In today's competitive landscape, businesses increasingly recognise the importance of employee wellbeing and growth, as a key to success. Engaged and empowered people are more productive and innovative. One approach that organisations are taking to evolve their workplaces for the better is building a coaching culture.
What is Coaching?
Coaching is a powerful method for promoting employees' professional and personal development.
ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.
Research shows that coaching is highly effective in helping individuals achieve their goals. In recent years, coaching has become democratised beyond the leadership teams, and research points to coaching's benefits even when conducted online. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Henley Business School's 2021 Future Trends in Coaching report highlighted the rise of coaching online due to COVID-19.
Employee Wellbeing and Growth as a Competitive Advantage
Coaching can contribute to creating and sustaining a workplace culture that prioritises employee well-being and growth as a competitive advantage. Organisations can enable employees to thrive rather than survive by developing leaders and managers as coaches.
Transitioning to a coaching culture can either enhance or challenge your company culture. If the latter, be prepared to deal with the elephants in the room that impede employee engagement and empowerment. The research shows that the biggest impediments to coaching are...the leaders.
Getting Started with a Coaching Culture
Here are some critical steps to take to create a coaching culture in your organisation:
Get executive buy-in. Coaching needs to be championed from the top down.
Establish your why. What do you want to achieve with coaching?
Develop an agile coaching plan. How will you deliver coaching to your employees?
Provide coach-as-leader programs for managers. Leaders can experience coaching and learn to use coaching-style conversations to empower their teams.
Measure the impact. Agree on your KPIs and track the results of your program.
Rinse and repeat. Adapt to the changing context.
➡️ Want a head start?
Check out Kinkajou's business consulting and coaching programs for a coaching culture booster.
We can help develop a coaching culture plan, design coaching programs, and provide consulting services to help you:
Identify the benefits of coaching for your organisation.
Develop a coaching strategy tailored to your needs.
Measure the impact of your coaching program.
Our coaching services include:
Coaching for leaders at any level to develop leadership and coaching skills.
Coaching for teams that want to improve communication and collaboration.