Ask many companies what support they offer for their trained internal performance coaches, and mostly the responses will be disappointing. There is often a race to get people trained up in coaching, but not the same amount of thought, planning and effort into how to support them to ensure their continued success. This is short sighted as lack of appropriate support will lead inevitable to disengagement by the coaches and lack of use of their coaching skills. Most probably as well the coaching initiative will die a death.
So how do we meaningfully support our internal coaches, both to motivate and develop as well as create a pull for future potential coaches?
Creating great performance coaching support
Rather than throwing everything and the kitchen sink in terms of support, the whole are should be both researched as to best practice, and your coaches approached as to what they feel the support should be. Creating a discussion or brain dump exercise might be a good starting point. Providing a list of options from the below to choose from will help to focus their thinking.
Recognised coaching lead
Who is the face of the coaching initiative? The reference point, the go to person. Preferably someone with deep coaching awareness as well as an understanding of the organisational coaching set up. Within this role there is also the opportunity to send personalised coaching message or feedback to coaches, where there has been positive feedback from coachees. This lead could also have a designated email address for coaches to email into or potential coaches to express interest.
Coaching resources
Having a landing page or portal where coaches can access books, articles, links, forums and videos is really handy. Relatively quick to set up, easily managed and added to over time. Encouraging the coaches to share resources they find to go into the melting pot of information. The organisation could also sign up to one of the many coaching e-magazines such as ‘Coaching at Work’.
Policies and procedures
All these should be readily accessible in one place where coaches can dip into to gain clarity and reassurance in what they have to do or follow.
Coaching forum
A system based set up where coaches can go to share situations, ask questions, share resources and thinking around coaching. Obviously, over seen by perhaps the coaching lead, to reduce confidentiality risk. Their role is to also pick up on emerging patterns or themes around the coaches and coaching. Then feed this back into developmental activities.
Organisational membership of a coaching governing body
This will provide insight into current thinking around coaching, articles, best practice. As well as enable those really interested to get involved in discussions, research and other development.
Continued Professional Development (CPD)
CPD for internal coaches is vital to provide regular hits of further development in the area. As well as a place for coaches to come together and share and discuss their coaching. This could me generic orientated CPD, or more tailored to the nature of their coaching assignments or organisational contexts The use of CPD also shows belief and support in the coaching by the organisation.
Periodic coach gatherings
A simple opportunity to bring coaches together, acknowledge the work they have been doing, discuss how to better the coaching offerings and programme and provide organisational feedback.
Coaching supervision
Offered supervision for performance coaches to discuss their coaching experiences, issues arising and have a ‘health check’ on their practice. An opportunity to ensure they are coaching ethically and safely. It provides the organisation with understanding challenges around the coaching, themes to the types of assignments and needs of their coaches. Supervision can be a mixture of group supervision or 121 supervision, just one.
Organisational recognition
Regular communications from the business highlighting the work of internal performance coaches, the value add of the programme and some key successes. Shows to the internal coaches that they are recognised and valued, they do bring a contribution to people development. Welcoming new coaches to the community.
Performance Coaching community
All of these ideas around support also help create a sense of community. Most people like to be part of something bigger than themselves. Coaches are no different. Offering support and bringing internal coaches together regularly can foster this community. Eventually the community becomes part of the informal support process. This is one of the ways coaching starts to become more of an embedded coaching culture.
What to transform your organisation’s coaching offering, or even develop one?
Abintus can help you plan, develop and initiate your organisational coaching aspirations. We can train your coaches, support their integration. Hold your hand as you go on this journey of not only embracing coaching , but also changing your organisation’s culture. We can support your coaching with CPD, supervision and further development activities. We can even coach your coaches to make them as professional as possible. Get in touch to and let’s have a conversation about coaching – 07867 785314, or nick@abintus.co.uk
Nick Howell is a qualified and experiences coach, coach trainer and facilitator. He has developed over a 1000 coaches in his time. Bringing best practice to organisations. He works with clients to understand their development issues and needs, and bring them to fruition. He is also the author of ‘Great Coaching Questions‘ a resource for coaches and leaders alike.