Coaching: Practical Application for Leadership Development

Whether you are trying to implement a coaching program or expanding a current coaching program, knowing how and why other organizations are utilizing this leadership development tool is key to building your case for your coaching program.

As a coach I have seen the requests for coaching continually increase over the past several years. A main reason for this increase is that organizations are considering coaching an essential part of their leadership development program, it is not longer a nice to have it is a need to have. According to the 2008 SHRM Trendbook in the articles “One on One Training Takes Off” and “Global Business Leaders Call for ‘Speed to Competence’”, coaching, along with mentoring provide the specific real world business learning that “leaders want to shorten the time from learning to action.” Action learning has been long advocated as a best practice for adults to learn, coaching is a one on one application of this type of learning.

Coaching is the tool that organizations are finding that will shorten the learning curve for leaders. As an Operations Manager of a from a global alcohol beverage manufacturing organization recently stated, “coaching is having a live workshop, if offers me practical application and feedback when and where I can use it.”

The one on one coaching organizations are seeking can be categorized in a few key areas:

One area is the increased need for less experienced leaders within organizations to be prepared for the retirement of the more experienced leaders. This self-development in the current job and for future position is critical in sustaining organizations.

Another area is the need to have leaders who join a company or get promoted with the same organization become more productive and effective more rapidly than has previously been expected. The need for leaders to assimilate into a new position and to show results more rapidly. No longer is there a grace period of a year to 18 months, companies are expecting results from 3 – 6 months.

A third area is preparing leaders for the expanding globalization of companies today; from thinking more globally to preparing and supporting leaders and their families with assignments abroad.

A fourth area is the need to sustain company values. This can be for the transition to the new or less experienced leadership preparation in taking over the helm of organizations or again keeping the company values while expanding to global markets.

Within these four main areas of coaching needs, organizations are finding coaches helpful in building skills such as interpersonal skills, partnering across boundaries within an organization, building a high performing team, communication, executive presence, stress management, fostering innovation, transitioning from a technical expert to a people leader, business results, and sense of urgency.

These are just some specific examples of the “live workshop” experiences coachees can receive. So how can an HR practitioner convince leaders within their organization that coaching is a practice that should be implemented in their organization?
In an article written by William Berguist, Ph.D, for the ICCO “How to Make the Case for Organizational Coaching In Your Own Organization”, to build a convincing argument for coaching you begin by gathering these four levels of information:

Level One: Documentation

• Build a portfolio that contains emails, course designs, video-recordings of coaching sessions and testimonials.
• Publish and distribute the portfolio, the portfolio shows people that coaching is available and a viable tool for complimenting already existing innovative business strategies.

Level Two: Describe

• Provide a detailed description of the coaching services being offered.
• Include a description of the outcomes that can be expected.(include internal coaches and calculate their time and expenses)
• Build one or two hypothetical coaching engagement, complete a sample dialogue and note how a client might make use of the insights gained.

Level Three: Determine

• Identify the criteria for measuring success; i.e. ROI or value-add.
• Develop or find assessment tools that relate directly to your success measures.
• Measure both before and after the coaching program so you have a base line to show the value-add.

Level Four: Diagnose

• Solicit appreciative narratives
•  Capture dialogues regarding why this level of success was achieved.

 

In working with organizations a best practice way to start this process is piloting coaching with one person or a small group of people within the organization. Selecting individuals or a group that you know have the interest and also have strong influence within the organization is critical. Next use the four levels of documentation by William Berquist, Ph.D to help create your ROI and value-add documentation.

For more information about the articles referenced in this segment and for other tips related coaching and coaching programs please contact Beacon Advantage Solutions at info@beaconadvantage.com