Home Professional Coaching Change Management Business Transformation Is Hard – Good Coaching Makes It a Lot Easier Business Transformation Is Hard – Good Coaching Makes It a Lot Easier CoachHub · 27 May 2022 · 5 min read Is business transformation hard? Well, few would argue that it’s easy. But how much harder is it when a company doesn’t adapt as fast as it should? In a world that’s rapidly evolving, inertia in the face of advancing technology, competitive pressure, customer demands or changing business conditions can have painful consequences. Coaching is an invaluable change management tool that can make the difference between a smooth and timely transformation and one that’s… not. Content What’s behind successful business transformation? How lack of engagement affects the bottom line Develop a coaching mindset to accelerate business transformation Inspirational Managers Coach People to Succeed Build a strong coaching culture to continually move an organization forward, faster What’s behind successful business transformation? Business transformation is a team sport. From the C-suite and strategists to the back office and front lines, successful transformation requires people across departments at all levels of the organization to work in harmony to effect lasting change. The desire to embrace a business transformation rests on how engaged employees are with the company—their involvement and enthusiasm for their work and their workplace. Unfortunately, the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 59% of employees lack interest, motivation or energy at work. Even the wildly-optimistic-by-comparison numbers from Statista—65% engaged in 2021—means that one-third of your people just aren’t that into you. How lack of engagement affects the bottom line Disengagement isn’t merely a lackadaisical attitude toward change. Even before you embark on a business or digital transformation journey, complacent employees are working against you. It is widely recognized that there is a direct correlation between employee engagement and profitability, productivity, safety, quality, retention and customer loyalty, all of which are markers of a company’s financial health and long-term viability. As you can imagine, it’s quite costly when 59% of employees aren’t really interested in their day-to-day responsibilities (much less the company as a whole). Some quick math: Iif you have 100 employees who make $50,000 per year and 59% of them aren’t engaged, that could be costing you almost $3 million per year in salary alone. Even if those disengaged employees are contributing at full tilt 50% of the time, it’s still costing you $1.5 million. Develop a coaching mindset to accelerate business transformation Disengaged employees top the list of business and digital transformation challenges, and there is a good reason to tackle the problem sooner rather than later. Overall, CoachHub estimates that return on investment from coaching ranges anywhere from 37% to 560%, with even the smallest estimate showing significant impact. There is no silver bullet for improving morale and motivation, but coaching can strengthen the manager/employee relationship and have a significant impact on engagement. The coaching mindset is about developing strengths and potential by: Empowering people and encouraging them to take responsibility Identifying individual strengths and using those as a springboard to further development Motivating and empowering individuals to excel Note that “fixing deficiencies” isn’t on the list. While there is a time and place for that kind of performance improvement guidance, focusing on the negative isn’t likely to improve how someone feels about themselves, their manager or the company. On the other hand, coaching for development is a powerful way to effect change. According to the International Coaching Federation, more than 70% of people who’ve received this type of positive coaching benefit from improved performance, stronger relationships and more effective communication skills, and 80% report higher self-confidence. All of this enables people to work more easily and productively with others. That’s a winning combination that can accelerate business transformation. Driving growth and impact with coaching Check out our free ebook Get the ebook Inspirational Managers Coach People to Succeed Learning how to bring out the best in people through developmental coaching lays the foundation for fully engaged, high-performing teams—a boon to companies in fast-paced and competitive industries that are undergoing more-or-less continuous business transformation. The Institute of Coaching identifies several skills that are inherent in developmental coaching, including: Active listening enables coaches to gain a true understanding of what someone is saying—and what they mean by what they’re saying—through their words, tone of voice, emotion and body language. The key elements of active listening are: paying attention, showing that you’re listening through body language and gestures, providing feedback by asking clarifying questions, deferring judgment, and responding appropriately and respectfully. Identifying saboteurs—those little voices inside people’s heads that tell them what they can’t do or achieve—and helping people overcome limiting beliefs is a powerful aspect of developmental coaching that opens up all sorts of possibilities. Saboteurs can drive people’s choices and decisions based on old ways of thinking or assumptions that may be flat-out wrong. Appreciative inquiry helps people move beyond a problem mindset to one of curiosity and opportunity that enables them to appreciate what is best about themselves and the company and discover/create more of what is good. This positive approach encourages them to take an active and collaborative role in the business or digital transformation journey. Skillful coaching enables people from all walks of life to recognize, nurture and lead with their strengths in any discipline, any department and at any level within the corporate hierarchy. It gives them the confidence to contribute ideas and roll up their sleeves to help—even if that just means embracing change or encouraging others to—no matter how complex the transformation or the organization. Leadership and Skills Development Programs Advance and support employees across the enterprise. Discover the program Build a strong coaching culture to continually move an organization forward, faster Coaching for business transformation needn’t stop at the manager level. CoachHub research found that a strong coaching culture increases employee engagement by 56%, because it moves coaching from an elitist, for-executives-only professional development privilege to a true tool for change that everyone can tap into to build their own coaching skills that: Improve the way people interact with each other Make giving and receiving feedback less scary and more productive Enable people to challenge, support and stretch ideas in a positive way Enrich conversations with customers and potential clients With business transformation and digital transformation happening on an ongoing basis, developing a coaching mindset and creating a coaching culture can help companies build a highly engaged workforce that enables them to innovate and evolve at the speed of change. Share Share Discover our categories Corporate Culture Professional Coaching Talent Management Workplace Wellness Read more about:Professional Coaching Change management The Dark Side of Organizational Change: How to Spot Signs of Failure and Take Action The Impact of Charismatic Leadership on Organizational Transformation Coming Together: A Grounded Theory Study of the Role of Coaching in the Mergers and Acquisitions Process Harnessing the power of change through coaching The Challenges of Digital Transformation Soft Skills The Power of Reciprocal Relationships in the Workplace: A Guide for HR Professionals Sharpening Your Focus: Tips for Improving Attention to Detail How Impression Management Impacts Your Professional Reputation The Availability Heuristic: Understanding and Overcoming its Pitfalls From Passive to Powerful: The Role of Self-Advocacy in Achieving Your Goals Understanding Coaching Haven’t Switched to Digital Coaching Yet? Here’s What You’re Missing Green Ocean Coaching Quarterly Coaching Insights Is It Time To Embrace the Technology Transformation of Coaching? Research in Coaching: It Is No Longer a Luxury, It Is Essential Last Articles The Role of Delayed Gratification in Building Resilience and Grit Work-Life Balance for the Sandwich Generation: Strategies for Employers The Cost of Quid Pro Quo: Why It’s Time to Rethink This Approach to Workplace Performance Client success stories Coca Cola supports its workforce with digital coaching Watch now What to read next By CoachHub 24 March 2023 The Role of Delayed Gratification in Building Resilience and Grit Find Out More By CoachHub 22 March 2023 Work-Life Balance for the Sandwich Generation: Strategies for Employers Find Out More By CoachHub 20 March 2023 The Cost of Quid Pro Quo: Why It’s Time to Rethink This Approach to Workplace Performance Find Out More Want to learn how CoachHub can work for your business? Request a demo now to learn more about the CoachHub digital coaching platform. Request demo