Evidence
Based Approach in Coaching.
-Achieving
Behavioral Change with validated Coaching Techniques
©
(includes
extracts from new text book 'Behavioral Coaching' by Zeus and
Skiffington - published and copyrighted by McGraw-Hill,
New York)
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Coaching
Behavior with Validated Techniques
Changing behavior with the right
change methodology, techniques and delivery mechanisms can have a dramatic,
beneficial influence on human dynamics, the cultural and
environmental context of an organization, and the output of the
system - the organization's performance.
Only
validated, behavioral scientific models, accelerated behavioural
change techniques, competencies and behaviours identified in
robust studies by leading academics are ever mentioned or used in
the Institute's courses. Other coach training courses may use other
models or derivatives of: ‘NLP’, the GROW model, counselling or other well-intentioned approaches
-however, on what verifiable evidence is their model, practice and
philosophy of coaching based? Successful organizational
coaching is not a suitable domain for employing outdated,
un-scientific,
unproven, simplistic coaching models, user-fits-all personality
profiling, motivational dialogue and goal-setting.
Coaching
models, if they are to achieve sustainable, measurable
results must be designed and based upon robust
psychological, definitive proven modeling and management
principles together with the specific needs of real-world
organizational clients.
The
Coaching Model -the critical Road Map for coaches
When
selecting the appropriate coaching model to use professional
coaches need to identiify two central component
platforms -a Process Construct and a Core
Behavioral/Learning Change Construct:
1.
The Process Construct differs
significantly from traditional, simplistic and theoretical
coaching approaches as it only uses validated, robust
psychological, definitive modeling proven in the
real-world workplace. This critical difference allows its
users to achieve genuine, lasting, measurable change
and growth.
2. The Core Behavioral/Learning Change
Construct predicts behavioral / learning
change by identifying the core behavioral aspects
(thinking, beliefs, attitudes, values etc) that control
the outcome. This vital construct differs
significantly from traditional, simplistic coaching
approaches as it only uses evidence-based behavior change
techniques and tools to provide behavioral feedback and a
action plan.
Coaching
in
business was first documented in case
studies by psychologists in the 1950's and 1960's. Yet clearly, coaching is not a form of psychotherapy but
an amalgam of a number of professional disciplines (such as:
consulting, adult learning, psychology, sports psychology, counseling,
leadership and management training etc). However, coaching has
recognized that in order to achieve real behavioral
change, it has to utilize scientific models which require professional guidelines
and care in their use.
Any
practicing coach today who has failed to formally undertake appropriate
coach training with a recognized licensed provider in the
instruction and use of behavioral techniques that have a
psychological foundation, can inflict real confusion, pain or
suffering on a client (individual and/or organization). The
damage incurred can be both legally and financially
disastrous for both the coach and the client. In recent
years there have been a growing number of legal actions
brought against ill-trained "coaches".
The
quality of training programs promoted by a wide range
of coach training providers varies considerably. For
instance, we frequently receive feedback from students about
their dissatisfaction with the models, methodologies and
processes presented in some of these courses. Most of the
courses, contrary to their sales pitch, turn out to be just
another introduction to coaching. Indeed, our Coaching
courses were designed specifically to meet the demands of
coaches for best practice, easily applied, behaviourally-based coach training.
The Harvard
Business School Journal recently warned companies
about the perils of hiring unqualified executive coaches :
"..This can have disastrous consequences for the company long
term and can exacerbate the psychological damage to the person
targeted for help...Unless these Executive coaches have been
trained in the dynamics of Interpersonal relations, however,
they may abuse their power often without meaning to...
To
best help their executives, companies need to draw on the
expertise of ..executive coaches with legitimate skills."
According to T. Butler, the Director of Harvard’s
career development program: Coaches need to have a solid grasp
of relevant psychological-based tools and techniques that can
accurately determine such things as: what motivates
people, what are their personal values, fears etc.
Coaching is not mechanical. It brings to bear [the coach’s]
knowledge of business, politics (how things work) and
psychology. People who fail at coaching assignments
typically...have a program, a formula approach. [They say,]
‘ We’re going to give you all this feedback, you're going to
set some goals and then you’re going to be a changed
man or woman.’ It doesn’t happen because it’s not
personal enough. It’s not deep enough. But you certainly
don’t need require a degree in psychiatry to be good coach.
You just have to be well-trained in how to take an
open-minded, scientific approach.
Executives usually seek
coaching in the areas of problem solving and decision making,
persuading and influencing, managing their time, resolving
conflicts, delegating responsibility, building and leading
teams, empowering others, communicating effectively, giving
and receiving feedback, and making important presentations. Even
in these areas the coachee's efforts can be affected by an
unconscious conflict. The executive coach then needs
to recognize and assess the conflict and know how to work
with it. The ability of a coach to translate
behavioral feedback into an action plan is critical in
creating an effective development plan for the executive. The
coach must be able to also determine the relationship between
personal behavior and the organizational and business context
in which the executive operates.
Coaches do not need to be trained
in psychology but certainly they require a working
understanding of interpersonal relationships, group
dynamics, organizational behavior, familiarity with the world
of business as well as ethical standards to work within their
realm of expertise and to honor the trust placed in them by
both the client-organization and the executive.
All
coaches do not have to be psychologists and nor are
psychologists trained or necessarily suitable to become
a coach.
Organizational
coaching, is not the place for psychologists who do not have passion
and respect and understanding for business and organizations and, a
first-hand understanding of
the
demands of the leadership roles from first-line supervision to
middle management to the top executive.
However, coaching
is all about achieving behavioral change and
change is a psychological process. A successful, professional, ethical coach
has to understand, be confident and competent in the
psychological aspects of coaching and a master in the use
of a range of behavioral change techniques and validated
psychological-based tools that bring about genuine, lasting,
measurable results. To do so requires personalized training,
supervision and mentoring by an appropriately qualified
trainer (preferably an individual who is a university
credentialed educator, licensed clinician/experienced
psychologist and an experienced coaching practitioner).
"Coaching
Psychology" is a term often confused with other forms of
coaching such as, "behavioral coaching". Coaching
Psychology (usually
taught to psychology students) is a discipline
that has a theoretical base stemming from facilitating
lifeskills training,
social work and
professional counseling. Our Courses only
use practical, proven, psychological-based tools and
processes that are industry-focused
and can be easily applied and learnt by the Institute's students who do
not require any training in psychology.
Coaching
Practitioners today are working in a more knowledgeable,
demanding marketplace and realize the critical
requirement for any coach training and professional
development to include helping skills and
psychologically-based methods of change. Supervision by a
professionally
qualified educator with some
psychological expertise is now a must -as this not only
provides the necessary credentials and skill sets but also
contributes to the coach’s learning and development -ensuring
the coach is working within his or her personal and
professional limits of competence.
Many vital practice protocols,
techniques and assessment instruments a professional coach
requires are only available to coaches trained and mentored by
a facilitator who is also a licensed clinical psychologist.
The Behavioral Coaching Institute's industry-proven,
ICC Accredited
Certified
Master Coach Course (Self-Study, Campus or
Distance Learning Format) and follow-on support program meets the critical needs for
business and executive coaches (internal and external) to be trained and mentored in
the use of validated, reliable psychology-based tools and
techniques.
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