Successful executive coaching is really a team effort. Even though the focus is on development for an individual executive, many other parts of the business influence the process. Management and human resources are two areas that can have a big impact on the success of executive coaching within a particular business.
The Role Of Management
Management has a key role to play in the success of executive coaching. Here are a few ways that management can make valuable contributions:
Set A Good Example – The best management teams support executive coaching through their own example. They may choose to be coached themselves, or they may be supportive of others who wish to be coached. Most importantly, they established a business climate where coaching is valued and participants are allowed to “stretch” themselves during and after the coaching process.
Allocate Resources – Good executive coaching takes an excellent coach, an enthusiastic participant, and money. Management influences all three by selecting and hiring well-qualified coaches and identifying employees who are committed to the coaching process.
When financial issues arise, though, the dollars spent on coaching are viewed by many as wasteful and there can be tremendous pressure to eliminate these expenses as cost-saving measures. Management makes a clear statement about the value of coaching, though, when they resist the pressure to eliminate coaching budgets and instead look elsewhere to save money.
Recognize And Support Participants – Management also plays a key role in the support of executive coaching by recognizing and supporting participants who are coached. They offer feedback on developmental changes that are observed and encourage participants to continue focusing on their growth.
Management also has a role in keeping an eye out for potential new participants who would benefit from coaching, and creating opportunities for those people to go through the process.
The Role Of Human Resources
In some organizations, the human resources department includes personnel who have coaching skills, so these individuals are often considered for coaching roles. While internal coaches can be effective, there are important issues that must be addressed when internal coaches are used.
Executive coaching is, by its very nature, highly personal and confidential. Participants often “bare their souls” as part of the process, and when the coach is an internal person this can limit the participant’s willingness to talk freely. Imagine talking about you innermost fears one day, then walking down the hall and seeing that person in the cafeteria the next day.
Another complication can come if the participant is dealing with a staff issue that will at some point involve human resources. If the coach is also a representative of HR, this can create conflict of interest and/or limit how openly the participant is willing to speak about the staff issue. For these reasons, businesses may choose to use outside coaches rather than internal coaches. And, at a minimum, it is important to understand what internal and external coaches bring to the table.
