Does coaching work? Let’s break it down
Executive coaching requires a large investment, both in time and money. It may be trendy to have a coach, but the key question is — does it actually work?
Steve Dion and his team have been studying this question since 2020. Here are some of their findings:
Yes, coaching works. Over 90% of the participants reported that coaching had enabled them to become better leaders through gaining more insight and incorporating new leadership behaviors.
The key element driving performance improvement seems to be increased confidence. Coachees gain awareness of what works for them and how to use their skills within their specific company culture.
Increased confidence enables coachees to try out and master new leadership skills that don’t come naturally to them.
Tackling the toolbox model
This reminds me of the “toolbox” model I have been using with my coaching clients for many years. I’ve written about it before. I propose that in order to reach a leadership role, a person must already have a toolbox of useful leadership behaviors. Much of the time this approach works great. We all have our signature leadership style and it makes us powerful and effective.
But there are two problems. One is over-reliance on the tools we are most comfortable with. It’s like that old saying, “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” For example, Steve was a leader who was very comfortable using the tool of autonomy. He gave his team members a very high degree of latitude to manage themselves and he rarely checked up on them. That worked great when he had a team of self-motivated high performers. But when someone was under-performing, Steve didn’t even know about it until the situation was disastrous.
Sometimes leaders need new tools
When I see a leader relying heavily on a certain tool, I often encourage them to “lean the other way.” Leaders don’t have to change into different people to improve their performance. By becoming aware of their behavioral tendencies and then “leaning the other way” when necessary, leaders improve their ability to manage effectively across a broader range of challenges.
The second problem with the toolbox is that sooner or later, every leader runs into a situation where the tools they have are not enough. The leader has to add one or more new tools to their box. That requires commitment and practice, and a coach can help you hold yourself accountable.
Three other benefits from coaching
Coachees reported that their overall well-being improved due to coaching.
Coaching enabled leaders to take time to slow down and reflect on their work. Nearly every client I have worked with struggles to find “think” time. Coaching helps them to carve out that space.
70% of coachees reported that having a coach made them more committed to staying with the company. Replacing a high-value leader is a very expensive process, so reducing executive turnover is a great benefit.
One caveat — all of these observations are based on the coachees’ reports. There may be bias here. No one likes to believe they’ve invested a lot of time in something that was pointless. But having said that, these results are certainly consistently positive and worth consideration.
If you would like to learn more about how coaching can help your organization, contact me at ggolden@gailgoldenconsulting.com.
