When the concept of business coaching first appeared in the UK, it was used primarily as a remedial tool to help failing executives or to solve behavioural problems. Today, it is seen as a way in which CEOs, chairmen — and others senior leaders for whom traditional organisational training is no longer relevant — can continue developing and learning.
While more and more people are aware of, or have experienced, coaching, it is still surrounded by a good deal of mysticism and scepticism.
Business leaders today need a wealth of skills in the areas of leadership, management, financial, communications and negotiating, but there is often little opportunity for self development. Coaches can help top executives overcome this by providing an objective sounding board.
Coaching vs mentoring
Both coaching and mentoring provide a one on one relationship, but that is where the similarity stops. A mentor is usually a more experienced and qualified person than the client and is usually senior in the organisation or industry. This person passes on experience and knowledge to the client as well as opens doors to opportunities that may otherwise have remained firmly shut. The mentoring relationship tends to be directive, with the mentor telling the client what to do and how to do it.
A coach, on the other hand, does not necessarily have experience relevant to the client, but uses his or her professional coaching skills to help the client achieve his or her goals. The coach works on the premise that, once the client has been allowed to think over and talk through issues, he/she will make the right decision on his/her own.
When to consider a coach
Coaching is an opportunity for self development and can be especially useful for leaders facing the following situations:
- A new or fast growing business experiencing skills shortages
- Organisational change due to merger
- Change in job role – functional or promotional
- Supporting new hires
- Supporting expatriates
- Supporting future leaders and those with high potential
- Developing skills in key employees
- Supporting senior executives through new strategy or cultural change
In many instances an individual may chose to hire a coach. in order to:
- Develop work potential
- Improve confidence or assertiveness
- Optimise energy while maintaining life balance
- Develop a new skill or approach in preparation for a change of role
- Improve interpersonal and communications skills
- Develop a more strategic perspective
- Identify goals and values
- Enhance the use of experience and emotional intellect
The benefits
Coaches can help clients in measurable as well as intangible ways. Executives who have used coaches say they have been helped to:
- Manage complex organisational change more effectively and with greater confidence.
- Identify stakeholder issues earlier, minimising the impact on the organisation
- Boost their effectiveness
- Inspire and empower higher levels of performance from others
- Develop an identifiable leadership style
- Create powerful and effective relationships
- Obtain promotion
- Manage personal well-being and work-life balance
- Assert authority appropriately
- Unlock their true potential
- Experience greater satisfaction, professionally and personally
Coaching can make individuals more self aware and provide a broader perspective on the organisation and their role within it.
Case study
Rachel, a partner in a professional services firm, was being groomed for the position of managing partner and decided to seek some coaching to help her prepare for the promotion. Her employer agreed to sponsor this coaching.
The specific aims of the coaching were to help her:
- Position herself appropriately in the firm to generate the respect required of the position
- Develop the sales skills and market profile that would give her the commercial success and gravitas appropriate for the role
- Build the confidence expected from a lead candidate for the promotion.
In the initial sessions — held every two to three weeks for two hours each — the aim was to build trust between the coach and the client. Once this had been established, sessions were tailored to more specific issues including client behaviour and how it affected colleagues; handling organisational situations; life and career objectives; problem solving; and confidence building.
In order to better understand how the client was perceived in the company and to highlight any potential barriers to her promotion, we conducted a 360 degree feedback survey. The results provided a lot of information which helped the client see how she could better fit into the organisation and what tactics would be useful in which situations. Coaching sessions were then adapted to address the issues raised in the survey.
Not only did the coaching sessions help Rachel identify personal and career goals but they also helped her to recognise the requirements and compromises she’d need to pursue them.
Results
Rachel gained insight into her behaviour and how it affected colleagues and became more aware of the intrinsic characteristics of the organisation. As her confidence improved she was able to lead a number of initiatives that benefited the company, and to identify opportunities to introduce herself to the market. She also took the initiative in contacting potential new clients and this led to her winning business.
These measurable results had an immediate, positive impact on the company. With the full support of her colleagues, Rachel was promoted to managing partner.
About the author
Becky Falkingham is an executive coach with a background in strategy consulting and headhunting. She has over 12 years experience working with board level directors and senior managers.
Most of her clients are senior executives in consumer facing organisations, partners in professional service firms or newly appointed CEOs and MDs in smaller organisations.
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