BUT FIRST, WHAT IS COACHING ?

Coaching is a designed alliance focused on developing an individual to reach their highest potential and to make workplace contributions according to their interests and talents. It is also an egoless process in which frequent coaching occasions are identified to promote shifts in thinking and behavior. It also is a professional discipline and skill set, which enhances communication, performance, action, creativity, momentum and transformation.

Coaching has never been more necessary than now. Today and in the future, change will be the ‘norm’ and individual resilience and performance will be crucial to team and organizational success. Coaching will leverage individual strengths and abilities for maximum performance. Coaching will provide for direct on-the-job learning as well as “just-in-time” learning tailored to the particular situation, which will enable behavioral shifts and allows projects and people to move forward immediately and with less effort.

We do see that employees who are coached to performance rather than managed to performance are more committed to and invested in the outcomes of their work and achievement of organizational goals. Coaching, whether from an external coach or internal coach, creates a safe environment for one to be heard, understood, respected and appreciated. This stimulates inspiration, ownership, creativity and innovation – and a win-win for all. Career self-reliance is a critical employee competency in which employees trade skills and contribution for development and opportunity. Managers and leaders must coach their employees, as they become career self-reliant and engage in continuous career development.