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Coaching is not counselling
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Coaching is not “counselling”. Coaching assumes a functional state of the individual to begin with and is designed to augment individual performance rather than rectify personal issues.
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Why do employers use coaching?
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Coaching is not a new concept per se. In many ways coaching has been around for well over a century in the form of sports coaching. However only in the last 10 years or so has coaching been adapted and subsequently employed in organisational settings. For many years, tools such as performance management counselling, skills development, training and goal setting (KPI’s) have been used in the workplace. While these are all useful aspects of people management, coaching is unique in the sense that it is collaborative, self directed, empowering and holistic. The use of coaching programs is now widely adopted in many mid to large-scale organisations.
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What are the benefits to an organisation in using coaching programs?
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To develop individual performance and personal effectiveness
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They see a demonstrated return on investment
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It delivers productivity increases to the organisation
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Coaching facilitates personal and professional growth in the individual
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It enables an individual to ultimately “self coach” rather than rely on others
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Coaching enhances the organisation’s ability to attract and then retain talent
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To develop leadership capability within the business
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For succession planning purposes
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Who is it designed for?
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While coaching has typically been provided for senior executives, line managers and supervisors, coaching can be suitable for any individual within an organisation where personal performance impacts on business outcomes.
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What’s the coaching process?
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PsychWorks Partnership offers flexible and tailored coaching programs. Our programs are typically designed to extend over a 12 month period for each participant but are driven by individual needs and can be shorter or extended to suit the individual.
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Generally 2 sessions are held in the first month along with a full psychometric personality assessment and leadership development profile. It may also incorporate a 360 degree appraisal.
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Scheduled monthly meetings between coach and participant. Up to 12 meetings are allowed for in the program usually lasting approximately 1-1.5 hours each session.
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Participants are asked to work with the coach to identify goals for each session and measure outcomes along the way. As part of the process, a gap analysis is produced between the individual and the leadership competencies that define “high performing leaders”.
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Sessions are generally motivating, optimistic, possibility oriented and pragmatic. At the same time, they can sometimes be challenging and confronting. Each session tends to build on each other and in many cases “homework” or “real life” behavioural assignments are set.
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Ultimately, the program is self-directed. The participant takes ownership of the process, setting their own agendas and being asked only to live up to their own expectations and what has been agreed on with the coach.
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Sessions are usually conducted off site during working hours and are confidential.
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Research supports the view, that to make lasting changes in behaviour and thinking, it takes time and reinforcement. Our programs are geared to give support for enough time to enable meaningful change to occur.
What outcomes can a person expect from the coaching process?
In many respects, the individual will get out what they put into it. “Buying into” the process is obviously linked to the outcomes an individual can expect. Clearly, many participants will be motivated at the chance to make substantial changes to their working or personal lives whereas others will remain entrenched in self-defeating patterns or believe they are already “on track “. To that extent, the organisation should expect many people to benefit substantially from the process and also expect a minority to get little perceived value from the coaching.
In our experience, some 80-90% of people do get significant value from a development program. Many employers look at coaching to achieve frontline management competencies within their organisation and develop “soft skills” to support technical abilities. Everyone has a real chance to make either minor but valuable changes to their lives, or significant career and personal transformations.
Experience counts
Obviously this type of program will only be successful with an experienced and qualified coach. Many people claim to be “life” or “career” coaches having done a short course in “coaching”. Many coaches are really “counsellors”. They often lack the critical skills and knowledge required for the coaching of leadership development. Experience is essential.
PsychWorks Partnership employs only highly experienced corporate psychologists with business backgrounds to deliver our programs, ensuring employers and employees get the very best outcomes.
Like to know more?
If you would like to know more about how our Leadership Development and Coaching programs can benefit your organisation and employees, telephone us on (02) 49 332 364 or email us at contact@psychworks.com.au
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