Coaching and Mentoring

Coaching and Mentoring

by Anna Britnor Guest

Organisation-wide Coaching Programmes

Whilst it has been established that a fine line differentiates coaching from mentoring at senior management level, the distinctions are clearer when one examines company-wide schemes.

Coaching programmes are generally implemented at times of change or rapid growth. Results can be phenomenal. Companies developing a strong coaching culture demonstrate a strong commitment to empowering their employees to learn and grow. These companies are rewarded with greater loyalty, involvement and commitment, which in tangible terms are manifested in increased motivation, effectiveness and professionalism of both individuals and groups.

Whilst an increasing number of organisations are introducing coaching as the basis of their staff development programmes, a small number of forward-thinking companies have gone one step further. One such company is Mitel Telecom. Four years ago they replaced their hierarchical management structure with a coaching model. Mike Ford, Sales Director, explains 'We established that the traditional hierarchy was too costly and that we needed a flatter structure. There's no right or wrong, but we felt that the only successful management style for us moving forward was coaching. It means that we share a lot more information on strategic things like business planning and new ventures with our staff early on, before final decisions have been made. Whilst this can mean more to-ing and fro-ing the result is almost always an improved idea'. The benefits have also been realised in employee attitudes. 'We have high levels of motivation and morale and when you have that you have better performance. The coach gives all the power to the people in the team. Their role is totally unselfish - they are there purely to make their people better in terms of both skills and performance. As a result, our people are able to make their own decisions and have the courage and confidence to do so - it saves me an awful lot of time!'

Whilst many organisations recognise the advantages of this approach, the realities of cost-cutting and rationalisation have limited the time individual managers can invest in their people. Introducing external coaches can be effective alternative, enabling the company to adopt the coaching model in-house gradually over a period of time with support from an experienced team of facilitators.

Coaching is designed to empower each individual to understand their potential and to identify how they can achieve it. Through developing a sound understanding of the protegé, the coach knows when to support and when to stretch, when to challenge and when to guide. Working on a one-to-one basis, coach and coachee collaborate to set and achieve key development objectives, taking into account the needs of the organisation as well as the experience, maturity, knowledge and career path of the individual. Coaching encourages the creation of goals, which can then be broken down into manageable, measurable steps. To support this, coaching is delivered on a 'little and often' basis through a combination of face-to-face sessions, telephone and email feedback and 'on-the-job' observation. A coach will require each individual to examine and adapt their approach and to seek fresh ideas for boosting performance and personal job satisfaction.

Attachmate Sales UK, part of the world's largest privately owned software company, is just one organisation which has benefited significantly from coaching and exceeded revenue targets last financial year to prove it! Fundamental to this success have been the retention, motivation and development of key staff. Ian Wells, Country Manager, believes that '[Coaches] help us develop our staff at a pace that suits the changing needs of our business - and we can bounce ideas off them whenever we want. In addition, my staff like the personal attention that coaching brings, and consequently are motivated to use their coach to challenge their approach and technique far more than they would with traditional training'.

Sue Smith, Commercial Director of Hanover Computer Systems, providers of IT solutions in the AS400 and PC arenas, points out another key benefit of employing an external coach. 'Our coach has become a member of the team. As with other outsourcing projects, the contractor has the incentive to maintain focus and enthusiasm for the job in hand - where an employee might not! Of course the ultimate goal is to have a happy, overachieving professional salesforce, which we are steadily working towards'.