LC Extension

When a company is chasing growth, it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers. Organizations are under such pressure to keep outperforming themselves that profits, revenue, and units sold can feel like the only metrics that matter.  

But really, growth starts in a human place — with the people who make up our teams. It’s only by empowering employees to become their best professional selves that companies can truly grow in a big picture sense, thinking beyond the daily grind to become leaders and innovators in their fields. That’s why companies who cultivate a strong culture of coaching see real benefits in areas like profitability, shareholder value and large-scale strategic change, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. 

One-on-one communication, coaching and feedback are integral to growth. Thoughtful, personalized guidance sets the stage for professional growth, benefiting both people and the organizations they work for.  

A multifaceted tool for business development  

Retention, innovation and job satisfaction are important to companies everywhere. Direct feedback can support all of these goals, when it’s delivered carefully and consistently.  

When employees get personal coaching, they see clearly that their company is invested in their growth, as long as the coaching is delivered from a place of support and care. In a tight labour market where the reason for 22 per cent of resignations is to pursue career development elsewhere, that makes coaching a powerful tool to boost retention. 

Coaching is also the perfect way to help employees feel more connected to your company’s greater mission. A sense of purpose is incredibly important for job satisfaction, especially for Generation Z and Millennials. But it can be difficult for workers to connect broad, abstract mission statements to the day-to-day realities of their jobs. Coaching and feedback sessions are a powerful opportunity to connect the daily grind back to your company’s mission, vision and values, and increase job satisfaction by showing people that they’re part of something that matters.  

Coaching has another surprising benefit — supporting innovation. If it’s approached in an empathetic, supportive way, frequent coaching and one-on-one feedback doesn’t just inspire people to do better. It actually helps them feel safe, comfortable and connected to others at work. That adds up to an environment of psychological safety, a crucial precursor to collaboration, innovation, and creative risk-taking.  

Culture first 

Before coaching begins, companies must set the stage by creating a workplace culture where their people feel safe and comfortable receiving feedback at all. That means cultivating mutual respect between all levels of employees, and ensuring leaders take on a supportive rather than authoritative role while visibly living by the company values that they preach.  

Educating leaders and managers on how to coach in a respectful, collaborative and productive way is a discipline unto itself. Experts like Brené Brown have recommended approaching those being coached as equals and collaborators, while Harvard Business Review advises making coaching communication clear and frequent, with actionable takeaways and objectives.  

LC Extension offers expert training and workshops to take your company’s leadership coaching skills to the next level. Book your consultation now.