I came across this idea about
coaching and I wondered to what end I felt this was true and also the kind of
value that coaches are able to provide.
To be an executive coach, it is
necessary to know that clients are the first and best expert capable of solving
their own problems and achieving their own ambitions, that is precisely the
main reason why clients are motivated to call on a coach. When clients bring
important issues to a coach, they already made a complete inventory of their
personal or professional issues and of all possible options. Clients have
already tried working out their issues alone, and have not succeeded.
It takes a certain level
of skill and will for someone to decide they want to take the next step in
seeking improvement and reach a goal through coaching. Perhaps someone has
tried everything and not found their ideal success. But what if it was not a
matter of trying, but coming to a giant fork in the road. What if there are two
or more possible directions one could go, seeking a coach to work out an expert
strategy in order to yield the best possible outcome would surely be better
than trial and error.
While deep down we probably do
know the best way to solve problems and achieve our ambitions sometimes it
takes collaboration to tap into those parts of us, our potential. Considering
the Johari Window model momentarily, it is impossible to have a full sense of
self-awareness. A coach can assist with minimizing our blind spots, areas known
to others but not known to ourselves. “A coach helps people understand what they
need to change in order to attain their professional goals” (von Hoffamn, 1999,
para. 5).
Coaching is a vital part of
leadership and has a significant impact on strategy. How can you expect someone
to have the behaviors and tools you desire if they are not developed? “Coaching
can have a positive impact on performance, but it is not a short-term process.
Coaching prospects should be people you think can be even greater assets to the
organization than they already are” (von Hoffman, 1999, para. 11). As coaching
is an action-oriented process it enables individuals to grow through each stage
of the process to reach increased levels of accountability and problem-solving
capacities.
In many organizations coaching
adds value. “While some employees who achieve new goals will leave, far more
will feel greater loyalty to an organization that is interested in their
professional development” (von Hoffman, 1999, para. 10). In my own organization
this makes a difference in retaining quality employees. While my department has
seen a handful of colleagues leave within the past year none have left for
another organization; their positions changed to different departments or areas
of the university. This is like our own feedback loop of development and can
only strengthen us as an organization as so many individuals have a vast
working knowledge of multiple areas of the university.
Reference:
von Hoffman, C. (1999). Coaching: The ten killer myths. Harvard Management Update, 4(1), 4
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