PRINCIPLES OF COACHINGNOTES IN BUSINESS

PRINCIPLES OF COACHING

Please make sure that you understand that the information provided here is being provided freely,

and that no kind of agreement or contract is created between you and the authors or publishers.

Any of the trademarks, service marks, collective marks, design rights, personality rights or similar

rights that are mentioned, used or cited in the articles of Open Source Ecology are the property of

their respective owners. Their use here does not imply that you may use them for any other purpose

other than for the same or a similar informational use as contemplated by the original authors.

Unless otherwise stated Open Source Ecology are neither endorsed nor affiliated with any of the

holders of any such rights and as such Open Source Ecology cannot grant any rights to use any

otherwise protected materials. Your use of any such or similar incorporeal property is at your own

risk.

PRINCIPLES OF COACHING“Coaching is a dynamic, learner enriched partnership in which the coach constantly revises the style and nature of help to meet the learner’s circumstances and needs” (Clutterbuck, 1998)

1. Introduction

2. Definition and Rationale for Coaching

3. Coaching Model

4. Selecting the Coach

5. Coach Selection Criteria

6. Coachee Selection Criteria

7. Coaching Evaluation

8. Implementation

9. Conclusion

Note: The text incorporates ideas and concepts from referenced and unreferenced authors and intellects. The author does not claim implicitly nor explicitly under any circumstance the ownership of any ideas or concepts introduced by the referenced or the unreferenced authors or intellects.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Coaching programs are the most fundamental techniques in learning and development nowadays, they

provide the necessary equipment and methodologies to properly align and demonstrate confidence in

ensuring the fulfilment of the organizational strategic objectives. A coaching program ensure better

communication, coordination and cooperation, less conflicts, increased self-awareness, reduction of

staff turnover and greater understanding of the vision and mission vertically and horizontally.

The proposal incorporates the definitions and the rationale for adopting a coaching program, the

benefits and the business advantages of sustaining the business value chain. The coaching model and

the necessary steps to select the coach and the coachee based on interpersonal and knowledge

attributes. The implementation and the evaluation stages are thoroughly and properly introduced to

ensure acceptability, sustainability and continual improvement and alignment to the business strategic

goals.

2.0 DEFINITION AND RATIONAL FOR COACHING

Coaching is the process by which individuals unlock their potentials through communicative and

knowledge transfer practices “Unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their own performance. It

is helping them to learn rather than teaching them” (Gallwey, 1975), “A process that enables learning

and development to occur and thus performance to improve” (Parsloe, 1999), “Today coaching is seen

as a means of developing people within an organisation in order that they perform more effectively

and reach their potential” (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2004).

“Coachees ideally receive direct advice, assistance and attention which fits with their own time

schedules and objectives and, unlike one off training activities, coaching can provide continuing

support for personal development plans” (Jarvis, 2004), the rational for coaching is to produce a

creative and an innovative learning environment where the individuals of the organisation realise the

potential of their strengths through motivational and leadership instructiveness and knowledge

transfer.

2.0 DEFINITION AND RATIONAL FOR COACHING1.Coaching is an interactive process that helps another person improve, learn something, or take performance

to the next level.

2.Coaching means working as a trusted counsellor, guide, tutor, or mentor.

3.Coaching involves someone with more wisdom and experience sharing his/her knowledge and expertise.

4.Coaching means an ability to diagnose an issue and propose a solution, as well as to motivate others to

achieve their best.

5.Coaching is a form of feedback that helps another person realise what is not working and take steps to get on

the right track.

Coaching ventures ensure the proper development and maintenance of the business value chain, where leader

competencies such as the development of talents, customer focus and strategic thinking and alignment,

organisation capabilities where talents are properly managed and maintained and business outcomes exhibit

the actual benefits of strategically aligning the coaching ventures through proper design and control, such

elements are maximised both strategically and operationally through the coaching methodology.

2.0 DEFINITION AND RATIONAL FOR COACHINGLeader Competencies

1.Developing Talent

2.Customer Focus

3.Strategic Thinking

Organizational Capabilities

1.Talent Management

2.Service Excellence

3.Goal Clarity Alignment

Business Outcomes

1.Talent Retention

2.Customer Loyalty

3.Strategy Driven Culture

2.0 DEFINITION AND RATIONAL FOR COACHINGBenefits of Coaching, (Greene J, Grant A, 2003)

1.Better communication

2.Less conflict

3.Greater cooperation

4.Increased self-awareness

5.Overall better performance

6.Reduced staff turnover

7.Shared vision and commitment

Business organisations are increasingly encountering difficulties and drawbacks, market conditions as of

inflation, policies and regulations and the increasing market competition which contributes to structural and

organizational instability, such instability results in increasing turnover rates and the constant reliance on

service outsourcing and the increase of heterogeneous initiatives that imposes greater complexity and

variability on the internal structures, communication channels, horizontal and vertical coordination and

cooperation, efficiency and responsiveness and therefore productivity and performance.

2.0 DEFINITION AND RATIONAL FOR COACHING

Business Drawbacks

1.Market conditions

2.Increasing market competition

3.Dynamism and verity of products and services

4.Increasing turnover and resource outsourcing

5.Complexity of internal systems and business structures

Most of the performance, productivity and sustainability issues that arise within organisations

relate directly to management practices, therefore by improving the performance of the most

influential people within the organisation, the theory goes that business results should

improve. Therefore one to one performance coaching is increasingly being recognised as the

way for organisations and individuals to improve performance through executive coaching.

3.0 COACHING MODEL

The concept and the definition of responsibility is the central driving factor of

Whitmore GROW model, were the transition of cultures concentrating on blame

and guilt transfer to a more productive culture of responsibility acceptance, which

therefore increases productivity and performance.

The manager’s job is to ensure task completion and the continual development and

improvement of the staff, the coaching principle ensures that the manager

understands the responsibilities, unlocking the barriers to creativity and innovative

thinking and ensuring coordination and proper alignments with the business

objectives through knowledge transfer and responsibility recognition and self-

awareness.

3.0 COACHING MODEL

Goal

1.What do you want to achieve.

2.What is the next stage in completing your project.

3.What would a successful outcome look like.

4.What is the most important to you in doing this work.

Reality

1.What do you know already.

2.What have you already tried.

3.What can you learn from that.

4.What do you need to learn to move on.

3.0 COACHING MODELOptions

1.What has worked well in the past.

2.What else could you do.

3.How will you decide between those options.

4.How does that option help you reach your goal.

Will

1.How will you go about it.

2.When will you do it.

3.Who do you need to talk to.

4.Where do you need to go.

The model’s approach focuses on examining realistic goals and logically interpreting the reality of the obstacles and

incrementally adjust to the chosen goals by systematically and realistically aligning the available options towards a self-

awareness of capabilities, strengths and techniques and ensuring the balance of responsibility and sustainability in

transitioning to the desired objectives.

4.0 SELECTING THE COACHIn order to determine what type of coaches are going to fulfil the coaching venture, each and every

option should be thoroughly analysed to determine the best selection criteria.

External Coach “defined as coaches who do not work for the organisation”

Advantages

1.Independence

2.Confidentiality

3.Wider experience of organizational working

4.Wider range of ideas and experiences

Disadvantages

1.Cost

2.Difficulties in balancing the agenda of the organisation and agenda of the coaches

4.0 SELECTING THE COACHInternal Coach “defined as an employee within the organisation who is not directly involved in the coach’s work”

Advantages

1.Champions of coaching within the organisation

2.Can keep focused on organizational agendas

3.Can be more cost effective when wanting to offer coaching to larger number of staff

4.Have existing knowledge of the organisation

5.Can utilise internal feedback mechanisms within the coaching sessions

Disadvantages

6.Establishing internal coach's credibility

7.Ensuring trust and confidentiality

8.Conflicts of interest

9.'Blind spots' that prevent issues being raised

10.May have tendency not to address multifaceted problems

4.0 SELECTING THE COACH

The external coach possesses the ability to work and function independently, have a wide range of

functional and technical experiences, a wide range of ideas and innovative and creative solutions to

business settings, the difficulty is in being able to afford the services that the external coach requires

and the difficulty to synchronise the agendas and calendars with external resources. Therefore if the

company is planning and necessitating responsiveness, an external coach is the ultimate choice.

The internal coach possess organizational awareness, the awareness of the actual processes,

objectives and goals, and therefore is able to focus primarily on the business aspects and ensure

synchronicity among theory and organizational practices. The internal coach is cost effective and can

deliver coaching programs to a wide range of mentees. Nevertheless, internal coaches may impose a

threat on confidentiality and trust, conflicting interests and inability to communicate organizational

settings accurately. The internal coach is the ultimate choice for organisations trying to be cost

effective.

5.0 COACH SELECTION CRITERIA

The Coach Selection Criteria is based on the following dimensions,

1.Business/organisation knowledge.

2.Values: sensitivity to trust, ethics, and freedom from gender and culture bias.

3.Executive presence.

4.Strong interpersonal skills: listening, confronting, challenging, straightforwardness, rapport,

trust, warmth, compassion, humour.

5.Assessment skills and instrument knowledge applicable to the client's situation.

6.Personal maturity and stability.

7.Flexibility and ability to work effectively with a broad range of executives.

8.Ability to plan, conceptualise, implement and manage a coaching relationship over time.

9.Demonstrated knowledge of learning theories and the dynamics of change.

10.Credibility and authenticity.

5.0 COACH SELECTION CRITERIAIt is very important for business coaches to be equipped with business and organizational knowledge,

since most of their work is going to concentrate on social and business knowledge, the sensitivity to

ethical and trustworthiness is a crucial value for coaches to demonstrate in order to fulfill the

organizational and the social responsibility, interpersonal and sociological skills are also valuable to

demonstrate competence in business communications and be able to convey what is being required

with the minimum and the least amount of efforts.

The coach is also preferred with analytical assessment skills where he/she be able to assess the client’s

abilities and report on their strengths and weaknesses in order to accurately enhance the client’s

perception and business knowledge. Coaches are also preferred with personal maturity which

demonstrates assertiveness, efficiency and responsiveness to a wide range of requirements and to

respond accurately to situational dynamism. Coaches are also preferred to demonstrate confidence and

ability to work with a broad range of mentalities, cultures and heterogeneous fact of knowledge levels

and intelligence.

5.0 COACH SELECTION CRITERIA

The dynamical nature of today’s environments demands flexibility, authenticity,

knowledge and expertise to accommodate the growth and the increasing complexity

of organizational settings and the market demands. Therefore ensuring personality

and business dimensions guarantee success.

Choosing the incorrect coach is going to lead to disastrous outcomes "This can have

disastrous consequences for the company long term and can exacerbate the

psychological damage to the person targeted for help...To best help their executives,

companies need to draw on the expertise of executive coaches with legitimate skills."

Harvard School of Business

6.0 COACHEE SELECTION CRITERIAThe mentee selection criteria is based on the following dimensions.

1.Personality

2.Motivation

3.Needs and requirements of the individual

4.Reasons of joining the coaching program

The mentee and coach matching process starts by evaluating the coaches personal and business traits,

the ability to convey and communicate to a diversified and heterogeneous set of groups of individuals

with a wide variety of knowledge areas, the mentees are then assessed for their personal characteristics

and gradually through telephone and face to face interviews determining the actual applicability of the

mentee to the caching program. The effectiveness of the coaching process is to match and ensure a

positive working relationship among the coaches and the mentees, therefore determining the

synchronicity of the behavioral characteristics of the coach and mentee is an important role is ensuring

a successful coaching process.

6.0 COACHEE SELECTION CRITERIA

“It was found that, fundamentally, coaching is a means of bringing about individual

performance improvements so that each individual might move towards his or her full

potential. Whilst coaching shares many characteristics and requisite skills with interventions

such as mentoring and counselling, it differs in its emphasis on raising awareness and

consequently not requiring experience/expertise in the underlying issue.” (M. Somers 2001 -

The Coaching and Mentoring Network)

Motivation is highly preferable to determine the extent of mutual bonding among the coach

and the coachee, the process by which examining the mentee’s motivational levels is crucial to

determine the intellectual capacity available to better engage in the coaching process.

Moreover, the needs of the coachee should be fully and accurately analysed to determine the

type of the combination of the coach and the coachee, if the coachee’s requirements are not

carefully taken into consideration, the coaching venture will lead to misleading outcomes.

7.0 COACHING EVALUATION

The evaluation process is going to follow the four elements of Kirkpatrick’s framework,

and are defined below using Kirkpatrick’s original definitions.

1.Reactions. “Reaction may best be defined as how well the Coachees liked a particular

coaching program.” Reactions are typically measured at the end of coaching.

2.Learning. “What principles, facts, and techniques were understood and absorbed by

the Coachees?”

3.Behavior. Changes in on-the-job behavior.

4.Results. “Reduction of costs; reduction of turnover and absenteeism; reduction of

grievances; increase in quality and quantity or production; or improved morale which,

it is hoped, will lead to some of the previously stated results.” (Kirkpatrick, 1979)

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Coaching ventures implementation requires that the organizational context, purpose

of the coaching venture, the coach and the coachee list is properly developed and

awareness of the cultural impact of the venture is properly communicated.

Developing a Coaching Culture The organizational culture of coaching awareness

and the ability to flourish the acceptance of the new development is a primary

concern in implementing the coaching venture. The following organizational settings

must be encouraged prior to the introduction of the coaching program.

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Organizational Context

1.Committed to personal and professional development for all

2.Clearly communicates its objectives and expectations

3.Introducing coaching in parallel with other initiatives

4.Recognises employees and directors as individuals not clones and celebrate difference

5.Provide logistical support including ‘time out’ during the working day fir coaching sessions

6.Respect confidentiality between coach and coachee

7.Coachee

8.Awareness of need to change and develop

9.Openness to change and developing personal insight

10.Availability and willingness to commit time and effort

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

The purpose of the coaching program should be clearly and accurately defined and communicated

to aid in developing a coaching culture, the goals and the objectives should primarily be specific,

measurable, achievable, realistic and traceable to ensure commitment. Although the purpose

should be realistic and achievable, it should not intersect with the organizational goals and

objectives and should therefore align with the organizational strategic objectives.

Purpose

1.Awareness of personal goals and priorities

2.Realistic and achievable goals

3.Compatibility with organizational goals and priorities

4.Relevance to other organizational objectives

5.Means of measuring progress towards goals

8.0 IMPLEMENTATIONFour key factors are important to property encourage and develop organizational buy in.

1.Purpose is clearly defined and communicated positively

2.Senior management are proactively supportive of the initiative

3.Start with a pilot group and expand in a structured manner

4.Encourage coaching but don’t make it mandatory

Roles of Stakeholders the definition and the communication of the stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities ensures

coordination, manageability, sustainability, applicability and control of the coaching program. The greater the roles are defined

and communicated, the greater the commitments and the greater the benefits.

1.Human Resources the role of the human resources directorate or department is to design, implement, monitor and control

the coaching venture through coordinating and communicating information from and to the coaching process. The human

resources department continually assess with coordination with the coach, line managers and individuals the actual progress

and the sought benefits or achievements from the coaching venture.

2.Line Manager the line manager is responsible for the performance measurement of the coachee, the line manager determines

the actual progress and development of the individual by continually assessing the individual’s performance through the

coaching progress, and communicates the metrics to the human resources for further analysis.

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Structure and Timing the selection of the delivery options is an important role to determine

efficiency and effectiveness, the balance among face to face, telephone and email ensures reach

and follow up mechanisms, the freedom of scheduling and communication options allows the

coaching program to effectively utilise resource calendars and synchronise reach among

geographic and time heterogeneity.

1.Face to face

2.Telephone

3.Email

As a rule of thumb, the coaching sessions are approximately two hours in duration and are

held two to four weeks, and a coaching program typically lasts between three and twelve

months.

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Selecting the Coach it is important to properly select, align and orient the coaches

with the organizational coaching objectives and goals. Ensuring that the proper

coach of the coaching program is selected elicits productivity and performance and

guarantees organizational and intellectual commitments.

1.Availability and willingness to commit time and effort

2.Compatibility between coach and coachee

3.Ability to be objective and non-judgmental

4.Understanding of how they personally will benefit from being a coach

5.Competence in core coaching skills

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Aligning Coachees and Coaches after the proper coach is selected based on the key

performance, productivity and the strategic objectives of the organisation, the

process of selecting Coachees that properly suite the coach’s profile is an important

role to ensure the success of the coaching program.

The selection is by matching the professional, sociological and organizational

characteristics of the Coachee with the coach’s characteristics to ensure

synchronicity and harmony.

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Coachee Orientation is the process by which the organization builds the coaching

program awareness into the individuals, defining the acceptable behaviors and the

proper usage of the relationship among the coach and the coachee, the policies,

procedures, objectives and goals of the coaching program.

1.Define what is open to discussion versus ‘off-limits’ as appropriate to the purpose of

the program and coach’s skills

2.Make explicit that the relationship is facilitative

3.Define program purpose in context of both individual and organizational expectations

4.Agree measurements to be used

5.Agree on the parameters or guidelines for the program

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Develop Measurements and Metrics is the process by which proper definitions of the

measurement metrics are set to ensure continual monitoring and control of the coaching

process. The measurements must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and traceable to

ensure accurate and proper feedback channels to realistically and objectively monitor, control

and improve the coaching process.

Monitoring and Evaluating the Program the process by which the actual progress is being

utilised and monitored for efficiency and applicability, the continual model constantly measures

progress efficiency before and after the coaching program using the Kirkpatrick model.

Techniques utilised through personal interviews and satisfaction questionnaires, line manager

reports of actual jobs performance metrics, focus groups and assessment of change throughout

the organisation.

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Coach Training the continual improvement of the coach’s abilities and the frequent

alignment of the coach’s tendencies towards the organizational objectives ensures

continual developments and enrichment to the organisation’s commitment to

coaching and the learning process.

Continual Process Improvement the process by which the overall coaching

program is evaluated and continually adjusted to align with the strategic objectives.

The dimensions measured are the applicability, performance, manageability and

sustainability of the coaching program. In case the coaching program is not fulfilling

the objectives, the coaching program is immediately taken to an end or restructured

to accommodate the drawbacks or to utilise the strengths of the program.

9.0 CONCLUSION

“An increasing trend of individuals taking greater responsibility for their own

development” (Parsloe and Rolph, 2004). Business research has shown a greater

impact of the coaching ventures on business organisations in better communication,

less conflict, greater cooperation, increased self-awareness, better performance,

reduced staff turnover and shared vision and commitment.

“99% of 500 respondents agreed that coaching could produce tangible benefits, both

to individual and organisations such that 93% agreed that coaching and mentoring are

key mechanisms for transferring learning from training courses back to the workplace

and 92% agreed coaching can have an effective positive impact on the button line and

96% agreed coaching is an effective way to promote learning in the

organisation.” (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2004)

9.0 CONCLUSIONThe driving force to change the behavior of the training dimensions is the increasing dynamics of the

intellectual and the sociological properties of individuals and striving for better impacts on productivity

and performance “Individuals are also now demanding different types of training and development and

people tend to be more motivated when training is increasingly relevant to their job and

responsibilities” (Jarvis, 2004).

Moreover the motivational and social value of coaching is increasingly important to achieve excellence

and demonstrate acceptability of change “If individuals are to do this they need support and advice and

the coaching relationship appears to provide employees with the appropriate support they need in order

to achieve their developmental aims” (Whitmore, 2000). Coaching is also proven to magnify and

stimulate knowledge through energizing environments, “Concerning itself with amplifying the

individual’s own knowledge and thought processes. It is about creating a supportive environment in

which to challenge and develop critical thinking skills” (Guest, 1999). Therefore coaching is considered

a vital mechanism in flourishing learning and organizational development.