Is Coaching the Next New Form of Employee Training?

Is Coaching the Next New Form of Employee and Management Training?

The Answer is YES! – Call It C.I.T. and… it’s a refreshing alternative to management training seminars.

In fact, more and more companies are putting corporate coaches on retainer.

You know corporate coaching has been around for a long time, mostly confined to the context of executive coaching, but now it comes in the form of time management coaching, communication coaching, performance coaching, leadership coaching, success coaching, and the ever popular personal life coaching. It can be whatever you need it to be and that’s the point!

In a climate that calls for smarter use of training dollars than ever before, companies are beginning to look not only to a more blended learning strategy that includes e-learning, webinars and tele-conferences, but also one-on-one delivery and help.

Coaching is a customized version of training, particularly when you couple it with targeted learning, which is the model I use. In fact I call it C.I.T. – customized individual training. It is a way to gain the highest level of return on investment for every training dollar spent.

Here’s a couple of questions and answers to expanded our understanding of coaching and its value.

What is Coaching?
What is a coaching relationship (short-term or long)?
A partnership
A committed alliance

What is a Coach?
An objective, key relationship who listens to what you are saying, helps you to set priorities and acts as a sort of “compass” to steer you on whatever course you choose; a facilitator of change.
Can be described as:
Sounding board
Advocate
Partner
Believer
Supporter
Informer
Resource

What Does Coaching Offer?
…a structured time and safe place to address specific situations

…working with goals by setting, planning and evaluating the process of meeting them and problem solving to name a few.

… A synergy that fuels your will, mind and heart to accomplish/ attain what you desire.

In the case of career coaching, it is working through a planning model to map out a desired career track. It’s a time to get honest and objective feedback from someone who does not have an “agenda” for you, but is committed to supporting your agenda.

Coaching additionally provides:
structure to the development process
insight
measured outcomes
accountability
encouragement, affirmation, support
clarity
focus
unleashing passion
discovering & breaking down mental barriers
unlocking potential
uncovering deep desires
sorting through thoughts feelings and emotions
goal creation
life plan design

Key Advantages
o    Specific and Directed Attention -you bring up the issues most critical to you at that moment.
o    Time Usage-this most valuable commodity is used exactly how you wish.
o    Scheduling Flexibility (the times are arranged at your convenience.  If a change needs to occur, it can be done without affecting a group or any sessions being missed.)
o    Sustained Momentum – through consistent contact and action you are able to keep your goals in front of you because there are so many other legitimate needs clamoring for your attention as well.
o    Results – through coaching goal setting and planned action is discussed thereby achieving measurable progress towards your desired results.
o    Current Information – I bring the skills of research and resourcefulness to this collaboration to compliment your efforts.
o    Confidence- planning & action breeds confidence and clarity.

Coaching Tip: Evaluate your learning strategy.  Ask yourself, “Am I learning efficiently and effectively?” “How is that impacting my return on investment for the training dollars I’m using?”

If this post has prompted you to want to learn more, don’t hesitate to contact me for a quick chat.  You can so so at: joann@joanncorley.com

Management Success Tip- Don’t Allow Yourself to Turn Into a Parent

Power up your management success with a great management concepts training resource….read on…

Every once in a while I’ll be posting lessons and coaching tips from my portable learning resource -  Management-in-Minutes, which has a generous library of lessons, articles, tools and tips that are short and high-impact…meant to help a busy professional build their knowledge base and competencies, while on the go.

Here’s a great one I wanted to share…Are You a Parent or a Manager? (and an important question to answer)

I bet there’s been a day or two when you have thought that or felt that way. When I conduct a management training workshop, sometimes I’ll ask, “How many feel like you left the kids back at the office.”…..many people raise their hand.

Here are two issues related to parenting that would be useful to be aware of, if you are a manager… click here to view and/or listen to the full article

Enjoy!  JoAnn

The Cruelty of Manangement Training via Public Seminars

I’m sure in reading this title, some of you may be thinking…wow, that’s a bit harsh! Well, so be it if it communicates a critical point that will help others.

I was conducting a management training seminar last week in the Carolinas that dealt with unacceptable employee behavior. I had the opportunity to have a sidebar chat with one of the attendees regarding her unique challenges.

As she shared her story, such a sadness came over me as I realized that it would be very challenging for her to successfully implement what she was learning that day; in fact what her company had paid for her to learn.

Why?…upper level management and the company culture was not in place (at least from what she had observed) to support and encourage the change. In fact it was quite the opposite. In her view, there was NO support for addressing the challenges and you could see the discouragement on her face. Part of her question to me was what could she do about the piece. You could see her desire to make a difference …to constructively address the problem. Yet I could see how tough it was going to be.

My question…why do companies send employees to trainings such as public seminars, when there is not the management support back at the office to implement what’s being learned. To me…that is cruel!…and very sad.

Even sadder?… many decision makers are not aware of the disconnect and the waste of money to them in not having the atmosphere in place to successfully leverage what they are paying for their employees to learn AND how hurtful, frustrating, and discouraging it is to the employee.

Back to the attendee…I encouraged her to have courage, to entertain the possibility she might have to set the example with her new found knowledge and be the leader in this context…leading by example and hopefully results. Positive outcomes…results speaks volumes!

Here’s a plea from someone who conducts public seminars, management trainings and teaches updated management concepts: for those of you who are responsible for training budgets and/or sending your staff to trainings (public seminars and workshops), please ask yourself this question, “What’s in place back at the office to help support the implementation of what my team members will be learning, so that the cost of the seminar will not go to waste…..AND they will not be discouraged from learning, growing and leading?”

And…question #2 – what are the intended messages that are being communicated to an employee when the support is not in place?

What Every Management Training Should Include

Does Your Management Training Include These?

Have you ever wondered, “what are the essential things I need to know in order to be confident that with that specific knowledge I will and can be a competent and effective manager?”  Am I involved in and have access to comprehensive management training?

Well I have “The List.” This is my wish list for managers! …or team leads or supervisors…or whatever leadership title you hold.

It’s a 45 knowledge point checklist of what I believe every manager needs to know. I recommend that you download this list and do an honest assessment. By the way, this is not all inclusive. This was my list at first thought. I’ll be adding more, so check back.

One final note – my www.management-in-minutes.com site addresses all of these and more! We’re building a comprehensive management training resource a few minutes at a time.

Here’s the first few:

-Who they are on the inside determines what kind of manager they are on the outside
-Their natural leadership style
-That their relationship with their staff (how they treat people) is the number one influencer in the performance of each team member.
-How people operate
-Natural wiring (personality type)
-How the brain works
-What motivates humans to do or not do(values)
-Emotional maturity matters and is the number 1 reason for disruptive employees – do you know Eq?

Here’s the complete list: http://www.joanncorley.com/uploads/What_I_Wish_Every_Manager_Knew.pdf