Organisations use coaching in many different ways, e.g. as part of their leadership, change or L&D programme or as an personal solution to develop talent or communication skills, strengthen confidence, resolve conflict and many more.
Although we are talking about Corporate Coaching, the real value and potential lies in its high focus on individuals as part of the organisation. The importance of this reveals itself if defining an organisation – small or big- as a group of individuals aiming for the organisation’s goal. Mainly working on a highly personal level, no other discipline than coaching is able to achieve more for individuals in a short period of time.
In order to get the most out of the coaching process it is vital that the individual has to buy into the coaching opportunity and accept its role as a coachee.
Granted by the organisation or self-chosen, the coachee needs to be in tune with content and timeline of goals set. By investigating reality the current situation is analysed as a basis for any forward thinking. Especially summarising, paraphrasing and mirroring techniques will help the coachee to reflect on statements and situations. By defining values and beliefs the coachee is able to adjust its attitude towards his own as well as the organisation’s goals. The next step is challenging creativity to find options how to reach targeted goals. Again it is the coachee´s choice how to put options into action by defining action points, their measurement as well as a timeframe. Within the entire process the coachee is given the unique opportunity to get the best support to make development happen. This is valuing his status as a person and as part of the organisation. Coaching celebrates skills and abilities of individuals by providing a framework to be their own master of destiny.
Sessions with a coach provide a safe place to find your own way, to exchange thoughts and to receive feedback. Instant development is possible because a coach challenges through questioning, giving clear and focused feedback, leading to actions and overseeing their realisation.
The benefits are almost endless, let us look at some of the most important:
Improved communication skills
Communication is all about sending the right information using the right code through the right channels to the right person. Coaching is dealing with all these aspects. Role-play for example is a superb tool to experience ones communication out of someone else’s view. Individuals will have the chance to achieve what they want by learning to communicate their own mind clearly and effectively.
Motivation
Coaching is focusing on positive aspects in life. Working on positive aspects and goals is extremely empowering and will lead to a high level of motivation towards many activities. Energy levels will rise extremely. High motivation will give the coachee the feeling his life is active and fulfilling but also that everything is possible. The organisation will benefit immensely because a high motivation will lead to improved work results – quantitatively and qualitatively.
Higher self-confidence
To know who you are and what you can achieve is the most effective self-confidence booster. If individuals grow as a person their self-confidence follows. Coachees are able to give as well as to receive praise. Their self-confidence becomes liberated and independent from others. Higher self-confidence will lead to more professional and personal success; results will be achieved and communicated. Self-confidence is visible through body language, confidence driven language will inspire others.
Better understanding of own strengths and weaknesses
Psychometric testing can be used as an essential part of corporate coaching. Whether MBTI, Insights, DISC or others, all profiling methods will help the coachee understand how his personality is structured by investigating preferences and challenges. Profiling results work like a mirror. All facts and reflections will bring the individual forward, leading him to a personal awareness that will support development.
Another way of making the coachee aware is by analysing his preferred way of thinking and learning. Either by using questionnaires or by analysing the clients’ language, an experienced coach is able to differentiate audible, kinaesthetic, visual etc. preferences. Understanding preferences will allow adapting and communicating more efficient.
Emotional support
A coach is a person who dedicates time exclusively on the coachee. This is the time to talk openly and honestly about personal and professional matters. The coachee can rely on strict confidentiality. A coach will always take the coachee´s reality as its own and values his thoughts. By discussing and understanding, obstacles and circumstances are easier to overcome and this will give a strong emotional support. The individual will feel understood and valued, has now a secure place to develop and talk. Emotional support is also important in the aspect of agreeing action points and especially in the case of not completing. In this case the coach offers a lifeline by challenging self-discipline, giving motivation and investigating obstacles.
Better career chances
Completing a coaching process will necessarily bring better career chances. Coachees are able to realise own strengths and weaknesses. This will lead to a desire to develop, build on strengths and work on weaknesses. Coachees are capable of higher demanding tasks and positions. Their newly discovered skills will empower them to take on the next step on the career ladder. Executives will recognise the changes made through coaching and will acknowledge the true potential.
Higher income
The next career step will lead to higher income. A completed personal development process means more value to the individual as well as the organisation. People who are willing to undergo personal improvement are seen as successful and ambitious. An improved, more positive opinion about ones own abilities will mirror back into their verbal and body language – especially if you need to negotiate salary and employment agreement. As another side effect through experiencing coaching coachees are learning how to inspire and coach others.
Better work relationships
A lot of corporate coaching is about improving work relationships. By questioning own behaviour towards others the coachee is given the chance to reflect and adjust its behaviour in a positive way. Especially the way a coachee communicates will be questioned significantly. Many people don’t realise that communication is not received just verbally and never ask themselves what they are saying in a nonverbal way. Generally coaching will lead to a better understanding of thinking, sensing and communicating.
Personal development
Coaching is not only developing professional abilities, even more it is always a personal journey as well. As coaching is concentrating more on soft skills rather than on technical ones, the focus lies undoubtedly on the personality. In many ways professional matters are linked to private matters and vice verso. Phrasing and working towards goals will not only affect professional life, it involves the entire person.
Better training and learning results
Training and learning can only happen if the newly learned skills are consequently put into action and the former behaviour is transformed. Learning is no longer just dictated by trainers or teachers, but also reflected and adapted through coaching. The coachee deals actively with the question what to use from the learned and how to install it into his/her daily life.
Better work/life balance
Sorting out and improving professional life, means more power and time for private life. Time efficient work will lead to more spare time. Necessary adjustments become obvious. Bringing them into a session will lead to set priorities. Overall this will lead to a happier more fulfilled life.
Fulfilment in private life
A happier and more fulfilled work life will always influence the private life positively. Professional goal setting will also inspire personal goal setting. The processes learned within the coaching process can easily be transferred. Goal setting especially using the wheel of life will also balance the importance of work and private life.