Pitch battle
Pay Magazine, January 2006
All of us could do with extra direction, motivation or plain
old fashioned oomph at some time or another. The desire to do well is
what pushes us all. But what happens when it disappears, when your
employees stop being so productive and the business starts to stutter?
Coaching. Well, that’s what its proponents would have us believe. The
jury is yet to reach a decision.
It seems that coaching is the
fashionable way to unlock the potential of your employees all while
boosting their productivity, and your profits. It’s the process whereby
an individual employee gets feedback on their work, talks about the
issues that hinder their progress and finds solutions to creating a
fulfilling and successful working life. The coach will guide them
through that process, supporting them as they tackle sensitive issues.
Stuart Lisle, tax partner at accounting and consultancy firm BDO
Seidman, LLP has procured coaches and has also gone through the process
himself. For him these were both positive steps.
“We use it in
the business because it tackles the issues that we can’t deal with,” he
says. “We look at our skills shortages and see what parts of the
business need to be bolstered. Then if there are issues that we can’t
handle we try coaching instead. I’ve also enjoyed being personally
coached. I know myself and the way I work better as a result and it is
a great chance to explore who you are.”
It’s a ringing
endorsement and one that explains why coaching is so popular. But the
fact is that your experience is usually as good as the coach you hire
and in a market that is sloshing with coaches it’s up to you to get the
best from whoever you hire. It’s no easy task, as Gladeana McMahon, the
vice-president for the Association of Coaching, explains.
“You
have to grill them. There are a lot of coaches on the market but how do
you know who is the best for you? You have to start by knowing your
organisation and the type of issues that you want to tackle. Then look
at the range of coaches on offer and use the one that suits you. You
have to make that match.”
McMahon believes that there are
plenty of coaches who have dubious abilities. She urges employers to
check the background of all coaches and make sure that any contracts
are transparent so that you know exactly what they are delivering, by
when and at what cost.
“Have a beauty parade,” she advises.
“Look at their profiles, find out what they are like and narrow down
the field. It’s your responsibility to get the right coach for the
job.”
No panacea
But the fact remains that while
coaching works for those who need it, and those who have sifted the
wheat from the chaff, it is not the panacea that many would have us
believe. Individual coaching is an extremely personal experience. Not
only does it require the individuals involved to open their hearts but
it unleashes all-too-common fears about our careers. What if I admit I
can’t do the job? Will my boss find out that I don’t like him? How is
this going to affect my position? Any coach worth their salt will
ensure that the process is strictly confidential but even then coaching
may be little more than papering over the cracks.
“Coaching
certainly isn’t suitable for everyone,” says Maxine Lange of business
psychologists ML Consulting. “There are a number of ways to deal with
issues in a company. For example, what has caused the lack of
motivation? Is it coming from the top? And what if employees don’t want
to take up coaching but do it because they have to play ball? If they
are committed then it can be fantastic. If not, it won’t work.”
Lange also believes that the success of coaching is down to the
personalities of employees. She sites ‘Teflon man’ as an example of
someone who would not benefit from coaching: “They believe that
everything is the fault of someone else or that their way is the right
way and these people are hard to coach.” Other sectors that are thought
of as problematic are those with a ‘macho’ image where getting help is
frowned upon. The same goes for creative industries where interference
in the creative process can be seen as a hindrance rather than a help.
Jane van Ammel is human resources director of Sicpa, a company that
produces security systems. She agrees that while coaching has its place
it is only going to work if all the pieces are in place.
“Coaching is a life changing process for many people and if the head of
the company doesn’t fully support that it can be awful,” she says.
“Trust is important. It is scary to admit that you have a problem and
you have to know that you are going to supported through that.
“Worse, there are many coaches who are nothing but business people.
They have worked in the sector and think that this qualifies them to
become a coach. It doesn’t. They aren’t trained or qualified to do this
type of work and using them can be dangerous to the business. It is a
complex process and one you can only navigate with an expert in place.”
All of which means that while coaching may be highly
fashionable using it could do your business more harm than good. Not
only do you have to find the right coach for the job but you have to be
sure that it is the type of help that your business needs. Whether it
can boost your motivation and productivity levels is for you to decide.
Until then the verdict remains open.
Ten must-ask questions
How committed is your business to coaching and is this apparent from
the top down? Can the coach cover the issues that face your business
and the individuals within? Have you had recommendations or
testimonials from satisfied customers? Has your coach had experience of
your sector and in what capacity? Has your coach had the right training
and gained accreditation? Do they have any professional qualifications
or breadth of experience and what code of ethics or complaints
procedure do they use? Does the coach want to fit in with your business
culture or do they want to sell you their own pre-determined solution?
Can they offer you other services such as psychometric testing or
evaluation of return on investment? Do they have a personality that
matches the company and will this engage the individuals being coached?
Does your contract set out the nature of the coaching as well as start
and end dates, reviews, objectives and methods of evaluation?
Coaching won’t work if…
The CEO or MD isn’t committed to it or cannot lead by example The
individuals being coached aren’t open to change The issues are being
caused by your organisation You are trying coaching because it is
fashionable You are expecting it to be the panacea to the
organisation’s problems A ‘blame’ culture exists within your
organisation You cannot respect the confidential coach/ employee
relationship The individuals being coached are scared of admitting they
need help It is not part of an ongoing process of nurturing and
motivating employees The individuals being coached need counselling
rather than coaching