Conditions for effective coaching
Coaching is a means and not an end in itself. Development does not occur just because there is coaching. Coaching could be an effective instrument in helping people integrate with their organisations and have a sense of involvement and satisfaction.
The following conditions are necessary for coaching to be effective:
1) General Climate of Openness and Mutuality
If the organisation or department in which the employee is working is full of tension,and people do not trust each other, coaching cannot be effective. A climate of minimum trust and openness is essential for effective coaching.
2) General Helpful and Empathic Attitude of Management Coaching involves effective helping, which is not possible unless the coach has a general helping attitude and has empathy for the counselled.
3) Uninhibited Participation by the Subordinates in the Review Process Unless the subordinates in a department or organisation feel free enough to participate without inhibition in the process of review and feedback, coaching cannot be effective.
Coaching is not a one-way process of communicating to the employee what he should or should not do. It is a process of developing a dialogue which eventually contributes to a better understanding on the part of the counsellee.
4) Dialogic Relationship in Goal Setting and Performance Review
Performance coaching focuses on the counsellee’s achievement of the performance goals set in consultation with his manager. Joint participation by the employee and his reporting officer is necessary both in goal-setting and performance review. Without such collaborative effort, coaching cannot achieve its purpose.
5) Focus on Work-oriented Behaviour
The main purpose of performance coaching is to help the employee to improve his performance. Coaching can be effective if the focus is kept on the work-related goals rather than on diffusing attention into various other areas. While doing so, discussion may involve other related and personal issues, but these are used to refocus on improvement on organisation roles rather than on personal or general personality problems.
6) Focus on Work-related Problems and Difficulties
Performance coaching is not only related to the achievement of goals, but also to the contextual problems in achieving or not achieving the goals. Analysis of performance therefore becomes the basis of coaching.
7) Avoidance of Discussion of Salary and other Rewards
Performance coaching may not serve its purpose if it includes discussion about salary raise, rewards, etc. The main purpose of performance coaching is to use performance appraisal in planning and improvement of the employee, rather than in understanding the relationship between performance and rewards like salary, etc. Bringing such discussion in the performance coaching may vitiate the main purpose of coaching.