The coaching approach Coaching
Coaching is an individual consulting method. The goal is to expand on options for taking action and tap into potential for performance. During the coaching process, the coach zeroes in on the particular context of people, tasks, and structures on an individual basis.
Coaching relates to:
- People
(Examples: entrepreneurs, members of the executive management, executives, employees) - Organizational units
(Examples: cooperation between departments or divisions of a company) - Tools
(Examples: leadership tools, salary systems, evaluation systems, feedback system, policies) - Processes and structures
(Examples: procedures, board or committee structures, meeting rhythm) - Cultures
(Examples: corporate culture, division structure, behaviors within teams)
Coaching makes the most sense when all of these conditions apply:
- Performance and the process to achieve performance are both falling short of expectations.
- An individualized approach is preferable to a standardized seminar with specified instructional content.
- An “internal” coach is too heavily involved as part of the system to be able to work on a trusting and neutral basis.
Benefits
- The performance of people or organizations is developed on an individual basis.
- The particularities of the situation are addressed.
- The limitations of standardized seminar content are overcome.
- Conflicts can be addressed individually.
- Areas where change is desired can be worked on in the context of the specific situation.
- The dynamics that apply to the configuration of further development can be worked out individually.
- Coaching is an ideal way to support change management initiatives.
Coaching for managers
Individual demand for consulting is very prevalent, especially among entrepreneurs, top managers, board members, and members of top leadership bodies. Standardized methods and “ready-made solutions” don't work in this context. For top leadership figures and management bodies at companies, it is key to reflect on conflicts, tension, and different approaches to finding solutions on an ongoing basis and identify appropriate moderation approaches. A coach with experience in this context is highly useful for this process.
Coaching for leadership tools
Leadership tools are aids. The purpose of these kinds of aids in management is to make it easier to lead. However, many companies today use too many leadership tools from a different time. The realities of companies, managers, and employees have changed rapidly and fundamentally, but the leadership tools used by many companies have not kept pace.
Adjusting existing leadership tools and replacing them with better ones can bring new energy and drive into the leadership process and get things moving again. Tools such as salary systems, evaluation systems, feedback systems, policies, WFH rules, and New Work concepts need to be adjusted as overall conditions change.
Coaching for organizational units
Divisions and departments need to work together effectively. If all parts of a company do their part, the result is success for everyone. Often, “siloed thinking” can develop at a particular company, with divisions or functional units pursuing their own interests over those of the company or “optimizing” themselves in isolation from the big picture. This creates tension, which typically becomes evident where these units interface with others. There is a perception of friction – or worse, aggression.
The goal is to align people’s individual motivation within units and departments toward the good of the organization as a whole. This means it is necessary to bring the various units into alignment in an ongoing process.
Coaching is used in these situations as group moderation in the form of collaboration and cooperation workshops.
Coaching for companies.
These days, it is nigh impossible to manage a business with a long-term perspective. Companies that used to be huge and well known are disappearing, while others founded just a few years ago come to dominate entire markets or market subsegments at breakneck speed. The executive management needs to think deeply and critically about how the company is developing at regular intervals. This includes alignment, structures and the organization and processes, and corporate culture. If the changes taking place outside are fast and radical, the changes inside the organization need to meet the new requirements.
Coaching is offered as an open roundtable discussion between the coach and the leadership body, along with managers involved in corporate development.
The working method
Coaching is typically a structured dialogue between the coach and coachee, with the coach providing the guidance.
Coaching is performed in the following forms:
- Coaching for managers
- Coaching for employees
- Coaching for groups
- Coaching for divisions and departments
- Coaching for companies
- Management tool coaching can be an element of all other forms.
Dr. Arnold’s work does not focus on “correcting” individual people. Instead, it is about the dynamic relations between people and departments. He stays away from “therapeutic” approaches in his work with individuals and teams within companies. His goal is to support individuals and teams in developing their ability to perform. This results-oriented approach has brought him to prominence in the professional coaching market.