ICF’s ten step guide to professional coaching

Coaching is a powerful tool that can help companies flourish despite uncertain economic times. We look at some of the benefits companies have cited:

1. Coaching can assist organisations with key business goals. Within the coaching partnership, the coach works with employees to identify and create clarity around key business goals, and establish effective management strategies to ensure goals are met.

2. A coach supports employees in confidently pursuing new ideas and alternative solutions with greater resilience and resourcefulness. A coach encourages fresh perspectives and provides inspiration through the questions they ask during sessions, and the actionable goals they co-create with employees.

3. Coaching can manage the change that accompanies growth within an organisation. Many see professional coaching as an important modality for managing change, including growth. A coach helps employees assess current needs, opportunities and challenges, while maximising the potential they already possess.

4. Coaching can boost productivity and effectiveness. This is especially important if employees are taking on new or leadership-level roles. Coaches are trained to work with clients to inspire them to their personal and professional potential, thus increasing productivity and effectiveness. Within the coach-client relationship, a focus is placed on learning and clarity for forward action. According to the ICF Global Coaching Client Study, 70 percent of clients saw work performance improvement.

5. Coaching can develop communication skills. The ICF Global Coaching Client Study revealed that 72 percent of those being coached noticed an improvement in communication skills. Furthermore, individuals who engaged in a professional coaching partnership claimed to have gained: fresh perspectives on personal challenges and opportunities; enhanced thinking and decision-making skills; enhanced interpersonal effectiveness; and increased confidence in carrying out chosen work and life roles.

6. Coaching can help organisations attract and retain talented employees. If companies have trouble finding strong employees (or getting them to stick around), they need to commit to investing in employee development. Coaching is one way for companies to develop their employees and show their employees they value their development.

7. Coaching can aid the work-life balance of employees. An employee experiencing the benefits of a balanced life is a happier employee. And a happier employee is a more productive one. A coach can work with employees to discover, clarify and align with what they hope to achieve, including a stable work-life balance. According to the ICF Global Coaching Client Study, 67 percent of coaches saw an improvement in balancing their work and personal life.

8. Coaching can help employees thrive. Most companies who hire a coach report they are satisfied with the outcomes. The ICF Global Coaching Client Study found that 99 percent of coaching clients were “somewhat” or “very satisfied” with their overall coaching experience, and 96 percent of them would repeat the process.

9. Coaching can help companies despite uncertain economic times. Coaching can be a powerful tool in the face of uncertainty. Organisations of various types and sizes have claimed a number of benefits, including: improved business performance; improved product quality; higher employee retention and morale; greater employee commitment; leadership development; conflict reduction; and team building skills.

10. Coaching can restore self-confidence to organisations hit hard by the recession. Organisations that have experienced workforce reductions through downsizing, restructuring or a merger place extremely high expectations on the remaining workforce. Restoring self-confidence to face the impending challenges is critical to meeting organisational demands. The ICF Global Coaching Client Study shows 80 percent of those being coached saw an improvement in their self-confidence.

Coaching can deliver a significant return on investment for companies. The ICF Global Coaching Client Study found that 86 percent of companies made back at least their investment. Of those, 28 percent saw an ROI of 10 to 49 times the investment and 19 percent saw an ROI of 50 times their investment.

Find out more at www.coachfederation.org/tne.