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Coaching

Coaching - Switch off auto pilot and deliver great work

People – arguably an organisation’s greatest asset – don’t always want to be stretched or invested in. They can become very comfortable with the way things are. We, as people are conditioned by UK society in the way we should behave and in the way we should be perceived especially within the corporate environment. This raises the question whether these hidden societal rules limit our potential, what we want or may be striving for or who we are becoming. In other words, there is a huge difference between the words ‘want’ and ‘should’.

We behave in the way that we think we should behave, that is deemed socially acceptable irrespective of whether this is something we actually want to do. Sometimes, we don’t even know what we want because we are so busy with what’s happening right now that we lose track of the bigger picture and what’s really important.

Coaching – delivered by the right people with the right skills – can offer a way to slice through to the heart of all that. Coaches can help organisations to identify what really matters to them.

Many Senior Managers that have climbed the career ladder to date have often done so using left brain thinking which includes logical, methodical, rational justification and analytical presentation of information. Coaching aims to tap into right brain thinking that unlocks all the creative juices and gives permission for these Managers to connect with who they really are, where they want to go and what they want to achieve but above all, to use this learning to inspire others and take their people with them through their authenticity.

All too often we are on auto pilot

We drive from A to B and sometimes cannot recall how we got there. We just go with the flow and let our lives sweep us to the next appointment or the next diary entry or the next phone call, without us being mindful of what it is we are actually doing or what the greater plan is.

Dr Steven Covey¹ controversially asks us to spend time imagining our own funeral. Who would be there? What would your friends say about you? What would your work colleagues say about you? What would your community say about you?

As we work hard and play hard and we reach the end of our lives – we may ask ourselves “So what? What legacy have I left? Did I inspire or impart wisdom? Did I achieve? Was my job meaningful or did it just pay me money? Was the person that I am compromised because I followed society’s hidden rules and regulations?”

Imagine the business benefits of having fulfilled and purposeful employees who are bubbling with energy and enthusiasm. The two key qualities identified by Ghoshal and Bruch² for transforming an underperforming organisation into a huge success over a ten year period are Focus and Energy.

An organisation with a successful coaching scheme applied throughout are far likelier to benefit from increased staff retention, higher levels of Customer satisfaction, reduced absenteeism and labour turnover costs plus enhanced opportunities to grow talent from within.

According to the CIPD³ , the relationship with their Line Manager is the single biggest reason for employee labour turnover. Research⁴ has shown that 10 minutes of coaching a week with each of their direct reports can achieve significant positive change.

As leaders of organisations, you have the opportunity to enable change to happen. You can tap into the potential of your people and help them realise the benefits of coaching. This can unleash greater performance from your employees, greater performance from your teams, the organisation but equally a greater meaning and purpose in all of their lives.

As Managers, it would be even more appropriate in this economic climate to respond to this issue by asking for a direct link to the bottom line and where the return on investment will come from. There isn’t a quick fix to connect with the hearts and minds stuff but you can be sure that over the long haul that you will make more progress with your people who have the genuine belief, focus and desire that working for your organisation provides them with meaning and purpose.

Ceridian’s HR Consultancy Team provide coaching to organisations as and when they need it, to help them find value, and reduce exposure to risk. To find out more call 0800 0482 737.

¹ Dr Steven Covey – Author of 7 habits of highly effective people, 2004 (18th Edition)
² Harvard Business Review 2002 – “Beware the Busy Manager” – 10 year study that researched 10 leading international organisations
³ Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development – Recruitment & Retention Factsheet 2010
⁴ Do More Great Work – Michael Bungay Stanier, 2010