If you are new to career coaching it may not be clear what kind of results are in store for you. To give you an idea of what may be possible for you or your organization, here are a few real life examples of how coaching has transformed professional and personal lives.
Individual Career Coaching Results
Job Redesign For Greater Satisfaction
An executive who worked at a large healthcare organization for 10+ years had become dissatisfied with his job responsibilities. He felt a great deal of loyalty to the organization, enjoyed the people he worked with and felt generally comfortable with his pay, benefits and commute. Still, the job had evolved into work he no longer enjoyed — so much so that he was contemplating a job change. Through coaching, he was able to pinpoint specific changes he desired in his job responsibilities, negotiate those changes, and implement them over an agreed upon period of time.
Attorney’s Work-Life Balance
A corporate lawyer practicing with a large firm for 9 years struggled with work-life balance issues. Work was depleting, leaving him little time or emotional energy for himself, his wife or his young children. He didn’t want to become like some of his acquaintances that had put worrying about work-life balance on the back burner in hopes of regaining it later. Through coaching, this lawyer realized he was being depleted by a job he wasn’t enjoying. He went to another firm, zeroed in on a specific type of law to practice, and now enjoys what he does so much it actually gives him extra energy to spend on himself and family.
“Right Mix” For Small Business Owner
A small business owner wanted to maintain her flourishing fitness business but felt that something was “missing” in her professional life. She wanted to explore additional services to offer clients. Through coaching, she realized she wanted to do something to exercise her mind as well as her body. She restructured her work to incorporate an additional activity for herself — part-time accounting job.
Transition Into “Retirement”
A school superintendent was contemplating her retirement and knew she wasn’t finished “working”. After 30+ years in education it was difficult to think about anything else. Through coaching, she created a personal vision incorporating her natural abilities, skills, personal style, interests, values, family and goals. She successfully applied that vision to identifying her next job and incorporating the pursuit of her neglected interests and leisure activities.
Corporate Coaching Results
IBM – Development of a New Team
The North American Human Resources Group of 15 senior-level executives wanted to develop trust and honest dialogue among its newly formed team in order to boost team performance.
Marriott – Focus and Cohesion
The Alliance Accounts Organization at Marriott International, responsible for strategic accounts management wanted to see how they could be a more effective team, raise the overall level of performance, and revitalize the group. They wanted group members to know each other individually and to draw on each other’s strengths.
JPMorgan Chase – Diversity Mentoring
JPMorganChase Bank, renowned for its work in Diversity, attracts, nurtures, challenges and rewards people who have a wide range of talents, experiences and perspectives. They wanted a whole-person approach to career development as the foundational piece in its yearlong Leadership Diversity Mentoring Program.
Cott Beverages – Whole-Person Development of Finance Department
The Finance Department of Cott Beverages catapulted the development of their team members by hosting a 2-day Finance Developmental Planning Meeting. They unveiled a long-range developmental model, the foundation of which was tying individual personal visions to the corporate mission and specific job responsibilities.
HBA AmerInsurance – Merging Leadership
The amicable merging of two insurance agencies, one primarily Spanish speaking and one primarily English speaking, was a win-win. Everyone, including management and employees, was satisfied with the business arrangements. They needed a common language (practically and metaphorically) to describe talents, similarities and differences.
Of course every situation is different and your results may vary from some one else’s. To learn more about what you might get from coaching, contact me today.
Education Leadership Coaching Results
Georgia School Superintendents Association (GSSA): Superintendent Professional Development Program
Selected aspiring school superintendents attend GSSA’s 2-year leadership development program. Dr. Stiles provides modules on Personal Leadership, Coaching For Development, and Emotional Intelligence.
GSSA: Coaching For New Superintendents
Every new school superintendent in the state of Georgia can take advantage of being coached by a seasoned or recently retired superintendent. Dr. Stiles co-facilitates the training of all coach-mentors with Dr. Debra Harden at GSSA and has served as a coach to new superintendents.
Accelerated Development for New Principals
A metropolitan/urban school system wanted to accelerate the acclimation and learning for first year principals. Creating an Executive Coaching Program, the system pairs successful, veteran principals with first-year principals. The goals of the program are to promote individual principal success, reduce the knowing-doing gap of first-year principals, provide a conduit for rapid networking and resource identification, and facilitate the shift from tactical to strategic leadership during the new principals’ first year. Executive coaches are trained by Turning Points and GSSA using a customized version of CCUI’s Coaching Clinic©. A minimum of 8 documented coaching sessions takes place throughout the school year and all participants attend 4 half-day follow-up trainings. In addition to qualitative data, end-of-year program evaluations and other quantitative data is collected. The program has been in continuous use since 2007.
Team Development for New Leadership of School System
In 2011, the new superintendents of two different rural school systems wanted a developmental experience to kickoff new working relationships. All central office administrators, principals and assistant principals participated in a 1.5-day customized Team Leadership Workshop. Workshop goals included personal leadership development, team development, improved team communication, establishing criteria for the ideal team, establishing team norms, establishing team covenants, and an opportunity to put the objectives into action. All participants completed the Highlands Ability Battery prior to the workshop facilitated by Turning Points and GSSA. Half of the participants also took advantage of a 1-hour one-on-one coaching session. Participant evaluations indicated strong agreement that the workshop met its objectives. Follow-up discussions indicate continued use of the information gleaned and protocols established.
Team Development for New Leadership of Middle School
The new principal of a middle school in a small city school district wanted his administrators to recognize their talents so they could quickly put them to good use as part of the new leadership team. All participants completed the Highlands Ability Battery and received a 40-page report and 2-hour individual debrief prior to attending the 2-day Authentic Leadership Workshop facilitated by Turning Points. Participants reported a greater understanding of their own leadership talents as well as those of their colleagues, became aware of potential blind spots, developed an integrated personal vision and applied it to their career, and developed a non-evaluative language when addressing differences. Overall, they indicated that the opportunity to learn more about themselves and the people they would be working with accelerated their team development.
Taking High School Leadership Team To Next Level
A seasoned high school principal in a small school system wanted to take his leadership team to the next level and prepare them for anticipated attrition and system growth. He and 15 members of his leadership team took the Highlands Ability Battery, received a 40-page report and individual 2-hour debrief, and participated in a customized Authentic Leadership Workshop conducted by Turning Points. The overall all goal was to create a fun, unique, rich developmental opportunity. Specific workshop goals included leadership development for each individual and the team, enhanced team communication, and an opportunity to consider future roles. Evaluation feedback indicated strong agreement that the workshop met the stated objectives and participants’ appreciation for the opportunity to focus on themselves.
Leadership Doing More With Less
Facing a combination of budget cuts and anticipated retirements, a small city school system planned to reconfigure leadership responsibilities over the next 12 months. All principals took the Highlands Ability Battery and a group profile was developed. Principals then attended a half-day group debrief and a full-day coaching conversations workshop. Participants were expected to use their assessment results as they were asked to take on additional system-wide responsibilities. Principals also learned 4 coaching skills and a model for conducting coaching conversations to help build the capacity of their assistant principals and other leaders in their buildings. Based on their experience, principals recommended all assistant principals take the Highlands Ability Battery. Understanding natural leadership abilities and blind spots, and sharing a common language to describe potential contributions, continues to facilitate transitions in leadership roles.
Personal Growth For All Leaders
With a wide variety of experience levels among the leaders of a small metro city school system, the superintendent wanted to provide the entire group with a leadership development experience. Six principals and 6 central office administrators took the Highlands Ability Battery and attended a group debrief. A group profile provided participants with a system-wide reference point in addition to the Highlands norms. Participants learned about their leadership talents and potential blind spots. One month later, participants attended a one-day coaching conversations workshop facilitated by Turning Points and GSSA to learn how to incorporate coaching into their everyday leadership responsibilities. They also learned how their leadership talents could enhance or detract from using a coach approach.
Board Of Education And System Leadership Partner Up
The superintendent of a county school district used the Highlands Ability Battery and group debrief as a leadership development and bonding experience between the school system’s board of education and leadership team. Twenty-four participated including BOE members, central office administrators, principals and assistant principals. In addition to referencing the group profile during the group debrief, participants selectively shared personal results. Applications and discussions continued over dinner. Throughout the rest of the school year, the superintendent expanded on workshop take-aways as a means to remain focused on the system’s mission.
Leaders Prepare For Second-Order Change
As part of a long-range leadership development initiative, a large metro school system invited system administrators, principals and assistant principals to take the Highlands Ability Battery, receive individual 2-hour debriefs, participate in a Turning Points’ Personal Leadership Workshop, and receive one-on-one coaching. Engagement goals included creating an individualized whole-person career vision by each leader, using assessment data to enhance team dynamics and communication across the system, and ultimately building a strong foundation for the leadership team in order to optimize student learning. Thirty-one participated in the process and reported better understanding of tasks that leverage their talents, new insights about their leadership skills, and used the experience to develop long-term leadership goals.
360 Degree Feedback For Top Leaders
The new superintendent of a large metro school system wanted to establish a point of reference against which perceptions of top leaders could be compared as other system initiatives were implemented. A 360 survey of each leader’s manager, direct reports and colleagues was conducted and compared to the leader’s self-evaluation. Participants attended a workshop to review the results and a group profile. During one-on-one follow-up coaching sessions, individualized developmental plans were created and a second administration of the 360 survey is scheduled to assess changes.
Oconee County Schools: New Leadership
Forty central office and building leaders attended a 1.5-day retreat. The goals were to get a fresh start with a large number of new leaders to the system and to learn how to use the Highlands Abilities information within their teams.
Muscogee County School District: Peer Coach-Mentors For New Principals
MCSD assigns each new principal to a peer Coach-Mentor to accelerate the assimilation process and learning curve. Co-developed and facilitated by Dr. Debra Harden at GSSA and Dr. Dori Stiles at Turning Points, Coach-Mentors and Protégés attend 4 sessions per year.
Paulding County Schools: Leadership Development
Paulding County wanted to provide something “different and impactful” to their season leaders. Leaders took the Highlands Ability Battery prior to attending a half day workshop designed to understan the hard-wdiring of their leadership styles, identify their strengths and blind spots, and lay a foundation for inspiring others to build on their talents.
Bleckley County Schools: Leadership Retreats
Dr. Stiles has been part of two Bleckley Count School System Retreats, both aimed at increasing leadership skills such as Emotional Intelligence and Communication in order to achieve the system’s long-term strategic goals.