“What would you do with your life if you knew you would not fail?” was a transformational question a coach asked me many years ago. For almost 14 years, I worked at a financial institution, but my career took a different turn after a coaching conversation. For the first time in my banking career, I felt listened to and heard. I realized there is so much untapped potential in me that needs to be harnessed. That coaching encounter changed the trajectory of my professional career, from banking to becoming a fulfilled consultant and executive coach. Since I left the bank almost 9 years ago, my growth has been phenomenal. I have been training and coaching leaders in leadership and emotional intelligence across Africa and Europe.
In this article, we will first define coaching, secondly explore its critical role in employee professional development, retention, and productivity, then underline its transformative power through a case study, and finally invite you to view coaching as a strategic investment.
What is coaching?
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “a partnership with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity, and leadership”. This definition highlights the collaborative and empowering nature of coaching. ICF emphasizes that coaching honors the client as the expert in their life and work, focuses on discovering and achieving what the client wants, and finally assumes the client is creative, resourceful, and whole.
Why is coaching important?
The purpose of coaching is to help employees ‘maximize’ their personal and professional potential (..), acquire new skills, and improve their competence, decision-making, and quality of life.
I have attended many training sessions, but one coaching session, driven by a powerful question, was enough to unlock my potential. Olivero, Bane, and Kopelman, who advocate the critical role of coaching with their statistic, asserted that: “Training increased productivity by 22.4 percent. The coaching … increased productivity by 88.0 percent, a significantly greater gain compared to training alone.” What makes coaching so powerful to account for almost a four times increase in the company’s productivity?
How has coaching been a game-changer in people’s careers?
Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer, also found that internal coaching had a tremendous impact on its performance. 86% of senior leaders in Operational Qualification (OQ) reported heightened confidence in their leadership when working with their direct reports. Direct line managers observed an 85% improvement in employee performance among those who participated in the coaching program. Employees who underwent coaching reported a 92% improvement in personal satisfaction rate. Specifically highlighting the positive influence on their professional development and their ability to overcome challenges in achieving their goals. By training and certifying in-house coaches, Operational Qualification (OQ) saved USD 273,000 by avoiding expenses linked to external coaches.
Conclusion
I have found that coaching is a game-changer, whether you are an employee looking to maximize your career or a manager committed to developing the talent around you. “What would you do with your life if you knew you would not fail?” If this call to higher ground has touched you, what is preventing you from engaging a professional coach?
Patrick Sassou Abah-Dakou
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