian leader's interpersonal growth.

Such tools as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), cultivating mindfulness, psychological assessments, and focusing on their strengths, will benefit the Christian leader on their spiritual journey.

Ethical Considerations and Best Practices

English (2019) suggests, for coaching to become a recognized profession, coaching must have professional standards, definitions, ethical guidelines, ongoing research, and credentialing. As the coach uses models to syncretize their coaching style, instituting boundaries and best practices will ensure professionalism. Having the client sign a consent form, informing the coach to participate in continued training, and never using psychological methods if not properly trained are ways of setting boundaries. By adopting professional coaching, Christian leaders can avoid rogue counseling afforded by inexperienced leaders. 

In seeking to understand what the client is looking for, English (2019) affirms that a mixture of the following are important factors: training in psychology; experience in, or understanding of, business; established reputation as a coach; listening skills; objectivity; and professionalism as expressed by intelligence, integrity, and confidentiality.

Conclusion

First Thessalonians 5:13, Apostle Paul writes: Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Williams (n.d.) writes, “We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience. Rather, we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.” Christian leaders have a distinct call of God on their lives, understanding the connection between their psychological fortitude, their call from God, and their self-awareness enables them to fully live out Luke 10:19.

Christian leaders will go through different levels of spiritual and cognitive develop, coaching is the redeeming paradigm in grace. As leadership within the Christian faith grows, using coaching as innovation along with its tools is a way of identifying growth patterns that will benefit both the leader and the organization he/she serves.         

References

English, S., Sabatine, J. & Brownell, P. (Eds.). (2019). Professional coaching: Principles and

  practice.

Hendricks, B. (2014). The person called you: Why You’re Here, Why You Matter & What You

  Should Do With Your Life. Moody Publishers.

Palmer, S. & Whybrow, A. (2019). Handbook of coaching psychology: A Guide for practitioners

 (2nd ed.)

Passmore, J. (2021). Excellence in coaching: Theory, tools and techniques to achieve

  outstanding coaching performance (4th ed.)

Williams, P. (n.d.). The whole person: Other fields have tackled the quest of what spirituality is

  and what it is not. Choice, Vol 3(4)

.