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Coaching
Main feature
and confidence building to developing a issues during career transition
specialist skill or finding a solution to gain assignments, as well as for leadership
work/life balance, simply adds to its appeal. and management development.” Ian also
“A true leader
explains that because of the growing
can ask the right
Within the workplace coaching can help importance of having effective leaders
both the business to remain competitive
and managers in the public sector, DFID
questions to inspire
and employees to attain their potential.
has developed a pool of internal coaches
individuals to
It is in this environment that the notion
to support their development.
of a coaching culture comes into play.
find the solution
Gladeana McMahon explains that
Malcolm Frow from The Academy of
themselves”
“the term ‘coaching culture’ refers to
Executive Coaching suggests that to begin
organisations committed to getting the
the process “you need to engage senior
best out of their employees by developing
management so that they understand
many organisations are complex beasts and
individuals through coaching.” She adds:
what coaching is and can start modelling
old beliefs and habits can die hard. While
“An organisation with a coaching culture
it.” Commitment from the top down is
we might evangelise about coaching, we
will be using coaching as both a ‘stand
key: “Have them participate in a short
must remain realistic about what’s possible
alone’ intervention as well as part of an
leader-as-coach workshop. Next run some
in most organisations,” explains
integrated system where coaching and
longer workshops to develop internal
Gladeana McMahon.
training are combined.”
coaches within the organisation. These
internal coaches could also support the
L&D departments must be cautious:
However, there is confusion surrounding
next step of rolling out manager-as-coach
“Coaching is not always the best or only
what a coaching culture is, where it
workshops for a core group of managers.”
solution” when choosing a leadership
exists, and even if such a culture can
Malcolm adds: “Follow-up for all workshop
or working style, explains Clive Johnson.
exist. “A coaching culture is a complete
participants plus supervision of the internal
It’s essential that everyone is informed of
misnomer,” explains Myles Downey from
coaches is vital if culture change is to be
changes in the organisation or the reason
significant and sustainable.”
The School of Coaching. “Coaching can
that the company has decided to use
only be part of the culture. There are
Deciding factors
coaching. “There is always the need to
dangers inherent in thinking that a culture
As with any new leadership style or style
manage the resistance to change,” explains
can be solely about coaching because
of working within an organisation, it’s
Myles Downey. The International Coach
that would negate the right of managers
essential that everyone understands what is
Federation (ICF) adds if that “resistance
and leaders to manage and lead.” Senior
trying to be achieved through its inclusion.
or fear” is not dealt with there may also
management needs to combine the
Clear expectations and a common goal are
be trust issues: “If trust is low it may
use of coaching with a more direct and
not only central to coaching but also its
make it challenging for people to believe
authoritative leading style.
introduction in the workplace. It is possible
the organisation is serious.” says the ICF.
that some organisations might not be suited
Furthermore, for an employee to invest
Clive Johnson from Proactive Style agrees
to this style, at a particular time or because
confidence in a coach, they need to feel
that an organisation’s culture “is made up
of the industry in which it belongs, and so
confident that the organisation has their
of many things that together define the
ensuring that goals are aligned with coaching
best interests at heart.
way individuals work, find their identity
benefits is the first crucial stage before a
and relate to each other”. He adds: “While
decision is made on whether to commence.
The big debate
coaching may play an important part in Another aspect that can lead to distrust,
creating a culture, it does not represent the
It’s also necessary to understand that key
or coaching not being used to its full
whole picture.”
to incorporating coaching into the culture
potential, lies around the much-debated
is that it takes time to get it right. It cannot
issue of the line manager as coach. It’s a
Furthermore, coaching can be
be done overnight. And it’s not a quick fix
hot debate, and a very impassioned one at
incorporated into the current culture in
by any means. Most importantly though,
that. The ICF says: “Coaching is a field in
two distinct ways: as a leadership and
for coaching to work, it must be tailored
which anyone could be trained. Like other
management style and/or as one-on-
to suit the organisation’s needs rather than
occupational choices, it requires time and
one sessions offered to employees with
adapting the organisation to suit coaching.
dedication.” However, the issue at hand is
a particular need. An organisation can whether it’s suitable for one’s line manager
choose to use either or both.
Many challenges lay in waiting when trying
to also be their coach.
to establish coaching into the culture:
Ian Ballantyne from the Department “A high level of co-operation, mutual “There are some people in the world of
for International Development (DFID) support and clear visibility of real coaching coaching who say a manager can’t coach,
explains that the organisation uses both. success stories are needed for coaching to but that’s nonsense, it happens all the
“The Department uses coaching to help fully become a part of the culture. This is time and it’s a question of what they get
resolve individual and team performance genuinely possible, but is a tall challenge – coached on,” says Myles Downey.
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learningmagazine.co.uk
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