The Power of Coaching: A Case Study
Coaching is a proven way to create and achieve meaningful goals. The power of coaching lies not in receiving advice (that’s consulting) or learning “how-to” (that’s mentoring); rather, in creating insights through listening, questioning and observing.
The real-life case study of Kara* (name changed for confidentiality) illustrates the power of coaching.
Kara is the high-potential Director of an influential function in a large multi-hospital system. Leadership coaching was offered to Kara as a way to expand her capabilities and position her for future growth through role enhancement and/or promotion.
Goal-Setting:
In collaboration with her leader and supported by her coach, Kara established two goals for her six-month coaching engagement.
Enhance her managerial presence.
Effectively promote her expertise and broaden organizational awareness of her capabilities.
Within the context of addressing these goals, Kara also felt that it was crucially important to retain her personal values and sense of self.
Learning Strategies:
Kara and her coach explored how her goals to connected the broader organizational strategy of expanding her leadership capacity.
Kara noted, “Many leaders speak up to agree with something that has already been said, while I remain silent unless there is something new to offer. I don’t feel comfortable talking for the sake of talking.”
She achieved awareness that she could add value by rephrasing or reinforcing while also attributing ideas/comments to the initial contributor. This allowed Kara to make meaningful contributions in meetings and connect to her core value of recognizing and acknowledging others. Kara experimented with and successfully anchored strategies enabling her to speak up, re-state and provide relevant summaries.
Kara possessed broad experience beyond the scope of her current role, however many of her peers were unaware of her background. Initially hesitant to tout her own talent due to her respectful and humble personality, she developed a comfortable approach to “telling her story”, ensuring that she would be top of mind among decision makers for any new opportunities to lead.
Results:
Kara was asked to head a major system-wide initiative and was also tapped for high-level external presentations to expand her visibility as a key leader.
A coaching effectiveness survey was deployed at the close of the coaching engagement. Kara reported strong agreement that the coaching experience supported her development and effectively addressed the agreed-upon goals. Kara assessed her aggregate level of improvement in her goal areas to be 80% as compared to the start of the coaching engagement.
She indicated a high level of satisfaction with the coaching process, emphasizing the importance of creating effective strategies that honored her personal values. Finally, she indicated that the coaching experience contributed positively the organization’s leadership development strategy.
Kara is just one example of many individuals who have achieved success through the power of coaching. Kara’s organization has also reaped significant benefits from her coaching experience.
Learn more about coaching:
Visit us at HR Florida 2019, Booth 506, where you can experience a sample coaching session.
Discover what coaching is and how it can help your organization, your leaders, and you.
