Coaching paves the way for decision makers to create higher levels of organizational effectiveness through dialogue, inquiry and positive interactions. Coaching creates awareness, purpose, competence and well-being among participants. Coaching is NOT another feel good exercise based in soft skills that has no correlation to the bottom-line.
Coaching means many different things to different people. The occupation is fairly new as an organized profession and is still struggling to find identity. Coach training schools vary widely in their philosophies and competencies. Many consultants and persons trained in psychology are simply calling themselves coaches with no formal training or consistent standards.
There are now studies that show the clear advantage of providing coaching services to executives, and that there is direct improvement to the bottom line.
It is easy to mistake a coach for a person (leader, manager, teacher, trainer, mentor, etc) coaching as they both use the same skills, however the critical issue is that of responsibility, accountability and authority over outcomes. This key differentiation separates external coaches from leaders, mentors,
managers, teachers, trainers, facilitators and counselors who may also be doing coaching.
This difference is important because it shapes the nature of the coaching relationship. Only with an external coach is the focus solely on the agenda of the person being coached. Effective coaches also consider goals of the person being coached as a part of a business or organizational system.
Everyone should coach, however everyone cannot be a masterful coach!
Important concepts covered in this article
The Popularity of Coaching
Reasons for Offering Coaching
The Confusion over Coaching
Coaching without Responsibility, Accountability and Authority
Not Everyone’s a Masterful Coach
The Critical Need for Impact Studies
Emotional Intelligence, Coaching and the Bottom Line
Resources used for The Business Case for Coaching
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