What is a coach?
A coach is a silent business partner who will support, motivate, challenge, strategize and encourage creative solutions to work and life problems but who won't take a share of the success!
Why has coaching become a vital part of business today?
Focused and effective people save money, increase productivity and experience high morale. A skilled professional who is personally and interpersonally effective has a significant edge in the competitive marketplace. An effective business is one that can retain talented individuals since the cost of recruitment and training is very high. A good coach makes a bottom-line difference.
What is executive coaching?
The coaching model works in sports because it is used to motivate, teach and reinforce skills and attitudes that make athletes more effective. In a similar fashion, executive coaching helps accelerate progress toward professional and personal goals. Executive coaching is brief, focused and situation specific. It provides support and strategies to overcome issues that impede achieving goals or success on the job, or in personal/family life. Executive coaching identifies the precise issues, focuses on potential solutions, offers tactics to achieve those solutions, and includes a continuing feedback loop during the process to reach your goals.
When is a coach needed?
The coach will support, motivate and facilitate problem solving without being judgmental. While mothers, friends or colleagues may offer advice, they also have a vested interest in the outcome. Trusted and true mentors are hard to find but coaches who play this role are available. Burnout, self doubt or ineffectiveness at work may be embarrassing to talk about with anyone but an executive coach (especially one with the credentials of a psychologist) who takes confidentiality very seriously. With a coach it's nice to know that there is someone who will listen when there's confusion or when there's simply a need to vent.
What typically happens in coaching?
It starts with outlining issues and goals. An assessment may follow which might include standardized tests and goal prioritization to narrow the focus. The impediments that might interfere with reaching the ultimate goal are identified. During the first session, the entire coaching process is explained so that it's always clear what will be happening and what has to be accomplished. Along the way the tactics, strategies and goals are continuously refined. It's expected that home-work will be done between sessions to try out new ideas and to maintain progress.
How long are sessions and how often do they occur?
The initial session may be two or more hours while subsequent sessions are either one-half hour or one hour depending on individual needs and the urgency of the situation. Usually one session per week is scheduled but meetings initially may be more frequent depending on the timeline and the tactics chosen to achieve goals. Coaching can take place at the work site, the coach's office or by phone. Phone consultations may be utilized from the start or added as necessary. Periodic refresher sessions are beneficial after goals are achieved.
How long does it take to complete the coaching?
Change starts almost immediately and there is definite progress within weeks. Depending on the nature of the consultation, goals could be reached in as few as twelve sessions. Additional meetings are scheduled less frequently thereafter over a period of months. Periodic checkups are beneficial even after initial goals are reached.
Why is working with a psychologist an advantage over other kinds of coaches?
Coaching provided by clergy, sports specialists, mystics, school counselors, career coaches or "motivational trainers" have their place but frequently their skills are not relevant to the task at hand. When working on changing behaviors and attitudes, the importance of professional training and licensure should be underscored. First and foremost, psychologists are experts in helping with the problems of human behavior.
Can HR departments make referrals for coaching?
Human resource departments frequently connect people with coaches. Reasons may include disappointing work performance or the need for leadership skills after a promotion. In the search for excellence in our fast paced economy, coaching is also an investment for talented employees who have the technological skills but perhaps not the people or emotional skills required. Keeping otherwise valuable professionals is a priority because of the cost associated with recruiting and training. It is in the best interest of an employer to have employees at peak effectiveness so businesses often underwrite the cost of coaching.
How do the principles of Emotional Intelligence fit into executive coaching?
Technical and business skills do not guarantee job effectiveness and success. Getting ahead, or staying ahead, requires the ability to use emotions intelligently on a personal level and in communication with others. By utilizing this psychological concept and it’s strategies developed for workplace settings, the issues that get in the way of success can be more quickly identified and resolved. When coaching is done by those not familiar with the use of Emotional Intelligence at work, there is likely to be a missing link between goals and success.