Webinars
Succession Planning: Managing Risk and Ensuring Business Continuity
Sep 09, 2010

Breakfast Club
San Francisco: The Next Frontier for Learning and Development
Sep 23, 2010 07:30 am
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
San Francisco, California

CLO Symposiums
Unleashing Learning: From Strategy to Execution
Sep 27, 2010 - Sep 29, 2010
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
Dana Point, California

Industry News

Companies Are Using Coaching More Often to an Gain Edge

Print this Article  Email this Article

Boston — April 14
Regardless of the recession and poor business climate, companies are more often providing coaching to management and high-potential employees as a way to gain an edge over their competitors, according to ClearRock, an outplacement and executive coaching firm headquartered in Boston.

Even in a difficult economic environment, companies more frequently are giving coaching to executives and high-potential employees to sharpen their skills and ensure the proper development of future leaders.

“Many companies have released numerous employees, including management layers, and they want to be sure that those remaining have the right capabilities for today’s and tomorrow’s business needs,” said Geralyn Burke Gray, senior vice president with ClearRock.

“Businesses are also using coaching to ensure that employees who have been newly promoted to replace those no longer there have the required skills,” added Burke Gray.

“Due to cutbacks, companies may be lacking staff or expertise needed to coach newly promoted employees in proper management and interpersonal abilities. They also may want to bring in consultants who have more experience in developing new leaders and high potentials.”

Companies are more frequently using coaching as a means of gaining an edge over their competitors even in a difficult business environment by:

• Ensuring today’s leaders have the right skills to match the current business environment: “Managing during a recession requires different capabilities than managing in better times. Leaders must be knowledgeable about various ways to keep employees motivated, and there are fewer monetary methods such as raises and bonuses to help them do this,” said Burke Gray.
• Aiding newly promoted employees become successful in their positions: “In a good economy, about one-third of newly promoted employees fail within the first 18 months in their new jobs by being released, resigning or receiving a poor evaluation. This number tends to rise during a tough business environment,” said Burke Gray. “Also, coaching is assisting the next generation of new leaders, who are replacing retiring baby boomers, to be successful in their new positions.”
• Helping develop the skills of high-potential employees: “Organizations are more frequently providing coaching to high-potential employees to assure that they acquire, at an earlier stage in their careers, qualities and abilities most commonly associated with upper-level managers. These management traits include strategic thinking, vision, creativity, innovation, decisiveness and motivating others,” said Burke Gray.
• Sharpening employees’ management styles and capabilities: “Businesses are using coaching to hone employees’ interpersonal skills, management techniques, and leadership skills and abilities,” said Burke Gray.
• Correcting substandard management behaviors of employees whose roles are critical to the organization: “Coaching helps companies correct the ineffective management behaviors of employees whose roles are essential, such as technical experts who may not be as proficient in management skills. These ineffective management behaviors include poor communication skills, or the inability to manage or develop direct reports, and can be especially counterproductive in a down economy,” said Burke Gray.

September 2010
Redefining Blended Learning
by Brandon Hall

Brandon Hall is CEO of Brandon Hall Research, publisher of the study “Emerging e-Learning: New Approaches to Delivering Engaging Online Learning Content.” He can be reached at editor@clomedia.com.

September 2010
Becoming a Performing Organization
by Bob Mosher

Bob Mosher is global chief learning and strategy evangelist for LearningGuide Solutions and has been an influential leader in the IT training space for more than 15 years. He can be reached at editor@clomedia.com.

September 2010
The Time-Literate Organization
by Karen Leland

Karen Leland is president of Sterling Consulting Group and co-author of Time Management in an Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day. She can be reached at editor@clomedia.com.

Business Intelligence

September 2010
When, Why and What to Outsource
by Cushing Anderson

While training outsourcing is on the decline overall, when it is being used, it's in increasingly important areas.

Profile

September 2010
Learning to Drive
by Agatha Gilmore

With her broad experience and global focus, Wendy Dendel shifts learning into high gear at Ford Motor Co.

Case Study

September 2010
Securing the Future
by Mike Prokopeak

Security services company AlliedBarton revitalized its employee development program to drive leadership and ensure success in a time of rapid growth.