Research Paper: Enhanced Value of Coaching Realized in Continuity

Research Paper By Manish Soni
(Executive Coach, INDIA)

Archimedes’ Principle suggests that 90% of iceberg lie below the water, only a fraction is visible on the surface.

Similarly In coaching, answer to a problem statement can be found session by session, however the core of the issue is realized if a certain continuity is maintained. In such a case the client finds enhanced value from coaching. The client then has a new perspective and a different grip to handle the issue which would not have been possible in a single session.

The case study describes the journey of coaching, the client realized that initial problem statement was invalid once a certain clarity emerged during the sessions, further probing led the client discover newer elements. It was reaching to the core of the issue.

The applause got louder as Richard walked to the stage in his confident gait and dapper black suit to collect the best performance award at the annual event of Kairos International. Spain has done it again under his leadership. The award silenced Richard’s pears criticizing his promotion to newly created role as “Chief Strategy Officer” responsible for young products for entire Europe.

Six months later, staring at his screen, Richard had a worried look staring at the revenue charts for main European countries. He felt like a jaded athlete into last meters of his race, trying hard yet the finish line seems away. Young products revenue would have been on target if not for the shortfall from UK and France, the two countries have pulled him down. He is perplexed , The markets are good, his strategy is working in the bigger markets such as Germany and elsewhere, why not in these two countries ? In the newly assumed role, he had pressure to prove his mettle.

One Friday evening over some beers he shared his frustration with me, he was quizzed at his inability to understand the reasons of the shortfall. While I shared my experience as a coach, he asked if he could have a session of coaching with me, we agreed.

Kairos international, a major pharma player has presence in 60 countries. Like any other multi national enterprise, Kairos is driven with matrix organization, the reporting lines in reality a little different to the organogram. Results were achieved with subtle influence than through lines of authority.

The first session began with a problem statement “Why my Strategy isn’t working ”? Richard needed answers to it.

In a summarized pictorial, the session objectives and outcomes are explained. Verbosity and other coaching details have been avoided to provide the gist in a succinct way.

Richard started working on the factors affecting trust and his rapport with his peers. On the foundation of trust he was able to influence and secure their buy‐in, this led to effective implementation and execution of the strategy. It took a while but he met the young revenues target.

During the 12 weeks of our coaching journey, Richard felt that he was able to peel layer after layer to reach to the core of the issue. He committed himself to the action plan devised at the end of each session and was fully prepared at the beginning of the next one.

He felt that if the continuity in the coaching sessions was not maintained, he wouldn’t have been able to reach to the bottom of the iceberg. While he felt each coaching session was valuable, it was the continuity that greatly enhanced the value.