The Power of Coaching
Coaching is a powerful tool for leaders looking to maximize their potential, hone their skills, and make a real impact in the workplace. While the discipline of coaching has been around for decades, it is still a frequently misunderstood discipline. What exactly is coaching? How does it differ from consulting and mentoring? And, most importantly, what evidence supports the effectiveness of coaching? Let’s take a deeper look.
What Is Coaching?
Coaching consists of an ongoing relationship between a coach and client rooted in trust. Together, coach and client gain clarity around goals, explore obstacles, identify pathways, define accountabilities and gain self-awareness along the journey. Unlike consultants or mentors, coaches do not provide advice; instead, they reflect back a client’s thinking, beliefs and values and ask powerful questions that help the client identify their own answers. This approach facilitates lasting growth because clients learn how to navigate complexities by developing their own insights. Coaches also hold clients accountable and provide support as they work towards long-term goals.
Benefits of Coaching
The power and effectiveness of coaching has been validated through numerous studies. One recent study found that executive coaching improved results in almost all areas measured—including productivity (25%), team performance (30%), customer service (40%), sales (41%) and profits (48%). Additionally, 70% of participants reported improved relationships at home after working with an executive coach. [1] [2]
Another study found that executive coaching was associated with improved job satisfaction among participants after six months and improved career outlook after nine months compared to those who did not receive coaching (Gibson et al., 2016). Yet another study found that employee engagement increased significantly following executive coaching (Rehme et al., 2018). These findings demonstrate that coaching can have far-reaching effects—not only within the workplace but also beyond it.
Take the example of Steve Jobs—the legendary leader who transformed Apple into one of the world’s most profitable companies. When Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 after being fired from his role as CEO 12 years earlier, he was determined to turn things around but wasn’t sure how to go about it. That’s when he started seeing an executive coach—a move that ultimately helped him define clear objectives for himself and his team and set them on a path to success.
Is Coaching Right for You?
It is clear that leaders can benefit greatly from working with an experienced coach who can help them identify issues before they become problems; establish clear goals; develop greater self-awareness; develop strong decision-making skills; foster better communication with colleagues; improve team performance; cultivate better customer relationships; increase productivity, and find greater satisfaction in work and life. I became a coach because I personally experienced those benefits. Coaching was transformative for me, and it can be for you too.
Interested to discover if coaching is right for you? Schedule a free face-to-face or virtual consultation here.
[1] https://solutions21.com/executive-coaching-is-effective-backed-by-research/
[2] https://instituteofcoaching.org/coaching-overview/coaching-benefits
