This
coaching plan will focus on managers, team members and the developed job
stressors that the team members are dealing within the workplace. Managers and
teams are given their job description that requires them to work in a
particular way to have a set of operating values which support their approach
to working. However, the managers may have opposing behaviors and values,
therefore offering little support in situations and team member are often under
a lot of pressure to produce results.
When
organizations seek the help of a coach, the coach can help move managers and
teams forward, develop patterns, and strategies which consistently deliver
success. Developing a plan can help identify what’s important; close the gap in
areas, such as job performance and expectancy. This document will briefly
discuss a coaching situation, establishing a coaching relationship and process,
assessment tools and goal creation, coaching procedure and data collection, and
strategies, approaches, and coaching type. Also including are potential ethical
and multicultural issues, potential issues executing a coaching plan, and the
timeline for implementing the coaching plan process.
Coaching Situation
An organization has a situation where managers are
overwhelming team members with extra responsibilities, such as providing duties
not incorporated in job description, adding the tasks of slower paced
co-workers, and setting deadlines without extensions on all projects. The client,
Human Resource (HR) department of the organization recognizes the slower job
performance and several team members has complained about job stressors (e.g., tension,
overworked, and burnt out). Team members (participants) have complained about
insufficient support and recognition from managers, conflict of values (e.g.,
family, health, and awareness), and consistent departmental changes. The
managers (participants) complained about slow work turnover, communication
issues with team members, and frustration.
To address the situation, the HR department located a
coaching specialist to implement a plan that enlist strategies and approaches
that offer support processes, minimize job stressors, and help improve job
performance and expectancy. The HR
department is looking to have a plan developed that would identify the gaps
between management and team members, focus on core values, and upgrade or
develop training programs to enhance manager and teams communication, skills,
and abilities. The coach is required to develop a plan that would address
issues presented and help to identify core components of the manager and team
members’ situational issues and interpersonal relationship.
Establish Coaching Relationship and
Process
Establishing
a relationship constitutes the first step in coaching that allows the
relationship to grow while increasing the likelihood for elevated performance
(Markovic, McAtavey, & Fischweicher, 2014). Effectively establishing a
relationship provides an understanding of boundaries and build trust by being
clear about the learning and development process and objectives, accountability
and responsibility. Establishing trust is an internal understanding between
both the coach, client, and participants. The coach and the client first
establishes trust in which both determines what aspects are important in order
to have a sense of mutual trust. The client then before introducing the coach
presents a clear and concise narrative of the coach and the coaches purpose to
gain trust between the coach and the participants.
Through
the process of establishing a relationship, the coach will focus on the
foundation for the coaching relationship and define the developmental goals.
Establishing a relationship involves sharing mutual expectations of the
coaching relationship and discussing the parameters of the relationship (e.g.,
confidentiality, norms of behaviors in coaching sessions) (Feldman &
Lankau, 2005). Through trust the client and coach establishes respectful
communication and listening skills, accountability for actions (e.g.,
misinterpretations, misunderstanding, and miscommunications), time constraints,
and responsibility for the initial coach and client process. The coach will be
knowledgeable, understanding, and non –judgmental of the client situation. The
coach will present skills and abilities with the desire to genuinely help the
client develop procedures, possess the capabilities, and apply experiences to
effectively improve the managers and team members’ situation.
Assessment Tools and Goal Creation
Assessment tools
are valuable in evaluating and identifying strengths, tendencies in dealings
with others, abilities, and in identifying areas that need attention or
improvement. Assessments can be provided to gain an understanding of the clients’
situation in reference to managers and team members. Assessment tools catered
to the coaching topic and client situation can be the start of the evaluating
process. Assessment tool that would be beneficial is the “360 Degree Feedback Assessment”. The 360 Degree Feedback assessment
provides the client with more objective evidence of how performance and
behavior is perceived (Bali & Sharma, 2014). The assessment can provide
material on understanding interpersonal relationship issues between the
managers and team members involved. This enables the ability to gain an
awareness of what may need to be changed in order to achieve success (Bali
& Sharma, 2014).
The 360 Degree
Feedback is a system in which managers and team members receive feedback
confidentially and anonymously in reference to others and what they perceive
within the workplace. The feedback assessment includes questions that measure
(e.g., communication, listening, behaviors, and competencies.) on a ratio scale
and includes a self –rating survey consisting of the same questions to identify
issues with management or team members and self –assess (Bali & Sharma,
2014). Also, the assessment evaluates subjective areas, such as management and
team processes, character/personality, and leadership. This process allows for
the set –up of goals between the coach and client with the ability to address
the strengths and weaknesses and how to become more effective and efficient
(Bali & Sharma, 2014).
Goal setting helps the coach and client make calculated
decision about desired goals. The client and the coach together set task
related goals, help decide the effort and time to be invested to achieve goals,
and ensure that the goals are specific and accepted. Through the goal setting,
both coach and client are able to identify possible challenges, generate
various options of approach, evaluate progress, create an action plan, and
maintain motivation (Grant, 2005). The goal setting process will be situational
and address only what the client seeking and steps created will involve both
the coach and client. The assessment provided will enable to coach and client
to address core issues and evaluate an effective plan to determine to best and
efficient process to take.
Procedure and Data Collection
Procedures and data collection are necessary to implement
an effective plan and to measure the process of the plan. Procedures set in
place in order to measure the plan after it has been implemented consist of
participating in the setting in which the situation has been occurring, observing
directly (i.e., evaluating manager and team member interactions), and
conducting a survey to gain an update of implemented plan. Data collection involves research methods that
are adaptable to organizations and involve observation, in –depth interviewing
(e.g., one –on –one and focus groups), and projective techniques (Osayawe
–Ehigie & Ehigie, 2005). Data may also be obtained from personnel records
and the client involvement. Gathered information may include work issues (e.g.,
politics and interpersonal relationships) and non –work issues (e.g., family
and personal goals.) (Feldman & Lankau, 2005)
Data collection through observation enables the coach to
observe the managers and team members for the purpose of understanding
behaviors and culture. The coach only observes and does not interfere or talk
to either mangers or team members. The coach will then transcribe relevant
personnel issues that are non –judgmental, and detailed with concreate
descriptions. The coach is observing behavior in its natural job setting and
identifying effective and non –effective managerial behaviors (Osayawe –Ehigie
& Ehigie, 2005). In –depth interviewing can take place with either one –on
–one or within focus groups. One –on –one interviewing (e.g., phone, face –to –face,
via email) is flexible, dynamic, and is directed toward understanding each
manager and team member perspectives, experiences, and situations (Osayawe
–Ehigie & Ehigie, 2005). Each participant will have the opportunity to
express in his or her own words. Focus groups stimulates discussions among
managers and team members rather than one –on –one interviewing. Focus groups
encourages more candid answers and approach generates insightful information
(Osayawe –Ehigie & Ehigie, 2005).
Projection technique enables the coach to combine
observation of manager and team members behaviors and the results of the in
–depth interviewing process. Projective technique explores the deeply held
attitudes and motivations that normally would not be verbalized when questioned
directly (Osayawe –Ehigie & Ehigie, 2005). This process of data collection
subject the managers and team members to a verbal report assessing dominant
needs, and ambitions, tolerance of frustrations, attitudes towards authority,
and major internal conflicts. The gathering of data collected through a series
of assessments and interviews, enable the ability to gain an understanding of
the participants’ characteristics, leadership styles, values, and attitudes
(Feldman & Lankau, 2005).
Strategies, Approaches, and Coaching
Type
Strategies
conducted by the coach will implement the process of upgrading and creating
training programs that will focus on enhancing communication and interpersonal
skills between managers and team members and enhance skill sets of team members
to better manage the duties of extra work. The coach will seek out other
departments to initiate a plan that will allow job shadowing to help reduce the
work load of some team members by bringing in other team members from different
departments to assist. The coach will also focus on addressing job support and
professional behavior within the workplace.
The
humanistic approach to coaching enhances the ideal of free thought by opposing
censorship of ideas, promoting a wide variety of perspectives on human
experience, and encouraging independent, critical thinking and problem solving.
The humanistic approach focuses on concepts of self –actualization and self
–concept, coach –client relationship, communication, and directive of the coach
–client perspective.
Self –actualization and self -concept allows the participants
to choose what is good for him or her and develop a sense of satisfaction
through the experienced results of achievement. Developing self –actualization
increases efforts of growth and development and self –concept maintains
positive perceptions and expectations (Stober, 2006). The coach –client
relationship develops over a collaborative connection that allows the coach and
participants to work together to construct meaningful choices and actions.
The coaching type of the humanistic approach enables the
communication of participants in which the coach is able to identify the participants’
ability to listen carefully to criticism and communicate professionally and
effectively. Also, the coach learns the participants’ interpersonal skills and
relations (Sternberg, 2010). Humanistic approach to communication allows for
encouragement and support of the participants ability to recognize his or her
own accomplishments and self –awareness. The coach and participant directive
focuses on the direction process and content of interactions (Stober, 2006).
The coach facilitates the participant’s’ growth through engaging processes and
interactions. This type of coaching aims to help the participants produce a
vision of his or her limits and ideal existence and then develop and enact on
the steps toward that ideal (Stober, 2006). The coach utilizes this approach to
aid the participants into developing and fully describing the steps and process
that best fit the participants’ objectives and view of accomplishment.
Ethical and Multicultural Issues
The
coaching process can offer various aspects to helping the client accomplish
goals that are desired to obtain. During the coaching process it is important
for a coach to understand and apply professionalism at all times. Applying
professionalism during the coaching process involves the coach to develop clear
and competent awareness. The professionalism of the coach is vital to
understanding ethical and multicultural issues that could occur.
Ethical issues could occur if the coach do not maintain a
sense of integrity, confidentiality, responsibility for ones actions and
challenges, values, and through conflicts of interest. The coach has the
responsibility to maintain integrity (Neves, 2014). Integrity comes from
reliable promises, sharing of valid information, and expressions of honesty.
Integrity will address the values of the coach, client, and participants,
providing a sense of respect, reliability, and personal responsibility (Markovic,
McAtavey, & Fischweicher, 2014). Multicultural issues that could occur is
the misrepresentations of the client and participants according to race,
religion, ethnicity, culture, and or disability. The coach without regard could
misrepresent how the client and participants are approached through
communication processes, addressing challenges, and response to criticism and
interpersonal relations (Lowman, 2007). The coach is responsible to attaining
professionalism, setting all bias aside and refraining from any negative
perspectives that would produce multicultural issues and discomfort toward the
client and participants (Neves, 2014).
Potential Issues
Potential issues with implementing a coaching plan can
occur. It is up to the coach to assess the issues and effectively and
thoroughly address potential issues in order to determine the success of the
plan. Through the process of creating a coaching plan, the HR department, managers
and or team members may reject the procedure and halt the coaching process.
Other issues that can occur are the manager’s inability to accept a possible
change in executive methods, team members’ behavioral interactions worsens, and
dissatisfaction in the process and confusion of the client and participants.
Through the process of potential issues, the coach will
continually evaluate the managers and team members associating with the
coaching process. The coach will prepare for questions and answer accordingly
to set ease to the process of enabling change that will be beneficial for both
the managers and team members. Also, the coach will have to accept that all
changes will not be accepted and may have to incorporate other procedures or
methods in order to get the outcome that the client is seeking. The coach can
offer periodic coaching sessions, work with participants to monitor and
reinforce developmental activities, and modify developmental plans. The coach
may discuss over coming challenges to change and may include the client in some
of the sessions to review progress and obtain support in evaluating
participants.
Timeline for Implementing Plan
Implementing a timeline for an effective coaching plan
depends on the time span of the organization and the processes needed in order
to create and develop the plan. In the case of incorporating processes to
minimize job stressors, upgrade and develop training programs for managers and
team building, observation of job environment, assessments, and goal creation, an
effective plan can be developed from three to six months, however the client
may have an urgency for improvement or an initial idea for the plan to last past
six months.
Conclusion of the coaching session, the coach may follow
–up with the client to review the participants and assess the impact of the
coaching session. The coach may further collect data on learning experiences
and how the coaching methods affected the participants within the organization.
The client may conduct an independent evaluation of the coaches’ effectiveness
with the participants or assess whether the performance of the participants has
improved since coaching relationship was terminated.
Conclusion
Implementing a coaching plan takes time to understand and
grasp on what the client is initially seeking to resolve. Establishing a
relationship with the client and participants is vital to maintaining a
trusting and honest relationship. The coach at all times must conduct
professionalism, understanding of the clients’ situation and participants
involved, and non –judgmental of others values, beliefs, and cultural aspects.
The use of assessment tools enables the coach to gain a perspective of the
direction the client would like to go in reference to the participants
involved. The assessment tool 360 Degree Feedback, provides feedback to
participants in order for the opportunity for the participants gain a
reflection on what should be changed and how to effectively go about the
change. The assessment tool helps the coach and client together create goals
according to results of the assessment and desired outcomes of the client.
Procedure and data collection is initiated through the feedback assessment and
utilized to observe natural work environments and conduct in –depth
interviewing sessions. Through procedure and data collection the coach enables
the opportunity to observe the participants behavioral interactions,
characteristics, and major internal conflicts.
Implementing coaching strategies
further initiates an effective coaching plan. Strategies involved will focus on
the clients’ goals and initiatives that was set during the initial goal setting
process. The humanistic approach and coaching type will allow participants to
become self –aware and understanding for the need of change. Through the
coaching process, the coach must avoid any ethical or multicultural issues by
always conducting professionalism, integrity, respect, and stray from own
personal biases. The coach should be aware of potential issues that may occur
with coaching strategies and implementation, the client may modify certain
issues with suggested plan and seek further improvement. The timeline of the
plan is according to the process of implementation and the client’s initial
timeline goal for sufficient and effective results.
References
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