The Business Coaching Toolkit

INTRODUCTION

The Evolution of Professional Coaching

The professional coaching industry has undergone a significant evolution over the past several years. The use of business and executive coaches has become mainstream and the results are in—coaching works! Business coaches and consultants are commonly used to help smooth the transition of a new executive, provide hands-on training for a high-potential manager, strengthen relationships between team members, and help business owners achieve higher levels of success. But as the industry evolves, we see several trends emerging; some are exciting while others give us pause.

TOP FIVE TRENDS IN PROFESSIONAL COACHING

TREND ONE: Manager as Coach

More and more companies, both large and small, are starting to add another responsibility to busy managers’ plates—coaching. It is common for today’s managers to refer to one-on-one meetings with their associates as a coaching session and for some of these managers to be enrolled in a coach training program. There are three primary reasons for this trend. First, companies want to publicly recognize the capabilities of their best managers by giving them an official designation: Coach. It provides these leaders a platform to solve problems with other leaders and to facilitate teams within the organization. Second, it is a way for companies to give people a level of prestige within the company. Being chosen by your peers as a person who demonstrates exceptional communication skills and finds creative ...