Getting Maximum Learning Traction With Coaching

Last month I read a great post over at the brand new TLNT.com blog, called The Case for Coaching. The post was authored by Paul J. Gorrell and John Hoover and was excerpted from the book The Coaching Connection – A Manager’s Guide to Developing Individual Potential in the Context of the Organization.

Gorell and Hoover make an extremely compelling argument for the need for coaching:

Unless your organization is consciously, systematically, and strategically building and sustaining a culture of coaching, summoning an internal or external coach to contend with a dysfunctional behavior is more likely to resemble an emergency call rather than strength training. A proactive culture of coaching will focus energy and resources on accelerating performance and making good work better rather than waiting for things and people to need correction.

When organizations make the shift towards a culture of coaching, there are usually some bumps along the way, including getting everyone in the organization to buy-in to the value of coaching. I think very few employees or executives could argue against the value of coaching in the way that Gorell and Hoover explain it being about “making good work better.”

The post also helps make a clear distinction between training and development activities and coaching:

Training and development activities are good. Coaching is better. It is the difference between classroom learning for children and having a private mentor who is a subject matter expert. It is the difference between attending a golf or tennis class versus private lessons.

The best possible outcome results from a combination of both training and development opportunities and one-on-one coaching. As we indicate in our Action Coaching model, it is the combining of real-time learning activities with individual coaching that gives the entire learning experience maximum traction. If organizational learning is an effective topical gel coaching is a fast-acting, quick-dissolving gel tablet with a concentrated dosage.

A huge part of coaching success is getting your managers on board, as in most cases, they will be the ones delivering your coaching. They need to clearly understand how their coaching connects in with learning and development, and this is a strong way to explains how it fits together.

I’ll have to add this book to my summer reading list! Another thing that is on my summer reading list is the new TLNT.com blog from the folks at ERE Media. The blog just started and I’ve already read a ton of great posts. I can’t wait to see what John Hollon and the team have in store. I recommend you check out the blog and add them to your daily reading list.