I was a guest speaker at a three day business summit in Johannesburg, South Africa organised for young, aspiring and budding entrepreneurs. The second and third days of the event were particularly tasking, because after the first day, which seemed to be more of an ‘introduction day’, the participants came fully prepared on each of the following days with plenty of questions and arguments. A lot of the questions centred on the techniques and effectiveness of business coaching in resuscitating failed or troubled businesses. It was as if there was the fixated view among most of the participants that coaching is necessary only when a business is not doing well.
Unfortunately, with this kind of view comes the perception that coaching in any form and in any area is a quick fix for problems. Nothing can be further from the truth and I used the opportunities provided by the business summit to point out the different outcomes and effectiveness of coaching between when it is inspired and when it is compelled. In other words, inspired clients approach and adapt business coaching from the viewpoint of ensuring wholesale business improvement and sustainable growth. On the other hand, desperate clients merely want coaching to get them and/or their business out of a jam. The differing mindsets of course produce differing results and effects.
While the central theme and focus of coaching in any form is transformation, it is not a therapy process in any way, neither is it like a magic wand that someone waves and problems disappear. Coaching as a process and structure is a conversation or dialogue between the coach and the client aimed at attaining one or more goals that had been previously set together by the coach and the client. Coaching is all about facilitating, unlocking and unleashing potentials thereby making transformation possible.
Business coaching is by its requirement and operation specifically programmed to explore and uncover hidden wealth within an organisation or business, and there from set forth strategies to attain desirable outcomes, especially by facilitating business expertise and excellence. The business coaching process may in this regard be remedial in purpose and approach.
It may also be transitional in nature and concept, or enhancement in structure and process. The end game in any case remains transformational, as the coaching programme aims to compel a profound difference in business efficiency, effectiveness, profitability, sustainability and marketplace impact.
When remedial coaching is required, it is with the aim of overcoming specific inhibitions to business success that have been identified and isolated in the course of the coaching process. Such inhibitions, which are in most cases traceable to individual behaviourial tendencies, beliefs, attitudes and actions often create poor business operating conditions and a toxic workplace environment. The net result is that the business performs poorly and is limited both in growth and in marketplace impact.
The remedial coaching process would therefore involve the development and implementation of a set of practical business coaching tools and techniques to assist individuals involved in the business deal with issues that get in the way of progress. A lot of the time, the key is to improve personal awareness, increase trust levels and amplify personal energy (passion and enthusiasm). This is necessary in order to sustain positive impact and influence in the business operating arena in particular.
With regard to transitional and enhancement coaching, the major focus is on enhancing general management structure and systems within the business or organisation, so that corporate transformation is achieved as a result of prudent management and inspired leadership.
To achieve this goal, greater effort is made to apply coaching systems to influence and greatly improve stakeholder management and leadership impact skills. There would of course be the need to also seek the enhancement and amplification of personal awareness, trust and energy, just as is the case with remedial coaching.
Emmanuel Imevbore
