The benefits of coaching are the same, whether it is an individual or organisation that engages a coach. These benefits relate essentially to what is referred to in coaching terminology as “coaching outcomes”. Coaching outcomes ordinarily refer to desired goals, which are set by the client and the coach at the beginning of the coaching process. With specific regard to business coaching for instance, business outcomes will usually be linked with what priorities are set by the organisation or business. The coaching process is thus a partnership process between the business coach and the client in ensuring that the set business goals are achieved as desired.
It is in this regard very important that there is much clarity on both the part of the coach and the client as to what the specific goals (business outcomes) are, as well as what needs to be done by each party to ensure that the goals/outcomes are achieved. The clarity of roles, responsibilities and rewards (3R’s) of the two parties also ensure that the respect and recognition (2R’s) that need to be mutually extended to one another are established without prejudice and reservations.
Experience reveals that at the outset, many clients know too little about what coaching is about and how the process works. There are usually two extremes of opinions. The first is that coaching is like counseling or training where a coach is often the one with the assumed technical knowledge, as well as personal wisdom and experience to provide solutions in the coaching process. The second extreme is that the coach is expected to be a passive ‘adviser’ in the coaching process, and may not challenge the client regarding technical and personal issues.
In reality, the coaching process and engagement patterns are mutually designed and agreed to by both the coach and the client. While the coach must not have preconceived ideas and rigid plans, he or she must be willing to actively and responsibly challenge the client’s belief systems, mind frames, trust levels, energy and personal awareness if and when the needs arise. This is because there are usually doubts within the minds of the client about what is needed in terms of the changes that may be required by the coaching engagement.
The bottom line is that the coach must be seen as a trusted partner and sounding board, with just as much stake in the success of the coaching process as the client. That is why it is widely believed that the true business coach has just one goal – to support and assist the business to achieve its set goals. The coach therefore helps to set guidelines, parameters, milestones and all the required structure building blocks that will ensure that efforts are translated to desired outcomes as desired by both parties.
Among the most important issues to consider are the context and content of coaching. It is also important to assess and evaluate the level of knowledge, skills and confidence available, which can move the client forward. With this information, the coach can safely challenge the client and stretch him or her beyond the comfort zones so that there is the personal motivation to move to higher levels of performance, so that there is room for personal and corporate development. Coaching in this wise must be about development of the client, so that he or she is better equipped to play at the top of the game.
The coach owes it to the client to be “fully present” and be prepared to give the client undivided attention. This involves the deployment of the effective and practical act and art of ‘Listening’. The coach listens by being non-judgmental, confidential and open-minded in dealing with the issues that trouble the client and/or may need tackling during the coaching engagement. Listening also means that the coach does not introduce any preconceived ideas, thoughts, needs and agenda, which are not absolutely and totally in support of the goals of the client and the coaching outcomes.
That is what mutual respect emphasises in the coaching process. It assumes a deep sense of recognition and acknowledgement of the immense value of the partnership between the coach and the client. Furthermore, it encourages the coach and client to see themselves as equals rather than as teacher and student or even as service provider and buyer.
The most effective and successful coaching engagement is the one that can be said to be forward-looking in the sense that there is relentless focus on the future, irrespective of what the present and past challenges present. It is for this reason that it is helpful if the coach has some good technical knowledge and background experience in the business area(s) of the client.
This is useful in providing some peculiar perspectives that may open up greater opportunities and possibilities for the client to explore and leverage. You can read more about the transformational power of coaching and register for wealth coaching at www.ceedcoaching.com.
Emmanuel Imevbore
