Organisations often, and rightfully, interrogate the value that coaching brings to their staff in pursuit of the business objectives.
Coaching is a highly individualised process. It depends on both the nature of the client and the coach’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Established and proficient coaches are trained in relevant techniques and tools to draw on in almost any coaching situation. Coaching is a commonly used method of employee development that has generated positive business outcomes.
From re-active to pro-active
As organizations have come to recognize the many purposes and benefits of coaching, the field has grown dramatically, and some organisations actively work to create a culture of coaching. We know that in the past coaches were often hired to “fix” toxic behaviour or address personality shortcomings.
The global workplace landscape has changed significantly over the last few years and organisations that embrace these changes are thriving. With the growth of technology and the advent of a new generation of workers, successful organisations are adjusting to the needs of stakeholders. Coaching has proven to significantly contribute to success in engaging these changes.
Coaching has matured over the last number of years and we no longer consider it appropriate to use it to correct deviant behaviour. The notion is now strongly entrenched that clients are whole and turning to coaching to achieve the following positive outcomes is now more appropriate:
- Developing talent;
- Act as thinking partner;
- Achieve higher performance;
- Greater personal satisfaction at work;
- Guide change management interventions;
- Leadership skills development;
- Cultural integration/ coaching for alignment;
- Managing through complexity;
- Self-awareness;
- Communication skills;
- Developing resilience;
- Gaining a deeper understanding of your own behaviours;
- Strengthening relationships;
- Collaboration;
- Emotional agility; and
- more, much, much more.
What can companies do to ensure they derive the value they should from coaching?
First and foremost, companies need to ensure that employees they assign for coaching are willing and eager to be coached. Surely, the success of the engagement rests to a large degree on the skill of the coach as well as on the executive’s willingness to learn and grow. Coaches increasingly decline to coach clients who are not committed to the coaching process.
Secondly, the sponsor is key to the success of the coaching and ensuring that the desired outcomes are achieved. A recent article in Harvard Business Review (HBR) listed the following 5 ways in which the organisation can set up the client and the coach for success:
Provide access:
There could be various reasons such as discretion, confidential workspace, pandemic, etc., for limited access. This however doesn’t mean the coach should be left to make do with no information. Companies can assist through more briefing meetings, 360o assessments and providing extensive background information to ensure effective feedback. Greater access helps the coach and client:
- Get the full story
- Build alliances
- Clarify communication
Reinforce credibility
- Treat the coach as a true partner.
- Introduce the coach with a specific reference to a trait or skill.
Set clear expectations
- Be clear in scope parameters/ what is being contracted; and
- If original scope is expanded communicate it clearly to stakeholders.
Keep stakeholders from meddling
- Sponsors can clearly define boundaries; and
- Request stakeholders from attempting undue influence on the coach.
Avoid power struggles
- Be mindful of overpromoting the coach – this can make people feel threatened
Coacing is unfortunately not embraced by everyone. Some individuals are not open to feedback while others are unwilling to change. This is not a deficiency of coaching but rather a problem with the person being coached.
However, coaches are well equipped to provide objective guidance and feedback making a significant difference in organisational Emotional Intelligence competencies in the long term. The benefits of being coached are well documented, with individuals reporting increased self-confidence, improved work performance, better relationships, and more effective communication skills. Let’s have a look at some of the most shared outcomes of successful coaching.
Specific benefits of coaching
Increased business performance and productivit
A strong coaching culture has been linked to increased business performance and employee engagement, according to a 2015 survey from the International Coach Federation (ICF) and the Human Capital Institute (HCI). The survey found that 51 percent of respondents from organizations with strong coaching cultures reported revenue above that of their industry peer group, and 62 percent of employees in those organizations rated themselves as highly engaged. The ICF/HCI survey showed that respondents reported business improvements in the following areas:
- Improved team functioning.
- Increased engagement.
- Increased productivity.
- Improved employee relations.
- Faster leadership development.
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Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Little Blind Text didn’t listen.
Leadership development:
We know from research that even top performing employees can benefit from having personal coaches helping them solve problems, excelling even more. Those willing to make a commitment, experience the liberating impact of coaching that opens a whole new world in terms of greater candour, more respect from staff at all levels, professional alliances and relationships, and improved skills to achieve strategic goals.
By identifying the competencies requiring improvement and harnessing the energy of client passions and goals to guide those improvements, a coach can have an enduring influence on a leader. Long after formal coaching is complete, a leader will be able to access their own inner coach through the positive habits and competencies they’ve developed.
Through the coaching example, leaders acquire coaching skills, learning to also coach with compassion. This skill enables them to value their direct reports’ well-being and future aspirations which motivates them to be fully engaged. This continued learning and improving positively impacts retention and development of talent. Leaders who excel as a coach foster teams with a solid foundation of loyalty and trust. This elevates the career satisfaction and productivity of their team.
In addition to the personal rewards of coaching, high-performing leaders enhance their own status within their organization. Research by the Center for Creative Leadership found that leaders who support their teams with career-related coaching are consistently rated as higher performers by their bosses.
Whether it is leader-as-coachee, or leader-as-coach, both of these relationships help us to develop emotional and social Intelligence competencies, and to engage in lifelong learning regardless of formal professional role.
Increased psychological well-being
Often these benefits are felt much wider than just directly by the individuals involved in the process. People who have been coached effectively report increased psychological well-being, are more productive and tend to adopt a similar approach when managing their own teams. A workforce that feels valued and engaged and is encouraged to approach problems with a fresh perspective, is better able to cope with change in the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world of today. Coaching has proven to be a significant positive force in achieving success in this area.
Increased Return on Investment:
Studies in larger organisations show that coaching top executives at large companies yields 5-7 times the company’s initial investment. Research from PricewaterhouseCoopers (commissioned by the ICF) shows that the vast majority of companies (86%) say they have at least made their money back on a coaching investment.
Most often the real value of coaching is not measured in monetary terms but in the “human” moments. When the leader has mastered the art of not blowing off the head of the subordinate not yet proficient at a specific task, or the customer service executive being mindful enough to engage the stressed client in a friendly and engaging manner, or the chair of the board taking a few seconds to craft the perfect response to a hostile question from a journalist following a difficult financial year. As the saying goes: The personal is the professional.
If you need some help in honing your leadership craft, you’re welcome to contact me at: johan@coachtribe.co.za
Johan Raubenheimer
CEO CoachTribe
