OPINION

Technology has fuelled self-expression, and led to a demand for autonomy in the workplace. Internal coaches must find ways to engage with this new breed

By Sara Hope

During International Coaching Week on 18-24 May, I was part of some stimulating and challenging conversations about the future of coaching in organisations. What became apparent was that unless we continue to evolve our practice, we will not be fit for purpose in a rapidly changing world.

I spoke at the UK ICF event – Inspiring Coaching: The Next 20 Years on 19 May about how internal coaching needs to adapt if it is going to be sustainable rather than just a one-to-one intervention offered to a select few. Matthew Taylor, CEO of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, set the scene for the day and spoke about our innate desire for living more fully expressed lives. Technology has removed the barriers to self-expression and organisations are having to rethink how they engage and empower employees.

I also supported Across Boundaries, hosted by AOCS and The OCM, on 20-21 May, an engaging event focusing on the emerging themes in the field of coaching, mentoring, and coach supervision. What struck me was the make-up of the participants in the room. We were talking about the future and yet where were the future leaders?

Two women who were sponsoring the event (and part of Gen Y) joined the discussion. They spoke about how they wanted more autonomy at work. They wanted to work for leaders and managers they could trust. They were hungry for constructive feedback. They wanted to be involved in CSR projects. They wanted flexibility. And they wanted to work for organisations congruent with their own personal values. If they didn’t get this, they would vote with their feet and leave.

Now, while this won’t come as a surprise to many, I think this is where the future of internal coaching lies. It doesn’t just lie in upskilling a select cadre of internal coaches who will offer coaching to a small, targeted group of individuals. It doesn’t just lie in accrediting some coaches and thinking ‘we’ve followed best practice and can tick that box’.

If internal coaching is going to stay relevant and thrive, we need to be influencing and changing the organisational conversation. This is a complex ambition, but here are a few thoughts on where we might start:

  1. Change the conversation at the top
    We need to be challenging CEOs and board members, and inviting them to ‘talk about how they talk’ in their organisation.
  2. Upskill leaders and managers We need to be developing the skills of leaders and managers to have a different approach to their conversations so that people around them can share their voice and be heard.
  3. Intervene at team/group level We need to be changing the way we have conversations in meetings. Internal coaches are in a unique place to be able to work in this space.

This is not something for the future.

Niki Chesworth reported in the Evening Standard that in “April alone there were 9,765 job opportunities available [financial service jobs advertised in the City], but only 4,530 candidates job-hunting across all professional sectors.” (http://bit.ly/1OLLFi0)

Where are the candidates? They are going to tech start-ups for more autonomy.

The qualities and skills we, as coaches, can bring to our conversations are needed more than ever.

 

Sara Hope is co-founder of The Conversation Space and managing director of The Internal Coach

theconversationspace.com

sara@theinternalcoach.com

 

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