Why do leaders need coaching and why is coaching more useful than training?
By Bernard Chanliau, Monday 07 December, 2009
Coaching has come a long way since the days when it was associated with under-performance. IBM has more than sixty certified coaches among its ranks and scores of other major companies have made coaching a core part of executive development. Today the benefits of coaching leaders are far more recognised as a one-one-one interaction that can provide immediate results, feedback and guidance in real-time. This time spent with an objective third party can therefore provide a focus and application of learning to the situation in the moment, that other forms of organisational support simply cannot. Most importantly, it really makes leaders think strategically about their role, their purpose and find the capacity within themselves to make a difference, to leave a legacy for the organisation.
Without coaching, many executives plateau in their careers due to difficulty with critical interpersonal and leadership skills, and according to research by Dr Michael Watkins, 40% of new hires fail without it.
What's the key to success?
Quite simply, to sculpt coaching into a leadership learning agenda that develops the leader's role and personal strategy, and to develop a deeper and wider awareness of organisation systems behaviour, which will develop the capacity to work ethically, responsibly and authentically. Also, for the coaching to take place within the day to day work context, ensures that business isn't disrupted, in fact it's boosted by coaching.
And, if you are spending thousands on sending your top executives to state of the art leadership courses in INSEAD, Harvard or Stanford, or even your own corporate university, make sure they have a coach in place to help them make meaning and application of their learning on their return.
If you don't, 80% of what has been learnt will go to waste - coaching raises learning retention up to 80% according to case study research most notably Public Personnel Management Volume 26 No4 or "The Coaching Controversy" published in Training and Development Magazine in 1979.
Developing scalability is important - much can be gained from training internal coaches and having them supported by an external supervisor. It's important to train your coaches in a leadership coaching methodology and models, so that they have a range of tools to coach in a variety of situations and know what it mean to develop a personal leadership strategy, and the capacity to effect organisation change and challenge where necessary.
Training for internal coaches is available from Xenergie Consulting in Leadership Development and Coaching Certification and Team Performance Coaching. A basic level of coaching certification and knowledge is expected and as well as significant organisation management experience.
Xenergie also provides Coaching Supervision for internal coaches. For more information contact Bernard Chanliau on 01 640 1951 or bernard.chanliau@xenergie.com.
