Introduction
Organizational coaching was a concept that began roughly in the 90s, but has now mushroomed since then to a point whereby organizations worldwide are spending a lot of resources in coaching (Kilburg, 1996). It is important to understand the concept of coaching, and what it entails, for it is coaching that helps an organization achieve its full potential and meet its organizational goals through the integration of a set of techniques and steps, which help improve employee performance, and consequently, everything else in the organization.
Coaching helps direct organizations on how to best integrate and use their resources in order to bring about a positive change. Coaching helps organizations to set goals for themselves, if they already do not have their goals set. After setting goals, coaching helps organizations reach those goals. Through coaching, the organization’s staff can decide whether or not they are on the right track to meeting those goals (Clutterbuck & Megginson, 2005). Coaching focuses on meeting goals and reaping positive results. Improved business performance and operational effectiveness are the results most expected after effective coaching. Coaching strives to improve the relationships in an organization, such that the employees in an organization recognize that they are part of one big team, thus, they should strive to work together in order to achieve improved results in business. Coaching is about change; changing the existing inefficient and ineffective organizational culture, and putting in place a culture that ensures better results, ensures high performance, and most important of all, ensures growth (Clutterbuck & Megginson, 2005).
The Characteristics of a High Performance Coaching Culture
It is important that an organization has a coaching culture that reaps positive changes with all directive efforts towards growth of the organization. Coaching is the only way that an organization can be able to create a high performance coaching culture. A high performance coaching culture in an organization is present when all employees of that organization are able to interact with one another in a way in which performance is improved (Kilburg, 1996). This kind of organization is one in which employees have positive relationships, trust one another, and thus are able to collectively work with one another, and this in the end leads to customer satisfaction. According to Crane (2007), there are a few notable characteristics of a high performance coaching culture. The leaders of that organization are good role models for the rest of the employees. The employees in the lower ranks normally look at their leaders for direction, since they usually represent their plight. When the leaders portray positive behavior, the rest of the employees will follow suit. Employees are working towards gaining positive customer reviews. This means that customer feedback channels have to be open, so as to ensure that the customers have a way of expressing their concerns. The third characteristic is that the coaching has to be multidirectional. This in essence means that the relationships between all the employees are positive and communication lines are kept open. A fourth characteristic is that the organization should have employees feeling as part of a team. The teams should be energized and driven towards producing positive results. When employees feel a part of the overall team, the relationships in the organization are better, especially those between employees and their subordinates or bosses. The employees feel they can air their views. Another characteristic is that in such an organization, everyone learns how to produce better performance. The employees and managers are able to make better decisions for the organizational good, and the organization is able to change for the better. The final characteristic is that the organization has a common coaching practice as well as language. This means that each individual in the organization has an understanding of coaching and the role it plays in the organization, and thus communication becomes easier. When a mutual understanding is developed, the likelihood that the organization will achieve their goals is increased (Crane, 2007).
Changing Corporate Culture to a High Performance Coaching Culture
In order to develop a high performance corporate culture, several things must be done. One, the leadership has to be involved, for they are the ones who can bring about a change in the organization. They have to be for the process of change, and they have to oversee the whole process of change. The next step involves making needs assessment in order to decide what route the organization should take. In this whole process of needs assessment, the feedback of the employees should be present and welcomed. After a needs assessment has been successfully conducted, the top management and the employees should work together in order to ensure that the goals in the needs assessment are met. The leaders of the organization should of course be the ones to spearhead the whole process, and should actively be involved in the process of coaching. This is the only way to ensure success (Kilburg, 1996).
The Benefits of Creating a High Performance Coaching Culture in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc is a global presence retail company, with stores all over the world. It began in 1972 when visionary Sam Walton started one retail store. The one retail store has now mushroomed to many stores world wide, and into several retail formats. Additionally, Wal-Mart has millions of employees worldwide, and even more customers to cater to and keep happy. Therefore, it makes it vital that Wal-Mart develop a high performance coaching culture. This kind of culture will reap more benefits than can be imagined. In the past, Wal-Mart has had several complaints of employee mistreatments and some customer complaints (Kilburg, 1996). A high performance coaching culture is the solution that will ensure that Wal-Mart meets its goals in a more effective way. The following will be a discussion of the benefits that Wal-Mart could acquire after implementing a high performance coaching culture. One benefit which Wal-Mart can achieve is improved employee performance and productivity. This means that the employees of Wal-Mart will be more motivated to work harder, and thus will be more productive, meaning the customers who go to Wal-Mart stores each day will be happier, for their needs will be met. Another benefit is reduced employee turnover (Mathis, Roman & Nabors, 2008). With such a culture in place, the employees of Wal-Mart will feel as if they are part of a team. There will be improved communication between the top managers and the other employees, thus the employees will be able to freely air their views. When the employees’ views and ideas are taken care of, the employees will stay longer at Wal-Mart, and will cease from quitting work.
The relationships between the workers and the managers will be improved, when a High Performance Coaching Culture is in place. In such an environment, improved learning will be seen, and the employees will know how to better do their job, thus performance will be increased (Mathis, Roman & Nabors, 2008). Additionally, with such a culture in place, the employees will have a platform in which to air their ideas, and such ideas will be beneficial to Wal-Mart, and will ensure customer satisfaction. Overall, such a culture will be beneficial to Wal-Mart, and in the long run, will help Wal-Mart meet their goals, and ensure long term employees and customer satisfaction. The output of all this will be increased profits, a goal for every company.
References
Crane, T.S. (2007). The heart of coaching: using transformational coaching to create a high-performance coaching culture. New York, NY: FTA Press.
Clutterbuck, D & Megginson, D. (2005). Making coaching work: creating a coaching culture. Washington, DC: CIPD Publishing
Kilburg, R. R. (1996). Toward a conceptual understanding and definition of executive coaching. Consulting Psychology Journal, 48(2), 134-144.
Mathis, V, Roman, C & Nabors, L. (2008). Organizational coaching: building relationships, processes, and strategies that drive results. American Society for Training and Development. New York: Oxford University Press.
