Coaching

When I think about Coaching, this is a topic which has come up frequently throughout the MSLD program. As I think about why it is a frequent subject in leadership, I realize that both of these go hand in hand. “Cathy Joy, a San Francisco-based coach and product designer for Interaction Associates says that Definition is what coaching is all about. Coaching means helping people define clear goals and set a specific time frame in which to meet them” (1999). I believe that the purpose of a leader is too bring out the best in people and guide them to who or where they want to be.

Coaching is about picking an individual, extracting their goals, and guiding them to it; it is like putting someone under your wing. Many people have goals, we all have an idea of what we want to be and what we want from life; the hard part is knowing the correct path to take. To achieve our goals we must all take a path also, not many things come easy in life so this is usually a long path. Although for some, the ones who are lucky enough to have a great coach, this path can be severely shortened. It seems that it is almost impossible to put a price on something with so much value. If someone told me that they would help me attain my goals two years sooner than expected, I would find tremendous value in an opportunity such as this one.

If we were able to apply coaching to a regulated program within an organization, perhaps we would see a huge change with that business. Many times when we have young or new employees, they do not know which path it is that they want to take to attain their goals. Having someone that has been with the organization for a long period of time can make the difference in that individual’s life.

Not only will the mentee gain from this program, but the mentor also stands to gain a lot from coaching an individual that is junior to them. Many CEO’s have gone on to say that coaching is exciting for them and they feel invigorated by it, although coaching is different from being a mentor, it is still a positive position for senior personnel to have.

Organizations can gain a lot from coaching, some might say that it does not help the bottom line, but this is not true. According to Hoffman (1999)" Coaching taps into an employee’s creativity, it encourages them to be more flexible and adaptable. That kind of response from employees can have a substantial effect on the bottom line. Making people feel as though they have someone that they can count on, can truly have a lasting effect on the behavior of future and current employees.

After reading so much about coaching over the last year, I am convinced that coaching can have a lasting effect on any organization. I do wish that my organization had a coaching program, it would be a vital program to have for those that are working hard and want to advance. Unfortunately there is a vast amount of nepotism within my organization and having a coach would help those individuals that do not have family in high places. Cutting through the nepotism which is very obvious within my organization would help restore a balance which is necessary for my organization to continue to be successful. Having individuals which think differently might create some welcomed diversity within an aging organization such as mine.

References:

von Hoffman, C. (1999). Coaching: The ten killer myths. Harvard Management Update, 4(1), 4.

Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing Paradox and Uncertainty. Farnham, Surrey: Gower.