By Tino Mantella
TLG President & CEO
I often talk to people who are interested in coaching, whether for themselves, another individual, or a team. Research validates the positive impact coaching has on the careers and lives of clients. Yet, it’s understandable that many would exercise caution before making such a significant commitment of time and resources. If you are considering investing in coaching, here are a few things you will want to consider.
The Coaching Experience – What to Ask
The coaching industry is mostly unregulated, so it’s crucial to do your due diligence when considering your options.
A few questions you might ask are, is the coach certified? What level of experience do they have? Can I speak to more than one coach within your company? What opportunities are there to discuss my goals with the coach before committing? Are there any validated assessments included in the program?
By asking these questions, you reduce the risk of engaging with a coach who may not be the best fit for you or your company.
The Coaching Process
At Turknett Leadership Group (TLG), we’ve considered these questions and factored them into our process. To start, all our coaches are certified, ensuring credibility and accountability in their practice. Many on our team are also Ph.D. Psychologists who bring over 20 years of coaching experience while combining business and psychology as they work with each client.
It’s vital to ensure the best fit for each client. We encourage our clients to have “Chemistry Calls” with one or more of our coaches to help them find the right coach to reach their goals and meet their specific industry needs. We also leverage other data gathering methods, before the engagement begins, to solidify the client’s goals. As part of our process, the coach has a “Direct Leader” call with the supervisor to ensure everyone is working as a team while giving the client support in all desired areas.
Finally, TLG uses a battery of assessments based on the particular needs of each client, including a proprietary and validated 360 Assessment. These tools help clients understand more about themselves and how others perceive them. Our pre- and post-activities help to measure progress.
How Do You Measure Success?
Historically, coaching can be hard to quantify. However, this is beginning to change through our work and through external research. During what’s typically a six-to-eight-month process, we’ve found several ways to measure coaching’s impact.
Using a self-assessment, clients can identify their key objectives. The process isn’t as quantifiable, as if you were taking a math test, but one can see and feel the change and impact. One of the most valuable indicators of progress are pre- and post-360 assessments. Here we learn from the supervisor, peers, and reports if there have been improvements in style and substance. Some of this can be more subjective, but with self-assessments and peer reviews the client and the coach can effectively measure progress.
Career advancement, bottom-line financial improvement, and overall employee retention rates are all measure of success. The effects of coaching are cascading, and as you invest in your leadership, it benefits the entire company. In a recent interview, a long-time client and CEO shared with us how coaching has impacted his team and ultimately improved his company’s retention rate.
High-Impact Coaching
The coaching engagement should be a highly productive experience. Any firm or individual you consider must go the extra mile with you to ensure they are the best fit, clearly understanding your goals and having the end in mind – unleashing your full potential. Like learning any new skill or exercise, you will get out of it what you put into it.
Our experienced coaches will guide you through our proven and proprietary leadership framework: the Leadership Character Model. In essence, this model helps you become a leader of character, walking with integrity and balancing respect and responsibility. Nothing in life is a total guarantee, but we can point to the thousands of success stories we have had over our 36-year history of providing leadership development.
In summary, coaching is impactful and rewarding with the right coach and firm. It’s worth the leap!
Tino
Contact Info:
Cell: 678-984-8528