Coaching is in its infancy in Greece, which makes it an exciting time to be part of its development as an official profession Andrew Armatas
I have been based permanently in Greece since 2000 – after a personal journey that included Australia (my birthplace), the US and the UK.
Back in 2000 employee training had already gone mainstream in Greece, but coaching was essentially an unknown term. Even when coaching services were offered they were referred to as counselling or consulting.
Some years ago I was asked to deliver one of the country’s first long-term coaching programmes under EQUAL, an initiative funded by the European Social Fund that co-finances activities in EU member states. The success of the programme was beyond everyone’s expectations and it led to the company being listed in the “Top 20 Best Workplaces in Greece”. It certainly banished any qualms I may have had about whether Greek employees are open to such services. Since then more and more companies have asked to be included in the programme.
Over the past two years business professionals have become much more knowledgeable about coaching and what it has to offer. One contributory factor is that many professionals train overseas and bring back their knowledge and experience on their return.
International firms have been adding coaching to their branches in Greece, further popularising it in a business context. Coaching for frontline employees is also seen as a way of demonstrating corporate social responsibility – one more reason to make use of it.
From personal experience, a direct approach to coaching is preferred. It’s worth starting off by listing the personal benefits of a coaching programme then moving towards work-related issues – especially when working with frontline employees.
It comes as no surprise that coaching for resilience and stress management are in demand in Greece at the moment. Most coaching clients are large, international companies. But more needs to be done for small and medium-sized firms, and there is a strong need for education on coaching, especially in non-business settings.
Greece has been in an introductory phase these past two years and is now ready for its next step – making coaching official. There are no regulatory bodies for coaching in Greece and coaching is not officially a profession. To work as a coach people register at the tax office as a business consultant or counsellor, which is closest to a coaching professional. When registering coaches do not have to provide proof of any credentials or professional memberships – anyone can be a coach.
What is obviously lacking is a coaching association. There is no official body in Greece at the moment nor any coaching conferences. There have been some forums, but they are usually self-sponsored and only for promotional services.
So there is still much to do: for example, connecting with like-minded professionals, establishing a professional body – preferably a chapter of an international society – and adhering to the same ethical and professional guidelines, organising the first coaching conference and establishing coaching as a distinct profession.
Many opportunities lie ahead for those wishing to shape the future of coaching in Greece – and that makes it exciting for all of us.
Coaching at Work, Volume 5, Issue 3