Coaching - why it flops
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
I was reading the below article and think that they make some valid points about coaching. As a coachee myself (as well as a coach) the most effective coaching I have received has been when I have been clear on the process that my coach was offering, and also comfortable with the depth of their philosophy and their understanding of the mind and human behaviour. I hope these points help others who are looking for a coach, to choose the right one for them.
Coaching - why it flops
Oct 22 2007
Cape Town - New thinking from the Centre for Coaching at the UCT Graduate School of Business has identified five key areas that can contribute to the failure of coaching initiatives.
When executive and life coaching arrived on the scene in the 1970s and 80s, says centre director Craig O'Flaherty, it was widely hailed as the panacea to all ills - both organisational and individual - that would enable busy executives to regain life balance while becoming more productive, fulfilled and effective.
"A few decades down the line however, there are more and more voices being raised in criticism of this new profession saying that coaching programmes are over-hyped and that they frequently under-deliver."
O'Flaherty says that rather than reacting defensively to these views, the coaching fraternity should use them as an opportunity to look inwards and examine why it is that these perceptions are gaining ground.
'Frustrated'
"There are plenty of examples of how coaching can and does add demonstrable value to organisations, but it would be foolish to ignore the fact that some organisations and clients are frustrated.
"Understanding why failures occur would assist coaches in designing better programmes for their clients," he says.
Drawing on practical experience gained through the Centre for Coaching, O'Flaherty says that there are many reasons why coaching fails.
Top of the list is that at the start of the coaching relationship, not enough effort is spent in making sure that there is a shared understanding of what the process will involve and what the outcomes will be.
"Is the intervention designed to improve performance or go deeper in actually altering the way people understand themselves and their work? Is it addressing a surface issue or delving into the psycho-social reasons that drive these issues? These questions are critical to resolve before a programme starts, otherwise it's obvious that breakdowns are likely to occur when expectations are disappointed," says O'Flaherty.
'Too simplistic'
Janine Everson, the centre's academic director, says failure may also result if the coach approaches the coaching relationship without a "deep and powerful philosophy" of what a human being is.
"In too many cases, the models used by coaches are too simplistic. They assume that humans change ina simple and linear fashion or their focus is not holistic and they tend to hone in on either the spiritual or linguistic or physical aspect."
In developing the necessary understanding of human beings, Everson says that coaches must themselves be in an active state of learning so that they are constantly replenishing and enriching their own development.
They also need to recognise that they are in a state of constant change and development and that they are in fact no different from their clients.
In their turn, clients - be they individuals or organisations - need to recognise the limits as well as the potential of coaching interventions. In today's modern society, the prevailing norm is for the quick fix.
Instant results, preferably reflected in the bottom line, are required to justify an investment in coaching, and so pressure is put on coaches to develop superficial interventions that yield only partial success.
From: Fin24.co.za - link:
http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/default/display_article.aspx?ArticleId=1518-1786_2205251 Link
posted by Telana @ 10:17 am,
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Telana Simpson
Telana Simpson is a Professional Personal and Communication Coach. She is a caring and focused facilitator who has a passion for expression. She helps executives, individuals and entrepreneurs find authentic ways of communicating their inner potentials.
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