The Purpose of Coaching in the Organization and How It Helps Meet Organization Objectives - Assignment Example

Lectuter: 3DCS Part A The report is to explain the purpose of coaching in the organization and how it helps meet organization objectives. Specifically it will deal with implementation, models of coaching, its benefits to organization and the individual, developing a coaching culture and in-house coaching. Purpose of Coaching Coaching is one type of learning and development in the orgnization and refers tto learning that is planned, delivered, monitored, and evaluated by a line manager for their team members. One purpose of coaching is performance improvement. The main goal of performance management or needs assessment in organizations is to identify skill gaps and establish ways of sealing or bridging them. Coaching is one of the methods that can help to improve the skills of employees thereby enhancing their performance and in turn overall organization success. Moreover, by gaining required skills, the employees gain confidence in their work, get job satisfaction hence commitment and engagement leading to improved productivity. Coaching is also a means of supporting organizational change. Change is inherent in modern institutions especially due to the global competitive environment and technological advances. There is therefore, need to keep upgrading the skills of employees to meet and adapt to new challenges and also cope with changes. Coaching is vital in this process as it involves a close relationship between the coachees and coaches who are agents of change and can help them undergo the change process. In addition, coaching is an opportunity for the coachee to develop individual potential. The coachee has own career development path or other interests which are work related. The coach can help the coachee to achieve these goals as well as skills in other areas hence improving their potential. Implementation The first step in the implementation of coaching is directing whereby the coach controls the coaching by close supervision, telling coachees what to do, and also giving them answers. The second stage is caoching whereby the coachees become more involved. This is through discussions, experimentation, showing them what to do and allowing them to take risks and also regular reporting. From coaching, the coach gives the coachees more freedom and provides a facilitating role. His work in this stage is to listen and let them try what they have learnt. Engaging them in decision making is vital to enhance consensus building. The last stage of the process is delegation whereby the leader lets coachees to be on their own. His role here is to encourage them and also to manage consequences of what may arise from their intiatives. Regular review of progress against agreed measurements is crucial for success, It helps to know if coaching is fruitful or not and what can be done to make it effective. Models of Coaching There are various models of coaching that can be implemented in the workplace. These include: GROW, OSKAR and CLEAR models. The GROW Model This is the most widely used method of structuring coaching. It stands for goal, reality, options, and will. It was developed by Sir John Whitmore in the 1980s. It involves establishing the goal or where you want to be in future (Goal) and where you are currently (current Reality). The goal so established should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound (SMART). These clearly show the outcome that is expected from coaching. Once the goal is established, then examine where the coachee is currently or the staring point. Make sure to understand all the details of the current situation by asking questions such as what steps have you taken towards your goal?. After that, explore the options available to attain the goal. The final step is to establish the will to ensure commitment towards achievement of the goal and preparedness to overcome any obstacle in the way. It involves asking questions such as, what will you do now and when? What obstacles may hinder your reaching the goal? How will you overcome this? The OSKAR Model OSKAR model stands for Outcome, Scaling, Know How, Affirm and Action, and Review. It was developed by Mark McKergou and Paul Z Jackson in 2000 is focused on finding solutions. The Outcome stage involves establishing what the coachee wants to achieve in long or medium term and the perfect scenario they desire. Scaling entails establishing where the coachee is already in relation to the desired outcome. Know How is examining the knowledge, skills and attributes that coachee has that has enabled them to reach where they are. Coach can then build their awareness about these skills and help develop their confidence. Relevant questions include: when have you done this or similar thing before? What would others say is working for you? Take time to establish the resources the coachee has so as to build on them. The next stage is Affirm and Action and involves positive reinforcement of their know how. Action is helping them decide what actions to take now. The final stage is Reviewing progress against the actions by asking what they did to make change successful and what they think will change next. Benefits of Coaching to Individual The coachee is bound to get a lot of benefit from coaching. First, it helps them to gain confidence in their job as they have the necessary skills required to perform the job. This confidence results from the fact that they become successful in their job and they can attribute this success to their own responsibility hence a sense of achievement. Coaching also enables the coachee to learn from mistakes. In this case, a working environment whereby the coachee is free to make mistakes is established and honest feedback is also given. This allows the coachee to develop initiative and creativity skills hence improved performance. Coaching also helps coachees to reduce their stress and frustration by discussing their concerns and dissapointments with the coach. Stress may lead to poor performance especially in terms of absence and reduced productivity and may demotivate workers. Improved relationship between the coachee and line manager estabished through coaching enables them to feel free to discuss their concerns hence increased motivation. Benefits to the Organization The organization derives numerous benefits from coaching. First, there are improved relationships across the organization thereby minimizing conflicts that could be detrimental to organization success. Thorough coaching, employee skills are improved and this translates into high performance for the organization. Moreover, confident and satisfied employees are more committed to their work hence improved performance. Coaching also enhances greater transfer of learning to the workplace through consolidation with other learning and development activties. This helps in cost reduction in terms of learning and development expenditure leading to increased return on investments. Returns can also increase due to improved productivity leveraged from organization learning. Difference between Coaching and other Learning and Development Methods Some people confuse coaching and mentoring but these are two different learning methods. While coaching involves deep personal and professional development and is part of an on-going management style, mentoring involves close interpersonal role which may be formal or informal. The role of the mentor is to help the protégé through their personal and career development needs and lasts longer term than coaching. Coaching can also be differentiated from training. Whereas training involves the trainer directing learning and also controlling the process and content, in coaching it is the coachee who owns the content and the work of coach is to facilitate or control the process through questioning. Training is also not necessarily done on one-to-one basis like coaching but can be done in groups. Coaching can also help people to apply what the learn in training in their work. Ways Coaching Can Be Used To Meet Organization Objectives One way coaching can be used to meet organizational objectives is through succession planning. Organizations always experince a gap when baby boomers retire and the young generation have to take over leadership. One way to ensure continued success of the organization when these experienced people or even others who exit for other reasons leave is succession coaching. This targets future leadership development especially of middle-level managers. Another way is helping through the change process. The only permanent thing in organizations is change hence it needs to be managed effectively. A lot of emotions and resistance may accompany change especially if it involves change of organization culture and requirement of new skills. However, coaching can assisst through the process by addressing coachees concerns and restoring confidence in them through goal setting and support to achieve those goals. It also instills in them the required skills and attitudes to perform their work hence through the change process. Coaching Culture A coaching culture is whereby coaching is the predominant style of managing and commitment to grow the organization is embedded in commitment to grow the people in the organization. One option of developing coaching culture is by linking it to organizational aims and objectives. This will ensure that coaching is implemented at all levels of the organization and that it is embedded in all structures and processes. However, support from senior management is vital for it to be effective. Another option is to train managers or coaches. This will ensure that they have sufficent skills and competencies to handle coaching and incorporate it into their management style. They will also gain confidence to coach others. This will enure coaching is embedded in the organization culture. Advantages of Developing Coaching In-house Developing coaching in-house can lead to improved internal relationships as the line managers who are coaches interact freely with coachees and share knowledge. It is also more cost effective than using external coaches as it is incorporated in day-to-day management activties. There is also tighter control over the process when it is owned internally. Disadvantages In-house coaching may not be effective as line managers lack training, skills and competence needed to handle the process. Another problem is lack of time and commitment from both the coach and coachees as most of the time is spent fulfilling their daily tasks and meeting targets. It is also not easy for a coachee to disclose confidential information to a line manager due to lack of trust. They prefer disclosing such information to external coaches who are not party to the organization. 3 DMS Part A This entails a briefing to the management team in the organization expalining what mentoring is , its purpose, models and benefits of mentoring. Mentoring Mentoring is a learning and development method in the organization which entails an experienced person sharing knowledge with less experienced person, or “mentee” or “protégé” with the goal of professional and personal development. It be formal (in organization setting) or informal (outside the organization). In this case, the mentor acts as a role model and a guide to the protégé and is aimed at ling-term relationship. Purposes of Mentoring The purpose of mentoring is to help the mentee develop own skills and capabilities to tackle his new task effectively. It is often given by an experienced person who is knowledgeable hence can pass this knowledge to mentee to be able to handle the next step of their career. It thus in a way aimed at assisting the mentee in their new posts. Another purpose of mentoring is provide the mentee with access to knowledge and networks. Experienced people have a lot of networks which the can offer the mentee so as to be connected and to gain knowledge from such connections. Networks involve personal and professional contacts that can help the mentee in their career development. Benefits of Mentoring to Individual Mentoring affords a lot of benefits to the mentee. One such benefit is development of knowledge and skills . Mentors help mentees to identify the skills and expertise they need to succeed and what they need to know to get where they want. Read More