By Doug Upchurch, learning innovation strategist, Insights Learning and Development
Of the many ways leaders get results, coaching their employees can often be overlooked as the most efficient way to get from point A to point B.
 |
In fact, American Management Association (AMA) reported in a global study of successful coaching practices, only half of today’s companies in North America use coaching.
The International Coach Federation defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” Given the long-term scope and time investment necessary for effective coaching, it’s easy to see how leaders may avoid developing these skills or even opt to use external coaches when available.
There are a couple problems that arise from this avoidance though. First, it’s coaching conversations, not management conversations that provide the richness of development opportunities for employees. Second, when leaders aren’t prioritizing coaching conversations in their roles, they are basically leaving upside results on the table.
HR Monthly magazine summarized the efficacy of coaching by reporting that “recent studies show business coaching and executive coaching to be the most effective means for achieving sustainable growth, change, and development in the individual, group, and organization.”
Given the success that derives from successful coaching, it stands to reason that organizations should help leaders reframe coaching as not just another management burden, but a way to unlock results.
Whether you’re an experienced or emerging leader, here’s what we recommend to keep in mind when developing coaching skills.