Is the time right for self-coaching?

Some six years ago, I began to explore in detail the principles of coaching as I could see the benefits and potential for managers in leading and developing themselves and their teams. For the previous ten years I had been facilitating the development of senior managers through a combination of academic programmes and my own action-learning style of questioning in combination with individual and group discussion, self- awareness and self- development exercises and some NLP techniques.

Through a bizarre set of circumstances though (beyond the scope of this article I might add), my early plans for developing and running programmes to train managers as coaches became somewhat sidetracked.

What I identified was that coaching was obviously a very powerful tool but that there were some key pitfalls potentially with how it was being conventionally delivered. For me these were;

• the ongoing time intensive committment required
• the importance of the coach/coachee relationship
• the high potential costs involved due to the 1:1 structure
• the possibility of the coachee becoming dependent on the coach

To overcome these I began to investigate whether it was possible to ‘self-coach’ – in other words allow an individual to learn and develop the skills and abilities to coach themselves and improve their own aspiration, performance and achievement. In addition, I also wanted to explore delivering this as a facilitated course that could be delivered to a small group so as to minimise costs and maximise the use of time.

As a consequence then, a colleague and I put together and ran our first self-coaching programme using the traditional coaching methodologies and exercises available.

Whilst a success for the majority of people on it, I wasn’t convinced the coaching methodologies used were fit for purpose, so I set about developing my own, building on my knowledge and experience of them and taking on board the best self-development and NLP exercises too. As a consequence RIDFEAR® was born!

So over the last five years we have continuously refined and developed the methodology and the structure of the course and the outcome is – IT WORKS!

It underpins all our management development programmes to help managers and leaders understand themselves and more and deliver improvements where necessary. But where it has had most success is with individuals facing and coming to terms with change.

Over one hundred people have now experienced the programme in various forms with some spectacular results.

We have proven that the concept and methodology works with all adult age groups from students to those about to retire, from those unemployed or facing redundancy, redeployment or restructuring. It works with junior employees and senior executives but has also demonstrated spectacular results with women returning to work and also in helping resolve personal issues outside work that many individuals have and impact upon their work performance.

Our work with employers facing restructuring and redundancy has been particularly satisfying.  It has been wonderful to see individuals traumatised by the fear of unemployment and the unknown suddenly have belief again.  They can understand themselves and their strengths, realise what they want to and can do, overcome restraints and develop plans to achieve their new potential. To have done this in a cost and time effective way too has also been particularly satisfying.

Given today’s Public Spending Review, we have demonstrated that there are very cost-effective ways of supporting those facing change and redundancy. The concept and methodology’s time has surely now come.

Which organisations are going to demonstrate a real committment to supporting their staff through these difficult times and be prepared to try something new, albeit well proven? Who are the real leaders and innovators, who will be the followers and who wont care?

For more information see:    www.ridfear.co.uk

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