Background and Objectives

Coaching provides direction, guidance, advice or support to help individuals achieve an objective. In organizations, coaching can be used to help employees develop professionally, enhance their work performance and contribute to the overall goals and success of the organization.

Leader as Coach Training provides organizations the ability to invest in their own people by training leaders as coaches to work directly with employees. Training internal leaders to be coaches provides organizations a powerful means to improve overall business performance. In a 2001 study, Fortune 1000 companies that used coaching reported a wide range of benefits, including:

• Increased productivity (by 53%)
• Increased customer service rankings (by 39%)
• Increased retention of senior people (by 32%)
• Reduction in costs (by 23%)
• Increased profitability (by 22%)

In the same survey, individuals who were coached reported improvement in:

• Working relationships with their direct reports
• Working relationships with their manager
• Team-building
• Reducing conflict
• Business relationships with clients

In other words, training business leaders to be coaches makes good business sense.

Overview

The IRI Leader as Coach Training teaches two sets of core coaching competencies:

1. Observation and assessment of employee motivators and behavior related to both performing tasks and managing relationships, using behavioral or psychometric assessments or personal contact.
2. Outcome-oriented coaching and communication skills.

Our approach to coach development and training relies upon the IRI “Leadership Coaching Continuum” as its foundation. This approach is based on the core principles of situational leadership but goes beyond that esteemed tradition. Research shows that the most effective coaching occurs when coaching is not based solely on the situation, but also on an employee’s developmental or performance position and his or her communication and learning preferences.

The Coaching Continuum involves five progressive approaches a leader can take as a coach to help employees develop their knowledge, skills and abilities. Through structured conversations and the use of an IRI decision tool, the leader and the employee work together to determine the proficiency at which the employee is performing specific tasks or assignments. While an employee’s baseline position can range from “Novice” to “Expert,” most are typically at different levels for different tasks, assignments and goals.

The Leader as Coach Training teaches the manager what to do and say to help the employee move up to the next level of proficiency, and keep moving as appropriate until the employee has achieved the goal of the coaching relationship. The coach also learns to teaches the manager what to do and say to help the employee move up to the next level of proficiency, and keep moving as appropriate until the employee has achieved the goal of the coaching The decision tool also provides guidance to help employees get the most benefit from the coaching experience. refine and adjust these techniques based on the employee’s preferences for communication and learning.

The training takes advantage of self-analysis or psychometric tools to help enhance a leader’s observation skills and gain important insights into an employee’s strengths and challenges. This helps the leader as coach identify the most effective approach to coaching that individual.

The training includes mastery of the IRI Coaching Conversation Model. This model helps leader coaches create a positive connection with employees, identify issues and risks that may impede their performance, promote their confidence and measure their progress and success.

The Coaching Conversation Model:

The Leader as Coach Training integrates the Coaching Conversation format and the Coaching Continuum to help leaders understand which coaching approach is most effective with particular employees based on their unique developmental needs. It also positions the coach and employee to make meaningful progress with each meeting.

This training explores coaching “sidetracks” -- communication cues that employees may use intentionally or unintentionally to resist efforts to change their practices or performance. One of the biggest coaching challenges for leaders is avoiding getting sidetracked by an employee’s emotions, thereby potentially losing effectiveness as a coach. Leaders can reduce the negative effect of sidetracks by identifying common forms of resistance and understanding how to respond appropriately.

IRI Leader as Coach Training employs videos, role-play exercises and assessment tools for participants to identify opportunities for coaching in the workplace and to understand behavioral traits that may affect their success in coaching.

Logistics and Options

Leader as Coach Training can be customized for any industry, organization or need, with role-play and case-study situations tailored to client issues and concerns. Train-the-trainer services are available.

• The standard Leader as Coach Training is a one-day instructor-lead session. Variations in duration and format are available to meet the coach training and development needs identified by the client.
• All participants are required to complete an online behavioral assessment prior to the course. Other assessments may be required depending on the client’s preferred learning objectives.

For more information about Leader as Coach Training, contact IRI Consultants at info@iriconsultants.com or by calling (313) 965-0350.

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