In this era of globalization, continuous change, shortage of qualified resources, profit and performance management, extra work and additional pressures become sources of stress. Many organizations have therefore turned to professional coaches to support managers in their functions.
To remain competitive, leaders recognize that their success must increasingly be based on influential management and that they need to upgrade their managers’ knowledge and soft skills in order to obtain engagement, involvement, innovation, trust, collaboration and accountability from team members.
Allowing managers to exit their comfort zones, and to experiment with and analyze various possibilities, becomes an opportunity for them to stand out and have an optimal impact on their team, while meeting corporate objectives and business missions.
Coaching is used to reach professional objectives by developing managers’ skills, while contributing to better organizational health and efficiency.
What exactly is executive coaching?
Executive coaching is defined as a partnership between a manager and a professional coach based on discussion and specific actions for the purpose of reaching professional objectives more quickly and efficiently, in order to effect a transformation or improve performance.
Coaching aims to make managers self-reliant, responsible and influential while allowing them to take specific actions as part of their daily leadership activities and by providing the necessary encouragement to take action. Learning leads to effective action and results in organizations being better off and enjoying significant benefits. Such support acts as a leadership lever and enables the creation or enhancement of true winning conditions with respect to various managerial problems.
A coach’s actions can be compared to that of a change agent. By throwing out hard questions to help managers draw conclusions, new light is shed on things, innovation and creativity develop and finally, personal and/or professional changes are more easily defined.
Coaching success factors
All approaches, regardless of the specifics, must be based on realistic, relevant, measurable and quantifiable results. These represent the true measure and efficacy of coaching success. Thus, expectations and desired results must be clearly defined with specific objectives set at the outset of the coaching process.
At the core of any coaching and organizational transformation initiative is the ability of company leaders to provide support throughout the process, and to harness the talents, creativity and engagement of all their human resources. As a result, the success of a coaching program will depend largely on the engagement and accountability of one and all, regardless of hierarchical level.
Lip service can be paid to the importance of changing mentalities and organizational culture, but it is also essential for leaders to incorporate the desired changes into their own behaviour, otherwise the whole exercise is just empty words. Therefore, the coaching development program must be closely aligned with the organizational strategy.
Situations in which executive coaching is effective
- Facilitating organizational change e.g. mergers, acquisitions or changes to management philosophy
- Developing an the employer brand to ensure corporate growth and stability
- Providing guidance in defining a corporate mission, values and goals
- Fostering strategic decision making
- Facilitating a period of change or transition e.g. a promotion to a managerial position or a change in duties
- Encouraging continuous improvement via the development of skills
- Developing leadership and succession management plans
- Developing specific management skills
- Fostering clearer leadership with more impact
- Reaching goals and achieving effective results based on realistic action plans
- Managing time and priorities effectively
- Developing better communication skills
- Resolving problems and managing conflicts
Rules to be set
It is important to mention that strict confidentiality rules are established from the outset between the coach, the coachee and that person’s supervisor, since the latter cannot get involved in the discussions between the coach and coachee. The same holds true for those between the coach and the supervisor.
While the coach attempts to get the best out of his or her coachee and to provide continuous improvement tools, the results obtained are up to the coachee, and the coach cannot be held responsible.
To track the progress of the coaching process, an initial meeting between the three parties is held to approve the proposed development objectives. Afterwards, new meetings are held periodically while the coaching is in progress, to provide the coachee with feedback. At the end of the program, the supervisor once again meets with the coach and coachee to assess results.
Specific impacts of a coaching program
A manager’s leadership skills are greatly improved via coaching, as he or she acquires more confidence and assurance through the process. There are clear ripple effects in the form of highly capable teams, a better work climate, and more effective, motivated, involved, responsible and engaged team members.
Many managers have used coaching to stand out, becoming true catalysts, with greater influence and better expressed, recognized and appreciated leadership, thus enabling their organizations to differentiate themselves from the competition.
That’s why coaching our leaders is so important!!
Denise Gaudet
Professional Business Coach
Défi-Action-Coaching
degau@videotron.ca