Authored by: Chong Sook Leng

As a manager, you may already be providing some level of coaching to your team. Sometimes, no matter how much, how hard, or how diligently you coach, you find the individual is not improving.

You need to be able to discern when coaching is not working.

The following are indicators that people are not “coachable” for now:

1. Commitment

Ø Does not show interests for self-development.

Ø Have priorities on other more important matters.

Ø Lacks discipline to follow-through on agreed action steps.

Ø Prefers tactical methods, tips, and tricks for quick fixes.

2. Capacity

Ø The person needs to have capacity to improve skill to desired level. For example, project management, strategic thinking, and even coaching skills are not coachable – you need to learn and develop over time.

Ø When commitment or capacity is low, coaching will not help. Instead, enrol in a course or assign to a better role-fit will work better.

3. Comfort zone

Ø Feels confident, contented, and secured in the current role, work scope, or status.

Ø Does not like to lose control for fear of uncertainties.

Ø Afraid of consequences of change and prefers status quo.

Ø Not open to experiments or new learnings.

Ø Prefers to be self-reliant and not ask for help.

4. Blind spot

Ø Lack self-awareness of impact of their behaviours on other people.

Ø Defensive about comments on their weakness

Ø Do not think there is a problem with self but everyone else is the problem.

5. Timing and Circumstances

Ø They may not be coachable for the moment.

Ø When time is right, or situation is conducive – either a push from current discomfort or a pull to a more exciting vision

Ø They will be ready, and you will be prepared!

Spot the indicators, save time, skip your heroic measures, and move on.

Authored by: Simon Yap

In the hectic work environment, sometimes we overlook the prefect moments to coach and develop salespeople.

Here are some good situations to coach them:

1. Performance review meetings
2. Personal development sessions
3. Work in progress update conversations
4. Small group meetings
5. When they succeed or make a breakthrough in sales achievements
6. When they show the right sales behaviours and actions
7. When they help and support others to succeed
8. When they are stuck with the customer development plan
9. When they are behind schedule meeting the monthly sales target
10. When they show declining or inconsistent sales performance
11. When ask you for the guidance and opinions to solve an issue
12. When they show low confidence in dealing with difficult customers
13. When they are fear of managing complex sales task
14. When they are giving up or lost of fighting spirit / hope
15. When they hesitate to make decisions
16. When they are blaming others, things and situations for their failure
17. When they are exhausted and overwhelmed with the workload
18. When they dwell too much on low impact sales tasks and activities
19. When they keep repeating the same mistake
20. When they are practising in the sales call role-playing exercise
21. When they fear or get stuck with a sales presentation or closing the sale
22. When they don't prepare well before meeting the customers
23. When they constantly miss the daily, weekly, or monthly sales reports submission
24. When you work with them in the field sales
25. When you need they show commitment to complete a sales task

and many more…... the list is not exhaustive.

You’ll notice that coaching is not everything about correcting their mistakes. It is about a conversation helping them develop the right behaviours and build repeated successes. Catch them do the right things is equally important as helping them correct their mistakes.

How many of these sales coaching opportunities you might miss out? Share your comment below.

Authored by: Simon Yap

In 2017, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) conducted Global Consumer Awareness Study with a sample size of 27,134 respondents from corporations across 30 countries globally.

The study reveals that 66% of the respondents are highly or somewhat aware of coaching, in which 73% of the millennial respondents indicated that they are highly or somewhat aware of coaching; followed by 69% of Generation X respondents, and 63% of Generation Z respondents.

Though the survey results indicate that the corporations are aware of coaching, especially the younger generations, there are still many corporate managers hesitate to coach. Indeed, they lack clarity about what is coaching and how to use to their advantage at work.

Here are six common reasons why many Managers hesitate to coach their people:

1. Lack of Awareness
There still many managers do not experience coaching themselves in the past. Therefore, they lack drive and probably not convinced how it works for others; let alone coach the people.

2. Lack of Skills
Some managers have the notion that coaching, mentoring, and counselling skills are the same. They rely on those leadership solutions they learn from the bosses, peers, and probably online learning materials. Consequently, they are not trained properly to coach in the workplace.

3. Lack of Time
This the most common excuse by the managers why they hesitate to coach. Coaching is a developmental intervention. Managers today are competing against time to accomplish the goals and missions assigned by the Management. More things to do with fewer resources. Therefore, the fastest way to complete the assigned tasks is the directive way of communication. It is easy for the employees too. In the long run, they are constantly work in follow instructions mentality and lack of opportunity to think critically and solve problems innovatively.

4. Lack of Developmental Mindset
Managers are hired to solve problems. In a fast pace work environment, it is easy for the managers to treat their people functionally solving the problems. Indirectly, the employees are deprived of personal and professional development. Here, the managers' mindset tends to focus on functional needs and overlook the developmental need to coach and grow their people.

"Coaching is unlocking a person's potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them"  ~ Timothy Gallwey

 

5. Lack of Support Systems
This is a common situation why coaching practice and culture fail to sustain in the workplace. Often, the managers are excited and amazed by the coaching skills they have learned in the training course. Back in the office later, soon they realise it is difficult to coach because of the lack of infrastructure and support systems. Predominantly, it could the bosses different priority, lack of management commitment, lack of guidance and support after the coaching course, hostile work environment for coaching practise, and many more reasons that show the Organisation is not ready to make coaching alive in the workplace.

6. Lack of Senior Leadership Commitment
This is the top reason why coaching doesn’t work in the Organisation. Coaching starts from top leadership. In the ICF Global Coaching Study 2020 recently, it reveals that limited support from senior leaders accounted for 50% of obstacles to building a strong coaching culture inside an organisation. When coaching is not the senior leadership priority and agenda, you can’t expect the managers to coach their people. Indeed, the senior leadership presence to walk the talk is important. They need to actively promote coaching by demonstrating coaching in the workplace. Make a conscious effort to praise those demonstrate effective coaching. Having said that, there are Senior Executives have no in-depth coaching skills training but expect their managers to coach by sending them to coaching courses. As a result, the managers find it difficult to coach because the senior management might use different coaching understanding, point of reference and coaching language in their support. There is a need for the organisation to use the same coaching framework and language making coaching works in the workplace.

Conclusion
Coaching is a continuum human development intervention. It takes time, patient, and focused plan to coach and unlocking someone’s potential to maximize their performance. These six reasons are the common roadblocks.

What is your side of the story?

Authored by: Simon Yap

This is the most frequent question asked by managers. Many are confused with the terms and wonder which one is the best approach for the workplace environment.

Whether it is coaching, mentoring, training, or counselling, they are merely different leadership approaches. All of them advocate one common objective, i.e. improves human performance. Different folks different strokes. We do not have the best leadership approach, we only have a best-fit leadership approach to the situation you are dealing with.

By the way, find out why sports coaching and professional coaching are different.

The Differences Between Coaching, Mentoring, Training, and Counselling

The differences can be understood as follows:

	Coaching	Mentoring	Training	Counselling*
Goal	Improve behavioural performance for personal and professional success.	Support and guide personal or professional growth.	Transfer specific knowledge and skills.	Improve performance that is below standards.
Results	Goal achievement	Succession	Learning results	Performance improvement
Approach	Help individuals or groups self discover and take ownership to achieve the desired goal.	Transfer formal and tacit knowledge, skills, best practices, experience, wisdom and mindset.	Transfer specific knowledge and skills.	Confront, correct, and instruct of attitudinal or behavioural change.
Focused areas	Focus on the coachee's goal. Help the coachee self discover hidden potentials and make behavioural and performance change.	Focus on the mentee's career goal / direction. No specific learning plan - can be done formally and informally.	Help learners acquire specific knowledge and skills. Learning based on pre-determined learning curriculum.	Manage the staff's poor performance. Listen to their issues, give feedback, and manage expectations explicitly.
Relationships	Collaboration	Advisory	Teaching	Management
Communication styles	Non-directive approach. Ask questions, listen, facilitate action plan and commitment.	Directive and non-directive approach. Ask questions, listen, and advise.	Use more directive than non-directive approach. Tell, teach, facilitate, and ask questions.	Use more directive than non-directive approach. Tell, advise, and ask questions.
Time orientation	Present and future	Present and future	Present	Past and present
Duration	Short and medium	Medium and long	Short	Short

* Based on workplace non-clinical performance management intervention

Meanwhile, click here and find out what exactly coaching is.

In the workplace, a manager wears different leadership hats at different times and situations. If you are the manager who has mastered both directive and non-directive communication styles, you have an edge to instruct, influence, and inspire your people.

Authored by: Simon Yap

The word 'coach' originated from the Hungarian word 'korci' - horse-drawn wagon. It means a carriage transports you from one destination to a new destination. In the same context, coaching is a process that a Coach (person who provide coaching service) enables a Coachee (person who receive coaching service) move from his current life situation to a new situation that he wanted.

The History of Coaching
Coaching has started way back since 1885 in the sports arena. Athletes were trained, guided, encouraged, and given feedback to improve their performance. Later in 1976, Timothy Gallwey, a tennis captain turned coach, introduced the inner game concept of sports coaching to corporate leaders and managers. Since then, professional coaching (executive coaching) is introduced in the corporate world for its remarkable success in human development and performance improvement.

Find out why sports coaching and professional coaching are different.

After years of studying and working with Timothy Gallwey, the late Sir John Withmore and Bob Kriegel worked together and introduced the more refined coaching approach and process to organisations.

In 1992, Sir John Withmore published a book called 'Coaching for Performance' and introduced the G.R.O.W. coaching model which become a favourite performance improvement tool for the managers and even coaches globally. For a long time, Sir John is regarded as the pioneer of coaching in the workplace. His works and contributions were well recognized by the coaching community. In 2007, he was honoured with the President's Award by International Coaching Federation (ICF). He is considered as one of the leading figures in the international coaching community.

ICF was founded in 1995. The body is a leading global organization advocating high standards of professional coaching and code of ethics. All the members are well-trained, qualified coaches In 2017, ICF has recorded almost 30,000 members in 138 countries; by far the largest non-profit organisation of professional coaching in the world.

Coaching Awareness
How aware of professional coaching is the general public and Organisations today?

The recent report of 2017 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study with sample size of 27,134 respondents across 30 countries revealed that:

• 66% of all respondents indicated that they were very or somewhat aware of the field of Professional Business and/or Life Coaching; compared to 58% awareness in 2014 and 51% awareness back in 2010.
• Millennials (1983 - 1996) showed the highest awareness of coaching, with 73% indicating that they were very or somewhat aware; followed by Generation X (1965 - 1982) with 69% indicating that they were very or somewhat aware of coaching; compared to Generation Z (1997 - present) with 63% indication for the same level of coaching awareness.
• The top three motivations for seeking coaching were optimizing individual / team work performance, improve communication skills, and increase productivity.

You can find out more information about the report here.

Whether it is individual or group, coaching is the way to go to build work-life integration, increase work performance , better communication skills, or increase productivity. Coaching creates sense of ownership and helps the Coachee be self-accountable for greater performance.

Authored by: Wendy Wong

As a leader climbs the ladder of seniority, being effective requires the deepening of perspective. The leader needs that space. A coach creates it.

I am often asked, "What is Leadership Coaching?"

My take is ICF inspired where a coach partner with leaders in a creative process to help them uncover new perspectives and ideas that can inspire them to optimise their ability to lead and drive their business forward. This can be done in one-to-one sessions or group sessions. It's important to note, though, that the dynamics and purpose of these sessions will be very different.

Leadership Coaching has more to do with holding the space for a leader's own creative process and discovery.

So, it is not technical guidance, mentoring, consulting, career counselling or training, although each has a place in a leader's development.

Despite its effectiveness, Leadership Coaching is a leadership development dimension that has not been actively leveraged upon. Perhaps because it is not a one size fits all quick-fix standard knowledge transfer program. Yet, its effect is transformational, and its benefits far outweigh its cost. Consider the differences between great leadership and a mediocre one!

The core of the matter is that coaching deepens a leader's effectiveness. Most of the time, we rush through our lists of to-dos and jump into quick-fix actions. Why not? This has worked up to a certain juncture. Then the tipping point happens where a leader finds it hard to push through to the next level. Now, only now, an intervention is called for. But why wait till its broke?

The process of growth is a journey.

A good leadership coach accelerates the realisation of one's potential and helps the leader shift their game as they grow. Through one conversation at a time, a coach in a relationship of trust works with the leader to dive deeper to expand their perspective and development. Once the discoveries are gained, perspective shifts, leading to a transformation of the leaders approach.  

Everyone needs a coach.

 More so, if you are on a leadership journey and when your behaviours and decisions impact many. We need to bring out the best in our leaders. The journey would be much slower without the benefits of coaching.

Authored by: Karen McClymont

Questioning Our Self-Perceptions Towards Greater Effectiveness…

Self-Perception and Awareness as a Leader: How does this lead to Effective and Purposeful Leadership & Team Growth?

CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME                                                                 

Very often, we question where a challenging situation stems from… and it is often the case as leaders that we distance ourselves from it, creating detachment, displacement and disassociated blame. Subsequent feelings of frustration, confusion, helplessness and feelings of being overwhelmed can restrict and hinder our effectiveness. How many times have we had thoughts of ‘it’s not me, it’s them’, ‘If only they would change’, without pointing the finger at ourselves first with self-reflection & accountability?

Change is not an action you do to others… as leaders we advocate an environment where others can facilitate change within themselves rather than allowing self-ego to lead a journey that others are destined to lead for themselves.

RELATIONSHIPS DRIVE CHANGE AND SUCCESS                       

Often we represent and advocate a driving force as leaders to promote hard work as the provider of all solutions. However, the reality of this is often more complex and our subsequent neglect of the workspace environment and relationships often leads to disharmony, team dissatisfaction, friction, and a rapid turnover of team members. Maintaining rapport and building relationships within the work environment is central to developing and sustaining a healthy company culture and an environment that promotes trust, growth, innovation and group success. Hard work in isolation produces resistance, however if combined with ’Welcoming Brilliance’ in the thoughts and ideas of others, sharing gratitude, celebrating ownership & success collectively and advocating a coaching culture, greatness can be achieved and success can be experienced through advocating change and emotional fitness.

AWARENESS IS KEY                                                                             

When situations are labelled as small… insignificant…, and yet are recurring… what does that alert you to as a leader?

Burying one’s head in the sand when real and relevant situations are evident creates confusion, dis-alignment and a lack of unity. A solution-based collective mind-set is essential to turning things around. Enabling others access to solving issues & situations alongside you provides ownership, the pathway to sustainability and retention of future leaders for company growth and success.

Feel free to share your experiences of Limiting Beliefs and their effects upon your leadership with others… Open the discussion...

I’d enjoy hearing about your views and feedback… feel free to add your input to this discussion...

Authored by: Michele Lum

Last July, I volunteered to serve the International Coaching Federation (ICF) of Malaysia as its Communications Director. When I first joined, a few people questioned why I’d want to be part of this organisation as what they had perceived fell short of what one would deem a professional organisation.  

I also started out as a full-time executive coach, specialising in leadership, communication and health & wellness at that time and was hungry to get involved in the coaching industry.

Seven months later, it has been “helluva” journey, one that I never imagined for myself as a volunteer leader in ICF Malaysia. I thank my Management Committee peers for the opportunity to transform communications, as well as the trust extended to me to conceive and launch its largest project - the brand new ICF Malaysia website, signalling a leap into a new era of professionalism and new ways of working - one that the organisation needs in order to move to the next level in achieving its vision and mission in Malaysia.

My intimate involvement in leading the website project, all the way to drafting and reviewing its content and functionalities resulted in a constant soliloquy ... “I’ve never had to work this hard before until I came to ICF Malaysia as a Communications Director! ....” For all intent and purposes, I re-discovered my mojo in the realm of strategic communications, especially during the final weeks leading up to the launch of the website last Saturday.

Having shifted beyond the fifth gear and mustering every hidden resolve and ounce of energy I had left, together with a few of the Management Committee members and the digital and web agency Dmn Famous, we powered on to ensure we would deliver the best MVP possible - one that boasts self-service features and empowers its members to express to impress their audiences. For the general public, it’s a website where all you need to know about professional coaching is available at your fingertips.

Since the launch of https://icfmalaysia.org, I’ve heard nothing but good news and feedback on the new experience. The goal to deliver a milestone communications platform/product has been achieved, if not surpassed, and I look forward to seeing communications in ICF Malaysia grow in strength and motivate members to contribute at a new level to the coaching community.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute my expertise in strategic communications, birthing a whole new gateway into the cyberworld for its members and raising the profile of ICF Malaysia to a new level. As I make room in the near future to embrace new opportunities, it is my hope that ICF Malaysia communications will continue to grow from strength to strength.

Thank you ICF Malaysia Chapter and the International Coaching Federation for the opportunity to be the Communications Director for ICF Malaysia in the past 7 months! 

Authored by: Ong Chiek Ming

Every one of us has a new chapter to write about our lives. We each have a story to tell about the life we’ve lived along the way. What story have you written about yourself? What story would you like to write? Have you ever told a story forward, something you would mould and shape into happening?

For the last 30 years I have worked to help businesses grow and turn around across South-east Asia markets. My last company was at Mars, and it was 31 Aug 2020. I left behind fine people who genuinely touched my heart. One other thing was special to me in this great company: it was during this time that I met Coach Kristen. She launched my journey into personal development.

As my coach, Coach Kristen chipped away layers within me, unearthing the precious streak that had always shone inside. She helped me discover what had truly inspired me all along: real life stories that drove people to grow. Everyone is talented in some ways. Sometimes we need just a nudge to discover our hidden gems. As for me, I have discovered much in leading, in mentoring, and in coaching. As I’ve watched people learn, grow and achieve dreams, I’ve myself learned to lead better. And I’ve worked to shape others to become leaders in their own organisations.

After 30 years of hard work, succeeding better and failing better, I’m ready to write the next chapter of my story. And I want you in it. You are unique and I’m passionate to work with you to discover what matters most to you, to take you to greater heights. Your personal development is important and what remains true is that you hold the key to keep learning and growing.

Let me be part of your learning and development through the power of coaching. Connect with me and arrange a virtual session to start exploring your journey. I would like that you drop me a mail or a LinkedIn message or phone message.

Authored by: Jeff Cheah

This is Part 1 of The Leader As Coach series

As an Executive Coach & a Learning Facilitator, I combined both skills to deliver Coaching For Leaders workshops for first time Managers to Senior Managers/HOD's.

One experiential activity I have fun with is when I get the participants to pen down 8 words in 3 minutes when they hear the word "Coaching".  Then, I would put them in groups of 5 and each of them take turns to share what they wrote. They would also identify some common words among the group.

Next I would ask them to now use the common & not so common words to define Coaching in a sentence, starting with "Coaching is.............."

And this is when I was pleasantly surprise by the awesome definitions of Coaching and I'd like to share some of the gems from the workshops over the years.

"Coaching is a continuous process of goal setting, guidance, motivation and support to individuals that lead to development, improved performance & satisfaction" UOB, May 2019

"Coaching is a two-way communication where we can share experiences through listening and questioning in order to provide support and motivate people to achieve their GOAL" UOB, May 2019

"Coaching is to be a leading role model by providing clear communication to inspire & empower the growth of an individual" Mitsui & Co, Jul 2019

"Coaching is developing the other person or team to realize their own potential, strengths & weaknesses to achieve career and personal goals" Mitraland, Apr 2019

"Coaching is a process of helping people to learn by asking the right questions, active listening and building the mutual trust"     Sitecore, Apr 2019

"Coaching is to unleash potential by listening, motivating, giving feedback and guidance with an open mind!" Sunpower, Feb 2019

"Coaching is a personalized & goal-oriented effort to develop individual by applying active listening, sharing, empathy, open-minded skills and continuous follow-up" Sunpower, Feb 2019

"Coaching is bringing out the best in a person through Listening, Guiding, Understanding, Empathy, Being Open" Sunpower, Feb 2019

"Coaching is a process of helping/guiding others in discovering areas of improvement by being open, listening, asking and inspire transformation" Sitecore, Apr 2019

And I can share a couple of hundreds more awesome definitions I can gather from the 100+ Coaching For Leaders workshops that I facilitated.

And this is the power of coaching & facilitating.

Just 1 hour into the workshop, we provide a safe and supportive environment for them to share and reflect based on their knowledge and experience and validate them for a coming up with powerful statements. They were empowered, listened to and supported by their colleagues and facilitator throughout the experiential learning activity. And, after that experience, everything else became easy.

And it inspire & motivate me to hone my skills to lift them up and unleash their creative resources hidden within themselves.

As a Coach & a Facilitator, this transformational learning experience is really fulfilling!

I am grateful.

by Jeff Cheah, Executive Coach & Facilitator.