Rolling with the punches

Boxers know that to survive in the ring they need to continually adapt and change their behaviour; through a combination of agility, quick reactions and skilful exploiting of opportunities, they can emerge triumphant.



This is also true of business, according to global management consultancy Hay Group. Like boxers, leaders in business need to be able to go the full distance, enduring both the good and the bad rounds.

By helping their people ñ at all levels ñ to adapt and develop in accordance with the different situations and challenges they face, companies can boost performance, improve customer service and even strengthen team relationships.

And although senior executives should lead the way in affecting this change, it shouldnít be taken for granted that they necessarily possess the skills to carry it off. The secret, says Hay Group, is coaching.

Modern business faces more challenges than ever ñ roles are constantly changing, organisations are becoming more complex than ever, and trying to maintain ëbusiness as usualí while juggling these changes are ongoing can be an uphill struggle.

Just like the best boxers have ace corner men behind them helping them refocus between the action, a good coach will get close enough to see the real fear, motivation and pressure which individuals face.

Neil Paterson, Director of Hay Group in Scotland, says coaching can help senior executives to increase their leadership influence, and help teams overcome diversity and conflict.

ìItís amazing how many highly-intelligent, motivated and seemingly responsible people rarely pause to think about their own behaviour,î he says. ìItís not unusual for these people to reach the top ranks without realising their own limitations, which is where the facility of having an outsider point out things which have simply become habit can be invaluable.î

While mid- and lower-level staff may feel unable to question senior management, a coach can take a ëtough loveí approach, openly and regularly challenging behaviour and how it impacts on the team.

But it isnít just where leadership problems exist that coaching can be useful ñ where it really comes into its own is in making good leaders even better. Hay Group research has shown that coaching can help wring the next 10 per cent out of a company ñ this may be the hardest 10 per cent to achieve, but it is the most valuable.

Neil says: ìSomeone with the potential to be a great leader could be doing more harm than good to both their own health and the health of the business if they are in the wrong role. Coaching can be extremely useful in helping people recognise where something just isnít working and can give them a way out into a role where they can be much more effective.

ìWith one-to-one executive coaching, it possible to thoroughly examine someoneís leadership style, identify strengths and weaknesses and put in place a detailed plan of action. When this is done properly on an ongoing basis itís possible to see marked improvements in the level of engagement and commitment from the team.î

This is no unsubstantiated claim. Executive coaching has been shown to punch well above its weight in terms of overall benefit to an organisations; indeed, a recent study of 100 participants estimated the return on investment was 5.7 times the original outlay.

Coaching can help leaders learn what to leave behind and what to focus on as they progress into broader roles, and on top of the accumulative benefits derived from more efficient leadership through coaching, Hay Group says individual and team performance can also be ramped up directly using similar techniques.

Neil Paterson says: ìCoaching is hugely useful in focusing goals within a team and, if they exist, resolving issues around the dynamics of relationships.

ìAt director level, for example, coaching is a useful way to ensure the team makes the best use of the skills at its disposal and oils the cogs so that everyone works together efficiently. The end result is that everyone pulls in the same direction, and effort is focused where it is needed most.î

The sign of a world-class organisation, says Hay Group, is where it is clear that coaching is part of the culture; characterised by a strong alignment of goals, clear measures of success, robust processes for recognising and celebrating success, and a focus on continuous improvement and learning.

Neil Paterson adds: ìOnce managers accept they have a responsibility to help others develop it can be like a snowball effect. The managers take on the task of developing the team, who become responsive to change and actually drive it themselves.

ìOrganisations who have embraced coaching have reported ongoing improvements in areas from productivity to customer satisfaction, which is simply the result of ensuring that skills and talent are tightly focused towards specific outcomes.

ìCoaching in business is like coaching in any sport ñ youíre making sure that talent is maximised and as little effort as possible is wasted as you aim for success.î


Issued by the BIG partnership on behalf of Hay Group.