Purpose of coaching
The purpose of coaching is to help individuals in corporate, business and community settings gain self-awareness and insight so that they can make behavioural changes and grow personally and professionally. Coaches help clients identify the behaviours that are congruent with their personal values and beliefs, realise any discrepancy with their current behaviour, and assist them make the changes they need to make in order to lead a life that is meaningful and on-purpose. Believing that they are capable of making the changes is the first step. Success is determined by the client’s level of self-efficacy and support from the coach, as they share joint accountability for the outcomes.
Coaches also work with individuals and teams to improve performance and business outcomes, progress careers, increase leadership capability, help leaders implement successful change management projects, and innovate to achieve improved business, process and systems outcomes. At an organisational level, coaching enhances strategic leadership and is an important component of the cultural change and transformation processes.
Coaching is conducted in various setting – within the community, business and corporate environments. In community settings, coaching is mainly conducted by professionally trained individuals who own their own business and operate either as a Life, Business, Leadership or Executive Coach. These professional coaches are trained in the use of ethical coaching practices and work with clients to achieve their client-led agenda. Within the business and corporate sectors, coaching is often conducted by human resource professionals and increasingly by other organisational employees who are trained as internal coaches, or by line managers (leaders as coach).
When coaching first emerged in the management literature it was viewed as an intervention to correct poor performance – a way to get an employee back ‘on track’ or start the dismissal process. Over time, coaching has proven to be a valuable process to enhance the performance of all employees for a variety of reasons. Significantly, it has become an important developmental activity that represents the value that the organisation places on their employees e.g. an appreciation for talented employees, to keep them engaged and motivated to stay within the organisation. Hence the purpose for coaching these days is not only to retain valuable talent within the organisation but also to assist reasonably well-functioning yet possibly mediocre performing individuals reach their full potential, achieve their goals, become productive team members, and bring increased productivity benefits to organisations.
Coaching delivered by line managers to their direct reports is becoming an accepted practice within many organisations. These leaders know and can immediately address the developmental needs of their team members, as well as empower them to do even better when they direct their energy and resources to achieving a particular goal. In this context, coaching is seen as a facilitative tool to build personal effectiveness as well as professional competence. Such goal-directed activity not only serves to improve employees’ performance, but also to increase the overall productivity of the organisation. Organisations are beginning to understand that coaching conversations can occur at all levels of the organisation, for a variety of reasons, all aimed at driving the business forward even more quickly towards the achievement of strategic goals. As part of an intervention for transformational change, coaching can assist by delivering system-wide behavioural and cultural change directed at aligning employees’ values with the organisation’s vision and mission.
Coaching can also be used in organisations to identify future career aspirations and enhance employees’ short- and long-term opportunities within the organisation. When incorporated within a talent management strategy, coaching serves to engage and commit individuals whose skills and abilities are valued by the organisation. These employees are often included in the organisation’s succession pipeline. These talented individuals may be targeted for advanced developmental opportunities, external study, secondment positions etc. so that they can immediately step into a promotional position when the time comes with relative ease.
This modified excerpt is taken from the book “Positive Psychology Coaching” by Dr Susanne Knowles which is available from www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.
Book Reviews and a Book Trainer are available on www.susanne.knowles.com.
