Executive coaching and leadership training has been shown to provide a 529% return on investment. Does that statistic get you thinking about how you’d like that kind of ROI for your own career or business? I also hope it gets you thinking about how you’ve been using your training and career development budget, and wondering how Leader’s Edge can help you to maximize that.
Here are Some Questions to Consider:
Have you participated in any kind of corporate/career training or business workshop?
If so, can you name a specific skill or behavioural change you learned?
If you’re like me, then you’ve been to dozens of these things. I’ve seen some dynamic speakers and learned some interesting concepts – some that I’ve retained – but I’ve rarely seen a business/career workshop that successfully translated into improved performance/behaviour for the workshop participants.
Why This Is:
Training sessions and seminars are an excellent tool; they’re a great way to present new ideas and convey a large amount of information in a time-effective manner. However, in order to truly implement positive learning and change in your life and career, there must be a plan in place that provides ongoing support and charts a course for development.
The Secret Weapon of Top Business Professionals: Coaching
Coaching, in the business sense, involves an individual or individuals advancing personally and professionally through receiving ongoing reinforcement, encouragement, guidance and direction from an executive coach. Because that coach is trained to look and listen for the skills and behaviours found in exemplary leaders, and to draw those out of the individual, usually the individual will achieve his or her goals significantly faster than someone who isn’t working with a coach.
So, what kind of things might you look at with your coach? Generally, a coach helps you understand your strengths and skills, how they are best utilized in your workplace/organization, and how you might best manage your weaknesses. Coaching enables people to integrate newly learned skills and training into the work environment. And integration occurs most rapidly with ongoing one-on-one coaching.
The University of British Columbia reports that training increases effectiveness by 28% but that training followed by coaching increases effectiveness by 88%. That’s more than 3 times the effectiveness, for only a small added investment! So, what would you do with that increase in productivity and effectiveness? How would that translate for you: would it mean more money, more time, or both? Time to consider some coaching?
Phil Ohl is the Principal of The Leader's Edge.
As a world-class athlete, performance expert and professional educator, Phil uses his insights and experience to help organizations perform at a higher level.
