3 Steps to Implement a Successful Coaching Program in a Corporate Setting
Coaching in corporations has become an increasingly popular approach to improving employee performance and development. However, implementing and maintaining coaching can be challenging. In this article, we will discuss the key factors and steps that need to be taken when creating a successful coaching program in a corporate setting.
From alignment and inclusiveness to clear communication and support from leadership, we will explore the key factors that organizations can take to ensure that their coaching is effective and sustainable. By understanding the challenges and best practices of coaching in corporations, organizations can improve the performance and development of their employees, leading to a more productive and motivated workforce.
Barriers to Successful Implementation
Coaching in corporations is often difficult to sustain. One major issue is a lack of engagement from both coaches and participants. External professional coaches may have a vested interest in the coaching process, but internal managers and leaders may view it as an additional burden on top of their regular duties.
To ensure high engagement and a successful coaching program, it is important to involve everyone in the corporation, not just a select group. Restricting coaching to a small group and providing only a short training will not be enough to change behavior and maintain coaching. It can also create division and resentment among employees who do not have the opportunity to participate.
Another important factor in implementing a successful coaching program in a corporation is clear communication and support from upper management. Without buy-in from leadership, it will be difficult to implement and sustain a coaching program. Additionally, clear guidelines and expectations for coaching should be established and communicated to all employees. This includes a clear definition of what coaching is, who can receive coaching, and what the goals and outcomes of coaching should be.
Providing regular training and resources for coaches and participants can also help ensure that the coaching process is effective and beneficial for all parties involved. Overall, creating a successful coaching program in a corporation requires a holistic approach that involves everyone in the organization and clear communication and support from leadership.
Step 1 Aligning Organizational and Department Coaching Goals
In organizations, coaching goals can often be aligned with larger organizational goals. However, when it comes to a manager’s specific goals, the goals of individual employees may not align with them.
For example, imagine the following scenario: John Smith is the Head Manager of the social media public relations department. His main goal is to hit a set amount of new followers and engagements on the company’s social media channels, then John is told to coach members of his department on time management, as one of the company goals relates to time management. In John’s mind, he will be thinking, “my job is to get my department staff to hit social media engagement targets, how is time management going to help with that? This is such as waste of time!”.
The above scenario is a big reason internal coaching fails, as pressure is on managers assigned to coach staff to hit certain individual goals while maintaining their duties to hit departmental goals.
By allowing the internal coach (manager) to work with the participants to align their goal directly with the manager’s department or section goals, coaching becomes an asset to hit their smaller group’s targets which are more specialized that the broad organizational goal(s). Now the internal coach has a vested interest in being engaged in the coaching process as he/she directly benefits from the coaching process as well.
Step 2 Coaching as a Management Tool
Relating to the previous point, when the manager’s and participants’ goals are aligned with both the corporate goal and the smaller departmental goal, coaching becomes a powerful tool. No longer will the managers look at coaching as an additional task or burden, but rather as an assistant that can greatly benefit himself/herself.
Participants in coaching now benefit from an internal coach that will be fully engaged and motivated to coach them to reach their goals and milestones. The experience of being coached by a coach who is not fully invested in the process is vastly different than being coached by a motivated coach, as the saying goes, “the right person in the right place can make all the difference.”
This turns coaching into a means to an end, an effective managerial tool that can benefit both sides of a coaching engagement. With feedback and evaluation processes that can be attached to coaching, this “tool” can change, evolve and transform to accommodate any changes in the corporate environment.
Step 3 Normalizing Coaching In The Organization
Relating to the previous point, when the manager’s and participants’ goals are aligned with both the corporate goal and the smaller departmental goal, coaching becomes a powerful tool. No longer will the managers look at coaching as an additional task or burden, but rather as an assistant that can greatly benefit himself/herself.
Participants in coaching now benefit from an internal coach that will be fully engaged and motivated to coach them to reach their goals and milestones. The experience of being coached by a coach who is not fully invested in the process is vastly different than being coached by a motivated coach, as the saying goes, “the right person in the right place can make all the difference.”
This turns coaching into a means to an end, an effective managerial tool that can benefit both sides of a coaching engagement. With feedback and evaluation processes that can be attached to coaching, this “tool” can change, evolve and transform to accommodate any changes in the corporate environment.
In conclusion, organizations should consider a more holistic approach that includes both internal and external resources as well as digital tools to make coaching available for employees at all levels. By understanding the challenges and best practices of coaching in a corporate setting, organizations can improve the performance and development of their employees, leading to a more productive and motivated workforce. A coaching culture can bring a lot of benefits to the organization such as improved communication, better problem-solving, and increased productivity. It is important for organizations to invest in coaching their employees in order to continuously improve and achieve their goals.
The workplace is changing, and it's changing fast
With the increase of employees who are now part of Generation Z and Millennials, in particular, the old model of employee engagement that has been around for decades is no longer working. The way employees feel about their work environment and their role within it has a direct effect on their productivity, and engagement is key to reaching peak productivity.
If you are looking to boost engagement among your workforce, there are many ways to do it. One way is to shift away from traditional employee engagement tactics and instead, focus on creating meaningful experiences for your employees.
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References:
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317368184_Exploring_the_evolution_of_coaching_through_the_lens_of_innovation
- https://boxofcrayons.com/2012/02/the-evolution-of-coaching/
- https://www.changeboard.com/article-details/13946/the-evolution-of-coaching/