Experiences in childhood unconsciously create certain types of leader, according to Graham Lee, author of a new book, “Leadership Coaching: From personal insight to organisational performance”.
Stressing the relevance of deeply personal issues to workplace performance, he summarises three styles of leadership – ‘defiant’, ‘compliant’ and ‘authentic’ – and looks at what experiences in childhood have led them to behave the way they do in business.
As a result, is adamant that to exclude deeply personal experiences limits the potential value of coaching. "Only by stepping into the realm of the personal can coaching harness the passions and convictions that underpin leadership excellence," he says.
The book is published by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD).