WISDOM

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

The two things that kill fear are knowledge and action.

THE TOP 10 REASONS WHY COACHING WORKS WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION
by Thomas J. Leonard

1. Individual Attention

Coaching works because players receive the individual attention -- and personal support -- they most need to be consistent performers. New players need mentoring to become effective producers. Average players need to be motivated to become strong players. Strong players need a special touch in order to reach superstar performance levels. And superstars need extra attention in order to reach for an ever-rising performance standard. A coach has the time -- and the experience -- to give each player exactly what they need at their specific level of play.

2. Rapid Resolution

Coaching works because conflicts are resolved before they become performance-impairing problems. As the pressure increases to produce and perform in an organization, the accompanying stresses and problems are magnified -- the consequences of which become more costly. Coaching provides both an early detection system and a relief valve for such problems, thus reducing risk of failure and as a lubricant to reduce the friction that occurs in every organization. The coach understands what drives people and what causes conflicts -- and can steer the coachee clear of potential conflicts and help them to immediately solve the on-the-job problems they encounter.

3. Replicated Synergy

Coaching works because the individual strengths and potential of each coachee is discovered, developed and leveraged. It is as important today to build a job description around the strengths and abilities of a talented employee as it is to make the employee most productive in the designated job. The coach helps the employee to personalize and own the job by helping the client to strengthen their strengths and delegate their weaknesses. For many clients, they know what they are good at, but they have yet to be challenged to be their best at that.

4. Leveraged Strengths

Coaching works because the individual strengths and potential of each coachee is discovered, developed and leveraged. It is as important today to build a job description around the strengths and abilities of a talented employee as it is to make the employee most productive in the designated job. The coach helps the employee to personalize and own the job by helping the client to strengthen their strengths and delegate their weaknesses. For many clients, they know what they are good at, but they have yet to be challenged to be their best at that.

5. Improved Communication

Coaching works because communication at all levels of the organization is improved due to the communication and relating skills which are developed with coaching. Virtually no one learned interpersonal or communication skills in high school or college, much less mastered them. Yet, when it come down to it, what is more important in a highly networked world and business environment? The right word, the right tone and the right timing can make or break a key relationship. Coaches are experts at communication and helping others to master the set of communication skills -- everything from listening and hearing to speaking and influencing. From discussing to brainstorming to describing and articulating. The ability to communicate extremely well makes an immediate and long-term difference to a company's culture and creates a collaborative environment.

6. Change Catalyst

Coaching works because it can be the catalyst to accelerating change and to keeping the momentum of this positive change continuing. The coaching technology and relationship promotes a higher game of creativity, progression and advancement by turning change into a game and employees into players. Part of the coaching process is to establish a scoreboard (with the right measures) that is visible to all and in which everyone has a stake -- and active part.

7. Entrepreneurial Encouragement

Coaching works because it fosters entrepreneurial thinking and behavior when coachees receive the necessary encouragement to experiment and innovate. Coaches ARE entrepreneurs themselves and they can teach employees how to think outside of the box, take more initiative, become more passionate, own their results and inspire others to be the same. Entrepreneurism is as important as any other element of the corporate environment.

8. Common Standard

Coaching works because it offers a common/universal language and focus that everyone can relate to because each coachee is benefiting from the process personally. The term coach signifies a more advanced, more inter-developmental relationship between all players in a firm. People get to learn how coaching works and by doing so, they expand their relationships in the firm.

9. Blockbuster Performance

Coaching works because people are empowered -- and motivated -- to perform; significantly increased outcomes are the key focus, not just process or improvements. When people are coached, they are coached to do far more than they would do themselves -- this gap creates a vacuum into which blockbuster performance occurs. And, by having one's own coach, the employee is motivated to want to perform -- from the inside out -- not just perform because they have to. The tone, the flavor, the feeling is different and the need for constant motivation is lessened.

10. Tolerations Reduced

Coaching works because coaches help coachees to identify and eliminate every single toleration, block or obstacle that is limiting their performance. The cost of delay and the cost of frustration reduces profits and employee retention. In many cases, the empowered worker is still highly frustrated because they are having to put up with too much at work and in their personal lives. So, they have plenty of potential, but this potential is being wasted by delays, limitations of management, day-to-day workplace frustrations. With a coach, the coachee stops tolerating and each becomes motivated to improve every aspect of the work environment because they also know it is in everybody's best interest to do so.