When does coaching work and when doesn't it?
Leadership coaching with the Coaching Institute has an effect. This has been shown by a wide range of research. In this respect, the question in today's business practice is not so much whether leadership coaching is a useful tool for personnel development, but rather how it can be used effectively and make an optimal value contribution. However, many companies do not utilize the full potential of Leadership Coaching as personnel development is not enough. The consequences are disappointment and Cynicism in terms of failures, unnecessary expenditure and personnel development that does not take effect. Rapid change, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity characterize the framework conditions today. The increasing dynamization of the work situation demands more self-control and personal responsibility from employees at all levels. The downsides are excessive demands, stress and burn-out. Those who manage best in uncertain and complex contexts win. This applies to international corporations as well as SMEs, social and state organizations. This is precisely where coaching comes in and is becoming an increasingly important instrument of Career- and personnel development.
When does advice not work or work worse than possible when:
- The strategic link is missing. Leadership coaching is not linked to the company's strategy. Application and results are random.
- There is no cultural fit. Anyone who preaches leadership coaching and only wants to manage employees in a directive manner and is not prepared to hand over responsibility to employees will not be successful with coaching. The introduction of coaching is linked to the development of characteristics of a coaching culture: performance, appreciation, personal responsibility.
- Incorrect selection and allocation of coaches and clients. «Who» coaches and whether the coach is a good fit for the respective client is a decisive success factor. Managers in particular are disappointed when coaches are not able to work at eye level and psychologize instead of developing value contributions.
- Lack of context for personnel development. Leadership coaching is not part of a differentiated personnel development strategy, but is misused as a fire-fighting measure for individual cases.
- Instrumentalization of coaching through leadership goes hand in hand with a breach of confidentiality. If managers instruct a coach to manipulate their employees to achieve a desired result, this destroys the basis on which coaching works. Coachees always work on their own concerns during coaching. It is the coach's responsibility to ensure that the individual work is within the scope of the agreement with the company.
- The myth of «voluntariness». Leadership coaching always takes place in conditional contexts and is part of the management line in the company. It is important to find an individual working basis within this scope that is worthwhile for clients and customers.
- Pure satisfaction evaluation is not sufficient for the results to flow back into the company. Sustainable results are not sought in this way and do not materialize. The decisive factor here is whether changes in behavior towards employees and other stakeholders are also recorded. It is also important whether the collection and feedback of overarching strategic development themes and cultural patterns are also part of the evaluation concept.
- Reduction to the personal format. Understanding leadership coaching as a purely personal format, i.e. only as an expedient interaction between coach and coachee, is a mistake and an error. The challenges for design, communication and organizational embedding are the same as for other personnel development measures.
- Lack of internal expertise HR department. For a sustainable and successful use of Consulting internal expertise is also required. Complete outsourcing misses the sustainable value contribution of coaching, as newly acquired knowledge and experience do not flow back.
- When management is not behind it and leads by example, coaching is not taken seriously even by employees and remains at best an annoying compulsory exercise.
Coaching in personnel development. The important questions!
- Is the introduction and use of Business Coaching the business case clarified?
- Is coaching also conducted within the framework of cultural development (coaching culture)?
- Does the coaching also apply to the management?
- Does the company have an effective and level-specific selection process for coaches as well as for clients and their concerns?
- Is coaching used as personnel development in triage with other forms of intervention such as appraisal interviews, management development, seminars, peer learning, etc.?
- Do managers have a clear understanding and possibly also their own experience of the use of coaching in their area of responsibility? (The introduction of coaching is usually top-down.)
- Is coaching organizationally agreed and contacted («contract triangle»)? The manager in charge, HR development, coach and coachee belong at the same table.
- Is the use of coaching linked to suitable concepts and instruments for evaluation? Are concrete results such as improvement in performance, change in behavior, contribution to strategic goals recorded?
- Are individual coaching sessions embedded in a program and are they the responsibility of the internal management line?
- Is there sufficient internal expertise for management and control and therefore also a certain independence from external providers?
- Does management set a good example and communicate this?
What happens when coaching is used correctly?
In structured coaching, goals, clients, coach, assignment and management of the coaching are optimally aligned. We suggest that companies and organizations that want to introduce and work with coaching as personnel development should be guided by this value. Coaching is not a panacea. But if it is used correctly, it is worthwhile. Arrange a non-binding initial consultation with us.
What is leadership coaching and what advantages does it offer?
Leadership coaching is a process in which a coach supports leaders to improve their performance and leadership skills. The benefits of leadership coaching include increased motivation, better communication, higher productivity and improved interpersonal relationships within the team.
How do I find the right leadership coach for me?
To find the right leadership coach, you should look for a coach who has experience working with executives, has a good understanding of your industry and organization, and whose personality and working style suits you. You can also rely on recommendations from colleagues and friends or search for leadership coaches online.
How long does a typical leadership coaching process take?
The duration of a typical leadership coaching process depends on various factors, such as the specific situation and the objectives of the leadership coaching, the frequency of the coaching sessions and the cooperation with other personnel development measures. A typical leadership coaching process can last from several months to a year or longer.
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