In association with Machwuerth Team International
Once associated with stigma (“Is your performance so bad that you need to be coached?”), Coaching has turned out to be a respectable and honoured symbol of success (“You are so valuable you get a coach?”). In its modern developed form it is understood to be an individual supporting process in wthich a coach helps a client (“coachee”) to discover their own resources and options for reaching a certain target and then assisting the client to find ways to realize their potential.
The reason why an employee is being coached is not that he/she does not do a good job or is under-qualified for their position. Coaching is targeted at employees taking over new responsibilities in new functions; those facing a challenging situation or those in a change process. Coaching has gained in popularity during the past 20 years as companies find themselves with worldwide operations in which managers in demanding positions encounter new challenges in their leading of MNCs with a multicultural workforce. This does not necessarily mean that all of these executives need to be coached.
Who deserves a coach?
High-quality executive coaching is a large financial and man-hours investment; therefore companies should carefully select which of their employees are worth coaching. Before hiring a coach a company should take into consideration the value of this employee’s performance as regards potential for the organization. In general, this includes top management plus young professionals with high potential; those whose performance can impact success and profit. Secondly, companies should consider challenges facing the employee both now and in their future career. When promoted or displaced to another location with a new working environment and new colleagues with different mindsets the employee may feel overwhelmed. Coaching can help the employee adapt to these new working conditions and find ways to successfully manage themselves and others.
The willingness of the employee to be coached also plays an important role; a willing and motivated coachee, convinced that coaching can positively influence both their professional and private life, will see a vastly improved performance and individual growth over that of the coachee who has been forced into the program by his boss or HR department.
Besides coaching, there are various other ways to help an executive grow as leader. Sometimes it is not even necessary to hire a coach; high-level training, mentoring and management books are only a few of the helpful tools available. Nevertheless, the employee’s own manager should also still act as a coach. Some managers give up this responsibility to hire a professional coach simply because it is convenient for them; however this might not always be a suitable solution for both employee and organization.
Last but not least, key people within the organization should be ready to support the coachee´s effort to grow and change. When key leaders above or alongside the coachee express doubts and are sceptical or uninterested in the coaching program, it will be even more difficult for the coachee to achieve their goals. Therefore the organization should ensure a supporting environment that makes coaching more effective and motivates the coachee to grow and close existing gaps.
The Benefits
When the conditions are right, coaching can be a highly profitable investment for a company; not only the coachee benefits but also the organization itself. Employees will leverage existing strengths and improve their performance. They will adopt and/or reinforce executive leadership competencies that are crucial to the company’s culture. Enhanced career planning and development with an action-oriented plan will motivate an executive, tying them ever closer to their organization and position. Away from improvements to performance, coaching may also lead to changes in behaviour and attitude; if coaching is successful, the coachee will struggle less with their job and can create a better work/life balance. Such conditions will also positively influence the coachee’s relationship to colleagues and employer, consequently improving the climate within the company.
For the organization this means a reduced turnover of staff and the retention of highly talented executive staff. An enhanced individual and organizational performance will improve organizational strength, making a company more stable and less sensitive to ever-changing external conditions and strong competition. A positive work environment enables higher productivity and better customer relationships that subsequently can make a difference in a company’s profitability.
A greatly significant, little realized, additional and positive side effect of a coaching program is the impact it can have on a company’s profile; an enhanced public perception and improved reputation within the industry can go hand in hand with coaching to make the most of every organization’s valuable resources.
