Professional coaching. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. But do you know its true purpose?
Coaching is becoming increasingly common as an employee benefit within corporate workplaces. Leadership, executive, business/organization, and small business coaching made up 65 percent of all coaching, according to an ICF 2020 Global Coaching Study. Further, 77 percent of those employed full-time, and 68 percent of those employed part-time, said they had participated in coaching or would consider it, ICF’s 2022 Global Coaching Awareness Study found. This emphasizes the link between coaching and professional development across the board. For leadership, coaching can offer new perspectives and enhance management skills to help supervisors better understand their teams holistically rather than simply as employees. For those with high potential, it can work to fast-track career growth and promotions by identifying techniques that unleash one’s full potential—almost like a fast-forward button for career goals.
Unfortunately, due to common misconceptions, when an employee is presented with an opportunity to work with a coach, it may be misunderstood as a punishment or a tactic to fix a problem. Typically, the exact opposite is true. Coaching works exceptionally well to further advance an employee who already shows high potential, but it is not as well suited for someone struggling in their position.
How can managers and HR ensure employees understand coaching as an opportunity and not a penalty? It comes down to “bedside manner.” How coaching is presented to employees will shape their perception of its purpose.
Leadership and Coaching Tips
For leaders preparing to offer coaching to a high performer, here are some tips to keep in mind when presenting the opportunity to ensure it is perceived accurately for what it is intended to do.
- Remain focused on the future. Coaching is not therapy. Coaching is about the present and how it can shape the future. Therapy is about addressing the past and its lasting impact. Coaching is not a tool to “fix” anyone. Rather, coaching is based on a belief that each of us has great wisdom and creativity within ourselves just waiting to be released. Remind your employee that coaching is best suited for those with the greatest potential, and that is why you feel it would benefit them.
- Emphasize the growth opportunity. Coaching is designed to accelerate a person’s growth. For those already exceeding expectations and displaying clear investment in their careers, coaching serves to continue their advancement at a faster pace. Nothing powers coaching like a person who engages with a growth mindset.
- Discuss the possibility of leadership. Leaders who can utilize a coach approach in their management style are the most successful and well-equipped to communicate effectively with their teams. When offering to coach to an employee, express that you are committed to their future at the company and view this as an investment in that future.
- Frame coaching as a reward. By leading the conversation with, “We see a lot of possibility in you,” followed by examples of their successes, coaching will be received as a bonus rather than a punishment. Be specific and proactive in sharing the employee’s successes in this conversation.
- Address their high points. Sharing what you, as a leader, feel is the employee’s greatest strong suit will give them direction to focus their coaching engagement to achieve the best results. Coaching works most effectively for those with self-awareness and ambition, so it is best to avoid sugarcoating when sharing why you feel coaching will support your employee’s growth.
Powerful Form of Support
Coaching can be a much more powerful form of support for high performers compared to mentorship or other methods of one-on-one career development. A coach offers professional support and shares their primary focus of reaching personal and organizational goals. On the other hand, mentors can be infrequent, and the relationship often is driven by their personal experiences rather than any framework or training.
People who take it upon themselves to work with a coach are often ambitious, with lofty personal and professional development goals. For those who choose to engage with coaching on their own, it is most often for one of these reasons:
- To improve communication skills
- To improve work/life balance
- To increase self-esteem and self-confidence
- To optimize individual/team work performance
- To enhance productivity
By taking the time to consider coaching as an employee benefit for your organization, you are already showcasing the value you place on your team. Take the time to brainstorm how you want to present the opportunity to ensure it is perceived correctly—as a benefit to unleash your team members’ greatest potential.
