This is where the role of coaching steps in. It provides us with the much-required hand-holding that enables us to identify the root cause of our failures and helps us move ahead in life. Going by the definition, the term ‘coaching’ refers to a development process, which supports the individual in the course of attainment of either their personal or professional goal. The person under the coaching plan is called ‘coachee’ while the person coaching the coachee is referred to as the ‘coach’. Coaching can be either with a single individual or with a group of people in any specific field or multiple skills.
Coaching in the Indian context
In India for years, the term coaching has been used to refer to tutors and gradually it also became associated with sports. Unfortunately, for a long time in our country coaching only meant as guidelines, mentoring, teaching or even consulting.
However, this perception has changed in recent years and today coaches are seen assisting people in diverse fields whether it is professional or personal. ‘Executive Coaching’ has shed positive light in this direction and today companies consider it as a programme that develops potential employees and successful leaders.
Coaching is much more than what most of us can perceive. In today’s competitive environment, when professionals are trying hard to climb the corporate ladder, executive coaching can act as a breakthrough.
The increasing Indian economy and high business growth has brought new challenges for the companies’ CEOs including other professionals. If you are running a company or working for a company, you must be aware of how the processes, standards, objectives and aims of an organisation have changed in the last few decades. In an attempt to win the horse race, companies are now embracing the concept of executive coaching. This is evident from the 50 per cent industry growth in the recent years.
As per my experience and knowledge, I firmly believe that coaching can help us unleash our potential to the best of our ability. ‘Business and Leadership Coaching’ helps to overcome the daily work pressure employees are facing in their organisations today. It can help the top to lower management in motivating them and widening their thinking horizons, assist in building strategies, achieving the goals of the organisation and excel as a professional as well as an individual. Coaching has now come up as an industry and we should now roll up our sleeves to get the maximum of this highly beneficial and growing industry.
Why coaching?
Moving ahead, let us understand how ‘Leadership Coaching’ has become the need of the times.
The stiff competition that organisations are facing these days in domestic as well as the global market brings in fresh challenges for the companies to survive, strategise and prove their worth. Such challenges bring in immense stress not only for the companies’ CEOs but also for their executives at different levels. This high pressure acts the biggest hurdle in fulfilling the deliverables within the deadline. This is when a coach, a mentor or a guide brings a difference. Coaching plays a major role in preparing the professionals to change, transform and grow in the ever-changing business scenario.
It is a topic to mull how CEOs of big organisations deal with tremendous pressure. What makes them strong and stable in tough times? How do they take final calls in case of any turmoil? Well, they always have somebody to share their problems with, someone to guide them and someone they can confide in. One of the richest men in the world, Bill Gates, too believes that everyone should have a coach. There are several big entrepreneurs who have coach to guide them.
Retail industry and the need for coaching
If we talk about the retail industry, which is one of the fastest growing industries, we will surely understand why and how coaching in this sector can be very valuable. The retail industry has witnessed a rapid growth in the recent past and has seen tremendous hiring. Lucrative job offers and dynamic work profiles attract many to this industry. However, at the same time, retail jobs are very demanding and involve high pressure. Employees have long working hours at stores and even managers are always on the move. The staff is expected to have thorough product and competition knowledge. They must have the ability to provide a positive shopping experience to customers, have the necessary spirit to work as a team and should be able to achieve high sales target.
Every retailer seems anxious and is always trying to cope up with the new challenges that arise each day. The biggest challenge a retailer faces today and the questions that zit his mind are: Why are we experiencing high attrition in the retail industry? What are the reasons for shrinkage? How can workplace conflicts be brought under control, etc. There does not seem to be an easy solution to these complex problems. Most of the retailers do not know how to bring things in the right place.
In addition to business problems, there are behavioral issues as well to take into account. Have you ever thought about the reason of sexual abuse at workplaces? Why does a person react in an unacceptable manner? Are these habits by birth or developed behavioral patterns as a result of some personal life or childhood experiences? Every individual faces challenges in their life. Some bad experiences often build negative beliefs and behavioral patterns in them, which gradually turn into a habit as one grows old. People carry this negative belief and bring personal life problems at work, as they do not know how to maintain balance between their professional and personal life. And, this leads to conflicts at workplace, poor performance, health issues, etc. An individual’s poor performance collectively affects an organisation’s goal achievement.
However, there is still a way out to enhance people management skills and bring creative ideas for team motivation, which will ultimately boost the sales skills and make targets easily achievable. Incorporating coaching in the retail sector can bring a substantial change in the employees as well as in the working environment of the stores. Coaching works at the grass root level to bring an overall change in the organisation.
How does coaching works?
A unique approach is undertaken after considering the organisational as well as individual challenges to overcome and goals that are to be achieved. The approach is customised as per the need so that it acts as truly beneficial for the professional undergoing coaching journey. The aim of the coach is to bring about a visible change in the thinking, behaviour, action and beliefs of the individual.
A coach works with a coachee at the subconscious level and asks logical left-brain and creative right-brain questions. A coach identifies the root cause and negative beliefs that lead to failures and transforms those beliefs into positive ones. Thus, a coach ensures 100 per cent positive move towards success. In course of fulfilling your organisational or professional goals, coaching also benefits you at the personal level. This together brings an overall change in the thought process and performance of an individual.
So, if you are ready to achieve new levels of professional success with personal satisfaction, it is time to think about coaching!
About the company
The Chrysallis is a budding organisation, led by the principal coach Vandana Shah ‘ICF-ACC’, ‘certified Power Coach , Executive Power Coach and Group Power Coach from CLI, Canada, and also certified master practitioner NLP.
