Coaching has, for a long time, been an extremely powerful tool in supporting people’s careers, empowering individuals to more effectively drive business results.And yet, despite a consensus that coaching is an enabler of both individual and organisational success, there are still a huge number of myths surrounding the practice that muddy the waters – leaving people with misconceptions as to what coaching is and how it can benefit them.
Research by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) shows that businesses that invest in coaching support can expect between 4-8 times the return on their investment, and that coachee performance increases by 88% following a coaching programme.
Meanwhile, a study by the ICF and Human Capital Institute found that 51% of organisations with a strong coaching culture report higher revenue than their industry peer group, and that 62% of their employees rate themselves as being ‘highly engaged’.
And yet, despite a consensus that coaching is an enabler of both individual and organisational success, there are still a huge number of myths surrounding the practice that muddy the waters – leaving people with misconceptions as to what coaching is and how it can benefit them.
Coaching myths, debunked
‘It’s just a nice fluffy chat’
There’s a misconception that coaching is simply one person sharing their feelings while the other nods along empathetically, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
There is nothing ‘fluffy’ about being challenged to perform meaningful thinking, whereby we uncover and confront the root cause of problems we’re faced with in our working lives. Coaching sessions create a facilitated thinking space where support and challenge are brought together to help people move forward in their careers with purpose; and to call it a ‘nice chat’ simply undermines the true power of coaching, as well as the bravery of those engaging with it.
The ICF found that coaching clients report an improvement in their:
- Workplace relationships (73%)
- Interpersonal skills (71%)
- Work performance (70%)
- And work-life balance (67%).
‘Coaching is the same as mentoring’
Mentoring, while an extremely valuable workplace practice with its own array of benefits, is completely different from coaching. A mentor will have personal experience of their mentee’s challenge and will use their acquired learnings to guide that individual towards achieving a resolution similar to their own. A coach, on the other hand, hasn’t necessarily been through what their coachee is experiencing, but will use their skillset and expertise to facilitate self-awareness and a sense of ownership in their coachee – ownership of their challenge, situation and solution – so that they can acquire the skills and understanding needed to overcome the problem in their own unique way.
‘Coaching is only for poor performers’
The idea that coaching is only there to remedy a problem is a common myth that can lead to people believing that coaching isn’t for them, or that they wouldn’t find any benefit from engaging with it. Yes, coaching can help poor performers get back on track, but it isn’t exclusively for these individuals. In fact, coaching is for everybody, and can offer value wherever there’s a gap that needs bridging – whether it’s learning a technical skill or rebuilding a sense of self-confidence. Coaching is about enhancement and helping people become a better version of themselves, even when they’re already performing well. Successful businesses work with coaches to enable their people to reflect on where they are and where they want to be, providing them with support that then facilitates their ongoing growth and development.
A study published within the Journal of Positive Psychology found that coaching largely contributes towards improved resilience, performance and goal attainment in employees.
The true impact of coaching
With so many misconceptions floating around, it can sometimes be difficult to see through the misinformation and understand that at its core, coaching is about facilitating transformation and change for people and businesses.
When faced with a challenge, individuals, teams and organisations can use coaching to take a step back, examine a problem/blocker to success, and identify the means to overcome it – a process that can often lead to hidden potential being unveiled, whether it’s in an individual’s resourcefulness or a team’s combined ability.
A global automotive supplier wanted to enhance the leadership team in charge of a large manufacturing plant, going from ‘good’ to ‘great’ by giving them the opportunity to step back and reflect on how they could more effectively consider the market changes and prepare the plant for sustained success. 1:1 coaching and peer coaching would feature heavily in the support Right Management provided.
As a result:
- 71% of team members agreed the coaching sessions helped them become better leaders
- 86% agreed the support programme was a direct enabler of career enhancement as they could apply newly acquired skills and knowledge directly to their job
- They unanimously agreed that their development programme acted as the foundation for a more united leadership team with improved team dynamics.
“Before this project with Right Management, we were recognised within the organisation as a highly effective plant. But I wanted my team to raise the bar, develop trust in our workforce and show up in an even more aligned way.
This work helped us clarify what we expected from our leaders, increase self-awareness throughout the business, and focus our team development support on the leadership behaviours that mattered most.”
‒ CEO of the plant.
Once you’re able to distinguish between the myths and the truth, the power of coaching becomes clear – it genuinely changes people’s lives.
Businesses that invest in coaching are providing their workforce with a supported thinking space that enables employees to develop confidence in their ability to enhance themselves, navigate change and contribute towards ongoing organisational success.
To hear more about the truth of coaching and how it can empower people and businesses, catch up on our latest webinar today.
