A Case For Coaching by Life and Business Coach Carole Ann Rice

A Case for Coaching - Carole Ann Rice

Why in the world would anyone use a coach? It’s a good question. Still considered a “new” profession here, coaching has its devotees across the world along with a fair degree of cynics who see it as another unnecessary US export.


But just as personal trainers in the 90s were considered a luxury fad for the lucky few, now we all know someone who is using or has used a fitness guru to tone their bones and get them fit. In the near future you too will have used a coach or know someone who has.

Coaching is rapidly becoming the most essential training tool that leaders and individuals use to run successful organizations and to create extraordinary lives.

It is not surprising that many global organisations such as IBM and Dell employ legions of full time coaches to work with managers or teams to increase performance, productivity and profits.

Yet for many coaching still carries therapy/new age connotations despite the fact that coaching principles are based on sound theoretic and academic processes. Unlike mentoring, coaches don’t necessarily have to work within the same sector as the client or have had personal experience of the profession or role they are coaching around. Whether scientist or sales exec the coach seeks to unlock the individual’s potential and unhook them from whatever is preventing them from achieving the success they have within them.

We look at the limiting beliefs the individual may be holding “I’m not management material”/ “I feel like a fraud” and see what lies behind them.
We also analyse what is currently standing in their way whether it’s a communications or confidence issue or perhaps a past grievance that has them stuck. Taking a holistic view of how the person is leading their lives; diet, relationships, work/life balance and five year plan, we have found also has an impact on how they perform in the workplace.

Unlike therapy coaches don’t want to wallow in the painful past but focus on the here and now and set achievable goals to teleport them into a powerful future.
For organizations this means greater awareness and understanding, which creates cohesive and directional teams; where the talent is nurtured and the weak points exposed and managed.
Corporations are also beginning to believe that coaching helps retain employees and that the financial investment is far less than replacing a key player.

Just as some large city firms may offer “perk” coaching to valuable employees, who voice dissatisfaction despite hefty bonuses, to prevent them from leaving, similarly some find it equally beneficial if staff head happily for the door post coaching too.
Increasingly organizations are opting to develop in-house coaches out of their own teams where managers are taught coaching skills in order to effectively manage their workforce.

Tanya Clemons, Vice President of Global Executive and Organizational Development at IBM said: “We’ve done lots of research over the past three years and have found that those leaders who have the best coaching skills have better business results.”

We rest our case.


Carole Ann Rice of The Real Coaching Company www.realcoachingco.com