How do you get managers to engage in coaching?

Coaching is still a misunderstood area, so at the outset, it is important to ensure that managers fully understand the role of a coach and how coaching techniques can be used in the workplace.

Emphasise that the company directors etc. fully believe in the benefits of coaching and discuss the broad aims of putting in place a coaching facility and why it is important to the organisation.

Gain their confidence by explaining the vital part they will play in the process (it’s not something being ’done’ to them) and convey the career benefits of having a formal coaching qualification.

Emphasise that coaching will also help to unlock and develop their full potential as a manager and leader.

HOW COACHING IMPACTS THE BOTTOM LINE Historically, coaching has been seen as a “fluffy HR initiative” rather than something that can positively impact a business so back up your claims with data.

According to ILM research, 90% of organisations with more than 2,000 employees use business coaching and 95% claim it has delivered tangible benefits to their business.

As with any training, it is important to quantify the effectiveness of coaching and in the past, there has been plenty of debate about tracking its return on investment. Some experts believe that becoming too preoccupied with this can mean that organisations get sidetracked on particular business issues and fail to maximise the full potential of coaching.

Putting a number of different assessment methods in place is, therefore, the best advice.

Align coaching objectives with those of the business and put in place key performance indicators, but balance this with more holistic approaches.

Measure employee engagement, satisfaction, well-being and absenteeism to assess whether coaching has had a positive impact on these areas.

Its impact can also be assessed via internal appraisal systems.

90% of organisations with more than 2,000 employees use business coaching. 95% claim it has delivered tangible benefits to their business. ""

Institute of Leadership & Management - ILM