Coaching FAQs


What do the experts say about the business value of leadership development and coaching?

 

  • The American Management Association, in a 2008 report, "Coaching, a Global Study of Successful Practices," states that the need for coaches will continue to grow for two reasons:
    • Demographic trends: "As the Baby Boom generation retires… there will be a greater need for speed and effectiveness in developing the next generation of leaders. Coaching is suited to fill this need."
    • Business trends: "Coaching will be especially suited to handling the faster cycle times and more diverse management challenges associated with global business."

     

  • HR and Leadership Development guru Dave Ulrich: “Without a disciplined approach to creating next-generation leaders, organizational performance may suffer.” Harvard Business Review, January 2007 Special Issue, p. 39.

 

  • A 2006 study by the Society for Human Resources Management concluded that “the more organizations do toward developing leaders, the greater the financial success” of the organization. (“Leadership Development: Optimizing Human Capital for Business Success,” 2006 SHRM Research Quarterly)

 

  • The scarcity of talent will be a critical challenge facing organizations and human resources departments in the upcoming years, as seasoned workers retire, with fewer younger workers to replace them. According to BusinessWeek (Apr. 9, 2007), Manpower conducted a survey of 37,000 employers in 27 countries and found that 41% of the respondents “are having trouble hiring the people they need.” Even in China and India, the demand for talent is outstripping the supply.

 

To what extent are other organizations using coaching?

 

Results of recent (2007 and 2008) surveys

 

  • Survey by the American Management Association:  "Coaching, a Global Study of Successful Practices," 2008:
    • Who works with a coach? 

      "Employees who receive coaching are often successful senior leaders who are facing career challenges as a result of organizational or industry changes."

    • Who works with external coaches vs. internal coaches?

      Executives:  42% choose external coaches; 28% internal

      Managers: 27 % external; 46% internal
      Supervisors: 13% external; 43 % internal
      Interpretation:  "Employees at the top of the organization place a high value on confidentiality … that may only be possible with an external coach.  Additionally, a party external to the organization may be more willing than peers or subordinates to deliver painfully honest feedback to a high-level employee and go on to develop a goal-directed plan of action."

    • What factors are important for the success of a coaching program?
      • Clear goals
      • Success is measured
      • A good match between the coach and the client/coachee
      • The coach has business and consulting experience

  • Survey by The Institute of Executive Development and the Alexcel Group looked at what it takes for external hires into senior executive roles to "ramp up" to expected performance levels.  The study, entitled "Executive Transitions," published in 2008, looked at three methods for supporting newly hired executives (orientation, mentoring, and coaching), and concluded that working with a coach was most effective.  Of the respondents:

             42% reported that coaching was effective.
             29% reported that mentoring was effective.
             19% reported that orientation programs were effective. 

  • Survey by Sherpa Coaching and Penn State Executive Programs:

             48% of organizations responding to the survey provide coaches to managers at all levels. 
             25% provide coaches only to senior managers. 
             19% provide coaches only to top line executives.

  • Survey by The Institute for Executive Development and RHR International:

             60% of the organizations responding to the survey use executive/leadership coaching as

             one method of developing high potential leaders.

  • Survey by The Institute for Executive Development and the Alexcel Group: Executive/leadership coaching was named as one of the two most effective activities to help executives who are new to their roles to assimilate.  The other activity is “customized transition plans and programs.”  Both activities were named by 44% of the responding organizations. 

 

  • Survey by The Institute for Executive Development and the Marshall Goldsmith Partners LLC: 

    Q: How pervasive is coaching in your organization?

             23% Many of the top leaders have coaches;
             26% Some of the top leaders have coaches;
             37% Only a small proportion of our top leaders have coaches;
             14% We have little or no executive coaching in our organization.
    Q: What level of management has the option to utilize coaches” 
             20% C-level only;
             26% VP and above;
             28% Director and above;
             26% Manager and above

 


How does coaching differ from mentoring, training, or therapy?

 

Each of these activities is valuable and can provide support for personal growth and change. Although different, they can also overlap.

 

Mentoring allows you to draw upon the wisdom and experience of someone who has been through the same situation you are in. A mentor is a senior person in the same organization or profession who can provide information about what is required for success, who can be a role model, and who can assist with your career direction.

 

Training helps you develop knowledge and skills. A trainer has the knowledge and skills and transfers them to you.

 

Therapy helps to fix problems. Therapy often focuses on the past, to find the source of problems and correct them.

 

Coaching enables you to achieve the goals you have selected by drawing on your own abilities, getting past habits of thinking and action that limit you, and opening your eyes to new possibilities. The focus is on the future and on your innate capacity to create the future you want.



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