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Moving Targets are Harder to Hit

The theme of this month’s Critical Coaching Conversation is goal setting, an integral part of coaching. Lauron Buys shares an example of coaching as a conversation that takes place in a productive, results-oriented environment. He uses an integration of results coaching’s goal-setting process and “The Dance of Insight”. This thought-provoking article is for coaching experts and novices alike.

by Lauron Buys

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
	The team at Lauron Buys Coaching Solutions cc are leaders-in-progress in their field.  Lauron can be contacted on 031 262 8625 or at lauron@lbcoaching.co.za. For more information, please visit http://www.lbcoaching.co.za/

Nandi knocked nervously on her manager’s door. Her manager, Eugene, the HR Director, had recently asked Nandi to head up a project to clean up the ad hoc coaching that was taking place within the organisation; and to put in place a formal process with external coaches. She had agreed, being passionate about coaching after having completed a coaching diploma during the previous year. The time had now come to set some goals for the project. It was the biggest challenge she had ever been given – a real chance to make her name. As she entered his office, her apprehension overtook her excitement.

“Hi, Nandi”, said Eugene, as he beckoned her to a chair alongside the round table in his office. “How are things going?”

“Gee, Eugene, I must say that I am a mixture of apprehension and adrenalin today. I am really excited about the new role you have asked me to perform within the organisation. At the same time, I am pretty apprehensive. I hope that’s normal.”

“I am sure it is always normal to be a little apprehensive when one starts on something new. I am confident that you are the right person for the job, as coaching has become somewhat of a passion for you over the last three years and, besides, you have always exceeded expectations in everything you have touched. If anyone can do it, you can. Now, shall we get started? Last time we agreed that you would go away and consider in broad terms what you believed to be the most important things that you would need to achieve if this project was to fly effectively. Would you like to share your thoughts with me?”

“Yes, I think I need to ensure that the coaching structure I put in place isn’t a standalone structure, but that it actually helps the organisation achieve its strategic imperatives. I would see the development of leadership as being a primary focus. Also, with the new emphasis on project teams, I think I need to find ways to ensure that these teams find the appropriate coaching support in order to work.”

“So what I am hearing you say is that you need to identify exactly which areas of the business need coaching support and to especially focus on those that have arisen in the organisation as strategic imperatives. Do I have this right?’

“Yes, I think that’s right.”

“Okay, what else do you think you would need to achieve during the period we are covering?”

“Well, I think we need to get the right external coaches in the structure. At the moment, as you know, there are no criteria for the appointment of a coach and often coaches are appointed because managers meet them at a function, they seem nice and they sell themselves well. Some of them are pretty good but some seem, at best, to be average. It is also difficult to measure just how good they are.”

“Are you saying that a goal would be to ensure that we get the best coaches for our organisation?”

“Yes. We also need to identify the right criteria that will help us choose the right coaches for our organisation. There needs to be some kind of standardisation in the way that they are appointed.”

“Okay, if I understand you correctly, the appointment of the right coaches, however we end up framing it, is the goal and the identification of the right criteria to make those appointments would be one of the strategies we put in place to ensure the goal is reached. Is that how you see it?”

“Actually, that does make it clear to me. Yes, I am happy with that distinction.”

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