Thinking of introducing a coaching program in your organisation?

Congratulations, a great idea - probably, success depends on what's gone before and what you/the organisation want and why. Coaching has been proven to make a significant impact within organisations. If you're considering implementing a coaching programme, here are some ideas to help you get it right.

Ask yourself: -

a. What are we trying to achieve by introducing coaching or a coaching program?

b. Are we addressing specific challenges, responding to engagement survey feedback, or aiming to improve organisational culture?

When you're clear on the purpose, it's easier to link it to the organisations strategy, goals, and objectives. This prevents it from being framed as just another nice-to-have soft skill.

1️⃣ Plan strategically - Organisational culture can be complex and evolves over time - plan your end goal work backwards on a time line to include milestones to track progress. One way to start is have look at what similar sized organisations are doing, how they mange their coaching program? 

2️⃣ Secure senior leadership support - Gather the evidence including research to share and build your case. Stakeholders need to understand why coaching is necessary, how it benefits them personally and how it supports organisational success. 

Be prepared create a framework and plan for implementing the program over 12 months (if you're lucky to get that long). Be prepared for questions such as: How it will benefit the organisation? How will it benefit people personally? What are the challenges? What will it cost? Is it possible to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI)? 

3️⃣ Complete a coaching audit - This will give you a picture of the skills and knowledge within your organisation and will be one of your first tasks. There may be colleagues who are already coaches and there may be those who have received good coaching and can vouch for its benefits and converted to your cause already.

4️⃣ Create a framework aligned with organisational values - Integrating coaching into daily work processes with ease is crucial so getting senior leadership using coaching skills early on will be a bonus. It will demonstrates a positive culture shift and a move from a directive to a collaborative approach.

Your framework will reflect the values, behaviours and mission of your organisation and it will serve as a guiding document, outlining principles and practices that shape the culture.

5️⃣ Measure and evaluate impact - this is very important and will be part of your planning and feed into your evaluation reports. Use a mix of data points, engagement scores, qualitative and quantitive feedback to evaluate the coaching.

Measuring impact not only validates the investment of time and money but also highlights successes and areas for improvement. Monitor throughout the year and evaluate at a couple of key points.

Annual reporting on the data and feedback provides valuable insights and tells the story of your coaching program and organisational change. Remember not all managers or leaders are natural coaches, after all it is a skill and therefore can be learnt and needs practising. It takes time and experience to develop so invest in quality training tailored to your organisation’s needs. Don't expect to be able to design and deliver your own training in-house, that's a lot of work and has its own challenges.

Finally be realistic about the time and budget required. With the right planning, coaching can become a powerful driver of organisational change and growth. Remember don't be shy in asking for help and ensure you have your own personal support network.