PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSIGHT
Internal coaching
Sue Smith, senior lecturer in coaching and management, Derby Management School, College of Business, Law and Social Sciences, reveals the success of internal coaching
B eing accountable for developing and releasing management talent is a responsible position of authority that should be respectfully recognised as a powerful point of influence. Coaching is a well-used human resources (HR) development practice which supports this change, and is fundamentally a problem-solving approach which has been used successfully within a wide variety of organisations. It enables individuals to take ownership of their development by resolving issues and liberating themselves from constraints and impediments to manage successfully situations that need to change. Coaching has evolved from the sporting arena (e.g. tennis, golf) into mainstream business practice; initially as a remedial corrective tool, and latterly as a progressive and proactive development intervention. The recession that hit the United Kingdom in 2008 brought challenges for businesses that had festered beneath the surface, affecting both performance and productivity. With morale amongst workforces declining, motivation wavering due to increasing redundancies, and an atmosphere of insecurity and uncertainty, organisations looked to develop and reward committed managers to better- place their organisations in the turbulent marketplace. Coaching has a proven track record of success in business. It develops self-awareness and increases personal knowledge, as well as the additional therapeutic benefit of helping coachees to feel better by reducing stress through constructive dialogue with their coach. Coaching provides tailored development
for individuals and is a natural development tool for those managers who have the knowledge and skills, but seldom apply these in practice. It has the advantage of slotting efficiently into a busy work routine, and the pace of the development can be easily tailored to individual circumstances of the manager being coached.
Recent research of internal coaching with over 100 managers in a large national multi-media organisation, conducted over a period of two years, found that the coachees had successfully achieved their objectives set in the coaching sessions, and that the manager’s performance had changed in a positive manner. It was also evident that coachees benefitted from the attention and focus on their personal development; reporting increased motivation, recognition and reward for their loyalty to the organisation. The internal coaching within the organisation was regarded as very effective and successful, and remains in place today. Based on the above research, a framework for internal coaching has been developed, which focuses on the three key components for effective internal coaching: ● the role of the coach ● coach characteristics, and ● setting conditions conducive for coaching. Internal coaching has been shown to re-engage both the coach and the coachee and provides equal results to that obtained by external coaching. The framework provides the coach with a consistent and optimal coaching interaction with the coachee, which underpins the effective engagement in the coaching process of both parties, so achieving improved results. Coaching has for many years been part of HR development practices, and this framework provides an innovative approach to add value to HR practices with internal coaching. n
...remedial corrective tool, and latterly as a progressive and proactive development intervention
Coaching can be conducted by either an external coach or someone internally employed, and both have distinct advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage of external coaching is that the coach is not an employee and can provide a new perspective to the coaching sessions. Internal coaches: ● have the advantage of being equally well-trained and well-practised in coaching ● have better internal knowledge of the culture and operations of the organisation, and ● have existing business credibility with their coachees. They also provide a strong framework for deepening connections within an organisation and improving performance; and their knowledge is retained within the organisation.
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | July/August 2017 | Issue 32 12
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