Power, responsibility and results

Coaching is a working relationship. It is not something that happens spontaneously. It is a commitment that you make with a person or organization in order to obtain a result and in the process a transformation occurs that improves the quality of life and performance of the coachee.

As a coach you have to be willing to work, get involved, demonstrate willingness and be willing to share the responsibility for the outcome. It is a two-way street.

Employees who have stated that they give less than 50% of their capabilities refer to several reasons, apart from salary, the main dissatisfactions are related to poor working conditions, lack of power and autonomy, lack of recognition, lack of professional growth opportunities, poor training plans, routine work without challenges and lack of communication.

These situations frustrate them and they do not feel motivated to perform the assigned tasks. There is no real commitment to the organization. Being the human capital the main responsible for productivity, it is normal that coaching services are highly demanded nowadays.

Power in coaching

According to the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) power is: To have the faculty or power to do something / To have the facility, time or place to do something / To have more strength than someone.

And the Oxford Languages dictionary refers to power as:

• To have the capacity or power to do a certain thing / To be in a position to do a certain thing because there is nothing to prevent it.
• Synonyms of poder include: strength, vigor, capacity, ability, possibility, poderio.
• It can also refer to the ability of a person to influence the behavior of others.

Power as such does not have to have a negative connotation, although it is often related to excesses, abuses, despotism, oppression and submission according to the strategies applied by leaders and managers to influence their subordinates.

Each person has his or her own conception of power depending on his or her training, education and experience. It is necessary to reflect and find a personal formula, a personal definition of what power is and extract from it the necessary strength to achieve our purposes with success and independence. This is repeated as empowerment. Confidence and high self-esteem are key factors that coaching works on. Having that power does not imply taking it away from others.

Convincing ourselves that we have the ability to overcome obstacles and succeed. This is valid for both the coach and the coachee.

A coach's way of assessing and considering situations is invaluable. Their personality and drive, their purpose to improve and obtain tangible results is one of the characteristics that can separate them from the competition and attract clients; because they know they have the power to help them.

This confidence must be transmitted to the coachee and work to develop it in every action that is planned. One of the fundamentals of coaching is recognizing that the mind is the biggest source of interference. Have an "I can do it" attitude and work on the internal obstacles to empowerment.

Accountability in coaching

Accountability is a value that builds trust and offers peace of mind in relationships. It implies that the person pays attention to what he/she does or decides and monitors the outcome. Establishing responsibilities determines the role that each person will play in the actions taken, the extent of his or her participation and implies a recognition of the consequences.

The coaching process requires continuous interaction and communication between stakeholders. Responsibility for the outcome is shared between the coach and the coachee; the failure of one is the failure of the other.

The coach must be willing to give 100% of his or her ability and take responsibility for the outcome. Especially in the business world, which is a highly competitive environment and the survival of the company depends on the achievement of the goals.

It is the coach's job to identify the lessons and take advantage of the experience acquired so that the coachee faces future situations with a better preparation and the most positive attitude possible.

Results in coaching

When we make a commitment to a person or organization we acquire a responsibility and have a duty to get results. That said, the coach's main concern has to be the person in his or her charge.

A coach must be aware at all times of the effect that the process has on the coachee in such a way that his or her health or well-being is not sacrificed in pursuit of the blind fulfillment of the agreed goals.

Here are some elements of the coaching process that can help to achieve better results:

• Identify the problem, obstacle or situation that is holding back progress.

• Find out the origin of the problem and its possible causes.

• Check the coachee's expectations about the results of the process.

• Maintain constant observation, follow-up and communication with the coachee.

• Listen and show empathy.

• Highlight the positive aspects and strengths of the client.

These issues are elucidated through the sessions. At the beginning of the process, when the relationship is established, the parties come to an agreement. Find the starting point and determine the goal they want to achieve. In this initial phase it is important to establish a level of trust and complicity, to confirm if they will be a good team.

The process is divided into phases that are developed in a determined number of sessions (from 4 to 10), so a strict methodology must be followed. This does not detract from the fact that it is personalized and flexible enough to adapt to the coachee's needs.

No matter what method and tools are chosen, the possibilities are numerous but the objectives must be clearly outlined. They must be specific, realistic and measurable. The time it will take to achieve them should also be recorded in the action plan. Everything must be detailed to avoid misunderstandings. The coach's capacity for analysis and observation is fundamental. At the end of the process there must be a balance of what has been achieved and learned. A factor that differentiates coaching from other services is that clients must apply the self-coaching in future situations.

Benefits of business coaching

The coaching process accelerates personal growth and therefore directly benefits the business, which has more prepared, motivated and satisfied people. Some of the benefits of hiring a coaching service are:

• Identifies the causes of poor performance and counterproductive behaviors.

• Increases employee performance because it works with motivations.

• Discover new capabilities in people and develop strategies to develop them.

• Increases business productivity.

• Develops leadership and teamwork skills.

• Improves communication and interpersonal relationships among employees.

• Promotes a culture of training and learning in the business.

• Offers tools to face situations of change and uncertainty.