Are We Missing It?

The most interesting phenomenon that strikes me in speaking with coaching program managers in large and medium-sized companies nowadays is the lack of reflection about whether and how coaching has impacted leadership during the current crisis. How is it possible that we are missing this opportunity of doing some real-time ROI post-action analysis?

Has coaching helped?

Has it been indifferent?

What do the stories indicate?

Anecdotally, from my own leadership development work this last year mostly in high-tech and finance, I note that the more ad-hoc and individual-focused the coaching assignments have been (i.e. less strategically embedded in leadership or talent initiatives) the weaker their impact.

I am also noticing that a coaching strategy that felt like ‚Äúluxury” to many, namely Alignment coaching – dealing with values and purpose issues – has stood many of my clients in good stead, when everyone was losing their heads. In tough times, one needs a strong personal center from which to operate and lead, when role modeling an attitude of confidence vs. panic and perspective vs. short-termism.

Another coaching strategy, true Executive coaching, focusing on decision making in complex and turbulent conditions, strengthens those who want to make tough strategic or personnel decisions in the right way.

I am currently editing with John Lazar the fall issue of the International Journal of Coaching in Organizations, an issue which will focus on Coaching in the Financial Sector. Several articles will reflect studies by colleagues in that industry who are asking the right question: what has coaching looked like in financial firms and what impact has it had?

Where should we go next? I can’t wait to read the results (www.ijco.info).