Coaching continues to gain in it’s popularity with 7 out of 10 respondents in the CIPD’s 2008 L & D survey indicating they use it in some form in their organisation.
Now that we have taken a view of what coaching is, when should we be using it? There are many appropriate occasions when we should be encouraging and using coaching, and also sometimes when we should seek alternative development methods.
Some of the occasions when coaching maybe appropriate for your organisation are:
- Talent Shortages – if you are struggling to find the talent you need to take your business forward, consider using a coaching program to develop your in-house talent
- Culture Change – When your organisation is going through a culture change program and needs to change behaviours rapidly, coaching can encourage quick and lasting changes
- Promotion or role changes – when individuals are promoted or have a role change, there maybe a skills gap that needs rapidly filling, coaching can facilitate and support the rapid learning curve
- In small or fast growing business – where staff often need to be multi-skilled and are time-pressured, coaching can offer targeted learning and development to fit in with the business needs
- Conflict Situations – to enable rapid and effective resolution
When shouldn’t coaching be used?
- When an individual is strongly opposed to coaching – this will just generate a feeling of resistance and cause frustration not development
- If an individual has psychological problems – coaching is not a substitute for professional psychological help
- If an individual has no self insight – coaching requires self insight and therefore it can be ineffective with individuals who are unable to use self insight. (In these cases 360 feedback may well raise their self-awareness enough to get them on the coaching path).
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Photo credit: Darrenstone
Article by Hayley Oats
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