Coaching

Often, development themes, e.g. handling conflicts, do not concern the entire team but one or two employees. Coaching then becomes the most cost-effective approach. De Haan and Nilsson (2023), among others, show that coaching works in the workplace and for leaders.

When to use coaching?

There are individual development issues at numerous StartUps. For example.

• getting a candidate CTO to overcome his fear of committing to the promising StartUp
• developing a team member's personal communication style so that he would be accepted in the group
• guiding two team members to resolve their conflict and competition issues
• teach a team member to take the initiative to propose useful but challenging "out of the box" solutions
• developing a team member so that he influences colleagues positively, and does not become too compliant in the future
• coach a team leader to better human contact with his employees
• ...

... then coaching can offer a sustainable solution.

In a large organisation, such development issues may be tedious. In a StartUp, they can become critical to team success. This development gives a sense of liberation in the team and a direct positive effect on team success.

De Haan and Nilson (2023): Coaching works!

With a rigorous meta-analysis study (of randomised control condition programmes of workplace and leadership coaching through 2021) in 39 independent samples and a total of 2 528 coaching relationships, the authors find positive effects on all leadership and personal outcomes: self-reported effect, observed behavioural change by others and objective measurements. Coaching should also not last longer than necessary.
When studies, in which one's own instructor or supervisor acted as coach, is excluded the effect of coaching increases.

Is the coaching effect visible to the naked eye? The observed average Hedge's g= 0.59 - effect can be compared to the size difference between adolescents at age 14 and 18.

Conditions for successful coaching

A key success factor in coaching is the coaches' 'readiness', the willingness to change on the part of the coachee. Good conversations between coachee, manager and coach can contribute to this. The appreciative and supportive relationship on the part of the manager also contributes to success.

The expertise, experience, connection with the working environment of the coachee, a positive, friendly and empathetic attitude of the coach is an additional success factor for the coaching.

Trust, agreement on the goal to be achieved..., in other words, the relationship between coachee and coach co-determines the success of coaching

A prerequisite for success is the triangle of clear goals, plenty of feedback and encouragement for self-reflection.

A more detailed report and reading list can be found (in Dutch) on the VOCAP website.

Because of our prior training and years of experience in StartUp and mature companies, we have successfully coached with almost every conceivable development issue in communication, influencing, personal effectiveness and organisation, problem solving and team interaction and growth.

Upon request, we can put you in touch with clients confidentially. Most of our coachees are registered by word of mouth.