Coaching Link Returns!

It feels like 2008 has been a whirlwind.  As I look at the calendar and see the end of the year close at hand, I wonder where the time has gone.  The truth is that the year has been full, rewarding, and challenging.  My work with leaders and their organizations has kept me busy and professionally fulfilled.  Knock on wood; it’s been a record year for business and all signs indicate that the trend will continue. 

My dear mother passed away in July after a six year illness and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to spend lots of time with her in her final months.  My son changed schools, has adjusted like a champ and serves as a constant reminder of the value of courage and openness in the face of change.  I passed a milestone on my own developmental journey by completing a graduate degree in organizational development with an emphasis in coaching and celebrated with my wife and fellow graduates in beautiful Santa Barbara in September. 

Just like all other busy adults, I’ve had to prioritize and make choices during these busy times.  One of those choices was to allow Coaching Link to go dormant.  So now, after an extended hiatus, it returns!  Future issues will explore topics and questions around leadership and organizational development, and my hope is to send a new issue about once per quarter.  Please let me know of specific topics that might be of particular interest to you.

Warmest Wishes,
  Tim Link, MA, PCC
  Link Resource Group

Asset Management:
An Alternative View

The recent conditions in the global marketplace have focused the attention of leaders everywhere on the way in which they manage their assets.  As we watch the stock market, engage in political discourse, and wonder about the future, the question of asset value seems to be a common thread in conversations whether over the fence or around the water cooler.

It’s in times like these that leaders must also consider their most important assets; the people in their organization.  It’s easy for fear and uncertainty to creep into the minds of people at all organizational levels, regardless of their position, tenure or experience.  And nothing can more quickly erode employee engagement and satisfaction than fear or uncertainty.

It comes as no surprise then, that a focus on people is more critical now than ever.  Initiative, innovation, and creativity will all help to fuel the efficiency that organizations crave.  Intuitively, we know that satisfied employees create satisfied customers, which maximizes profit regardless of economic conditions.  Statistically, research by the Human Capital Institute says that a 5% increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty translates to a 25% increase in profits.  Profit begins with employees.  Engaged employees can be up to 50% more productive.  And the factor that most significantly impacts employee engagement is leadership.  Organizations must view employees as a long term asset and invest in them and their leaders as they would any asset with potential for growth.

Coaching is one of the most potent tools for unlocking the growth potential in leaders.  It ignites passion and potential in such a way that leadership capacity increases exponentially.  Leaders from Supervisors to Vice Presidents and C-Level Executives become more engaged, effective and fulfilled as a result of coaching.  And coaching  does not have to be reserved for a few select individuals.  Coaching is just as effective with peer groups or teams.  It can also be trained as a leadership skill to include in the toolbox that leaders carry as they perform their daily functions. 

What is your organization doing to expand the capacity of its leaders?  How are your leaders keeping your most important assets engaged as they look ahead into 2009?  What else can you be doing to ensure that your assets pay dividends both today and in the future?  I invite you to consider the ways in which coaching can ignite additional potential for you, your leaders and your organization.  For more on how others are utilizing coaching, read on.

Global Study Reveals Coaching Best Practices

A recent study conducted by the American Management Association and the Institute for Corporate Productivity provides an in-depth look at successful coaching practices. Findings include:

• A shift in perception. At one point, having a coach carried a stigma because coaching was more frequently directed at problem employees. Today, it’s more likely to be a sign that the employee is on the fast track and that the organization is serious about investing in developing talent.
• Executive coaching has become one of the tools to achieve effective leadership in today’s vastly changing corporate culture.
• Respondents from organizations that use coaching are more likely to report that their organizations are performing well in the market, as determined by self-reports in the areas of revenue growth, market share, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
• When done right, coaching can raise both individual and organizational performance.
• Purpose counts. The more a company has a clear reason for using a coach, the more likely that its coaching process will be viewed as successful. Add measurement into the mix and you have a winning formula.
• Matching is important. Matching the right expertise with the right client is associated with higher success rates. It pays to interview coaches. Both time and money are wasted when organizations fail to invest time up front matching clients with coaches.

You can read the full report , Coaching: A Global Study of Successful Practices, on my website by clicking here.