The Coaching Fallacy What it is and what it isnt

by A. Drayton Boylston There is much confusion about what Coaching is- and isn’t. Many consulting firms have simply gone through their marketing materials and changed the word “consulting” to “coaching.” For many in the business world, that sums up what they perceive Coaching to be, a new word for consulting.

Nothing could be farther from the truth!

* Coaching IS NOT about giving advice or consulting. It is not about mentoring. It is not about “helping” others by providing solutions to problems.

* It IS about working intensely with people, utilizing provocative and powerful questions, to enable people to find answers themselves. At its essence, Coaching is about equipping people with the tools to discern the real issues at work and then to employ the right actions to best deal with the realities that they face.

* Coaching is not therapy. Coaching should not go anywhere near what is considered the domain of therapists and psychologists. If it does, it’s not coaching. Coaching is not about the past- it is about the present- and the future. Good Coaches know when they are getting near the areas where others need to be called in- and do so.

* While some Coaching can appear to be ethereal and too “out there” for companies, that is a much different type of Coaching (Life Coaching). There is a distinct form of Executive Coaching that is used in the corporate environment. It is directly tied to personal improvement and increased productivity that in turn pays off handsomely for the organization.

* Coaching does not “fix” people. It is rare that Coaching can be deployed to “fix” those that deem to be in need of a quick change by their manager.

* Coaching can have dramatic short term impact. But the reality is that it will take from 6-12 months of quality Coaching to make sustainable changes. Those that tell you that it can be done quicker are not well informed.

* Coaching is about individual planning, goal setting, and achievement. It’s also about personal discovery and enlightenment. It is about realizing one’s full potential.

With all that being said, Coaching is about so many things that would benefit every company. Coaching helps create stronger and more productive people that are more valuable to the organization!

Why embrace Coaching in your organization?

What’s the ROI? Where will the impact be? How will you know if it’s working?

Results. Plain and simple.

Take a moment to focus on your turnover statistics. Imagine if you could lower your turnover (of those that you truly value) by 1-2%. Bradford Smart in his book “Top Grading” states that turning over good people can cost an organization up to 24 times their salary! His math is compelling and I believe it to be true. Even if you put a more modest figure of 4 times a person’s salary as the cost to the organization imagine what dollars can be realized if you reduce your “good” turnover by 1-2%. Coaching can and should do that.

It is common in companies to think that you can’t measure the impact of “soft/people” related initiatives, like Coaching. I am a firm believer in tracking any initiative that you invest in and I believe that you should do so with a Coaching initiative. I would do a pre-Coaching assessment and circle back every 6-12 months and test for progress. Looking at everything from employee retention, to personal production numbers, it will be clear what effect the initiative is having.

COACHING CAN BE EXTREMELY QUANTIFIABLE!

The return on investment of Coaching can range from 0- 1000%. It depends on how serious you are about it. The companies that have really embraced Coaching have seen a return in the neighborhood of 300-400%. What training initiatives have you invested in that paid off like that?

How will you know if it’s working? Well, the math will tell you as noted above but you will also “feel” it. You will sense a new energy and vitality to your organization. And also, simply put, your people will tell you. They will appreciate what you have done for them and feel compelled to give thanks. And by the way, your people will also become your best recruiters for new talent. They will want to share what they have been given with others and will help to attract even better talent for the organization in the future.

Good, productive people, with the right Values, will be drawn to your organization.

Turning Leaders and Managers into Coaches.

What skills does it take? How is it done? What would a “Coaching Culture” look like? What kind of manager can make the transition?

The question is often asked- “Could our Mangers/Leaders become good Coaches?” The answer is- Maybe.

Here’s the reality- Most managers in corporate America are good technicians at what they do. They typically have deficiencies in the “soft skills” area. Here is where a big distinction needs to be made:

There is a HUGE difference between Leaders and Managers. The difference is that Leaders have mastered the soft/people skills necessary to inspire people to work up to their full potential. Managers often have solid technical skills but don’t inspire others to work toward a collective goal. A symptom of a typical manager is that their people are often in need of a “task with consequences” approach to their work vs. leaders who inspire self motivation for the good of the cause.

Here are the skills that Coaching takes:

1. Desire- a true desire to help others succeed.

2. Awareness- a trust in ones’ intuitive “gut.”

3. Focus- on the individual and their challenges vs. a need to “solve” things for others.

4. Listening- a sincere desire to truly hear what others are saying.

A Coaching culture is typified by these attributes:

1. Respect- you would see interactions that respect the word of the individual.

2. Worth- individuals within these cultures feel valued and appreciated.

3. Real Communication- not your typical “force fed” communication. You would see fully duplexed communication throughout the ranks.

4. Stability and progress - these cultures display more stability and retain their best people better than others. That leads to greater personal and business success.

Corporate Leaders that can make the transition to Coach are those that truly believe in investing in the individual- in time and money. It takes a sincere desire and belief that investments made in people pay off for the company.

Does your organization have a culture that would embrace Coaching?

Take Action Right Now and Find out Test Your Company's Coaching CQ™ with our Free* Assessment *Complimentary Registration is required to access the Coaching CQ™ Assessment.

Click on the link to our wesite on the right and discover the benefits of your free account!

What now?

How do we get started? Here’s the road map…

Step 1-Take the test and devote some time to discovering the true answers. You must be very candid with yourself about taking these next steps.

Step 2- Test your answers by giving the test to others in your organization. Do not make a judgment based upon your thoughts and opinions only!

Is the answer a “Go?” Then take1 Step 3- Contact us at CorporateCoaching@TheBoylstonGroup.com

We will schedule a complimentary one half hour interview with you, and others that you deem appropriate, to “test” your findings and provide guidance for your next steps.

A. Drayton Boylston is one of the top Executive Coaches and Mentors in the country.

His career in corporate America includes experience as one of the youngest executive officers of a Fortune 100 company and president of one of the oldest financial services companies in the country.

The Coaching Fallacy What it is and what it isnt - To learn more about this author, visit A. Drayton Boylston's Website.

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