5 steps to creating a coaching culture that will last 🏁

You want to bring coaching into your organization. 

You don’t want people to see it as the new flavor of the month.

So how do you do it? 

You build it into your culture.

Building it into your culture requires a plan, action, and consistency.

Create a plan that lays out what coaching will look like and how it will be integrated into your organization.

Start with a simple but clear plan that defines the:

1. Vision for coaching — purpose, benefits

2. Key players — those integral to the program’s success

3. Budget — for coaching skills development, and ongoing program implementation

4. Type of coaching offered — individual, group, team

5. Employee eligibility — ideally all levels

6. People who coach — external coaches, internal, or combination

7. Coaching model/framework to be used — for a consistent structure

8. Frequency of coaching — monthly, weekly, daily

9. Tracking and accountability criteria — to make sure it happens 

10. Measures for success — to make sure it’s working

Looking for a coaching model or framework?

Here are a couple to checkout:

GROW Model

You, Me, We Agree Framework

To see coaching as a culture change, coaches — especially internal — need to see a commitment to invest in helping them develop the skills they need. 

You need to move them from telling...

To asking...

Create a coaching training program:

• Communicate the coaching vision and plan 

• Provide training on how to coach at your organization

• Provide training to develop their coaching-specific skills

• Set clear expectations

• Share accountability criteria

💡Success Tip: Check out this Byte on how to set clear expectations

Looking for a primer on how to coach?

Check out these Bytes on coaching skills:

Learn to coach through questions

Differences: Coaching & Advice

For employees to see coaching as part of the culture, it needs to happen consistently and they need to experience value from it. 

That starts with clear communication about:

• Why it’s being introduced — communicate the coaching vision

• What it looks like — specifically at your organization

• What's in it for them — benefits to their personal growth and development

• Who's doing the coaching — the people/roles and training they'll receive

• When they’ll get coached — define the frequency and schedule of coaching sessions

• How coaches will be held accountable — so they trust it'll actually happen

When employees believe coaching is how things are going to be done around here...

Quality and consistency are key elements to demonstrating commitment. 

Actually coaching people is what’s going to take them…

from this...

to this...

Culture is created through consistent action, not intention. 

Having a plan isn’t enough, you need to:

• Execute on it

• Track it 

• Hold people accountable 

3 key questions to keep track: 

1. Are the coaches coaching? 

2. Do employees say they’re being coached? 

3. Are the measures of success being achieved? 

If you executed on your plan, you just might find…

Having a coaching program doesn’t necessarily mean you have a coaching culture.

Quiz

Which of the following employee statements might signal coaching is starting to become part of your culture?

My manager…

a) ... gives me helpful advice on my performance

b) ... clearly communicates what’s expected of me

c) ... helps me think through what’s holding me back

d) ... provides insightful reviews of my performance

If you want to make coaching a part of your culture, start with a plan and follow through!