What is organisational coaching?
Unlocking Potential: The Power of Organisational Coaching
Coaching has gained significant popularity in recent years, with a growing number of individuals and businesses incorporating it into their services. However, there are many different types of coaching, each serving distinct purposes.
At Parbery, one of the coaching services we offer is organisational coaching.
Organisational Coaching – What Is It?
Organisational coaching is a collaborative process that aims to improve the performance and culture of an entire team or organisation. Typically, an organisational coach will be engaged by a manager or senior leader to work with individuals and teams on a particular work-related issue or area that needs attention.
As an organisational coach, we are always in service to the organisation that hires us (rather than the individual or team we are coaching). The goal is to get the best results for the organisation.
Does this mean we don’t care about the people we’re coaching? Absolutely not! When a manager or leader hires an organisational coach it’s because they understand the importance of creating alignment between an organisation and the people who work there. If your people aren’t engaged, your job as a leader is 10x harder and your organisation will suffer.
Organisational Coaching – What It’s Not
There are a few common coaching types that organisational coaching is often confused with. Let’s unpack what organisational coaching is not.
- Life coaching – Life coaching focuses on personal growth and goals, while organisational coaching concentrates on aligning individual strengths with the organisation’s goals. Organisational coaching absolutely includes working 1:1 with the humans within those organisations and understanding what drives them, but the focus is on their experience at work.
- Career counselling – Career counselling focuses on helping individuals make informed decisions about their career paths, whether that involves job transitions, skill development, or educational choices. Organisational coaching may uncover some truths about career or job fit, but your coach will not be able to tell you whether you’re in the right job and which other options to pursue if you’re not. The focus is on creating a high-performing environment that supports individual growth aligned with organisational goals, addresses challenges, and fosters leadership development.
- Mentoring – Mentoring is usually focussed on developing a connection over time, with someone who has walked a similar path and/or can offer advice as well as guidance toward broad goals and career/personal progression. Organisational coaching is more structured, using questioning and facilitated discussion to develop actions and goals toward a specific outcome. Organisational coaches rarely provide advice, but we will help you find your own answers!
3 Things You Might Not Know About Organisational Coaching
- It’s Not Just for Struggling Teams: Many believe that coaching is only for organisations facing significant issues. In reality, even high-performing teams can benefit from coaching by identifying areas for improvement and achieving even greater heights.
- Focus on Culture Change: Organisational coaching often boosts cultural transformation, helping to align values, behaviours, and goals. This creates a more cohesive and motivated workforce, leading to higher engagement and retention rates. This is perfect for when there’s been a restructure, change of leadership or other change that impacts the way a team works.
- Measurable Outcomes: Coaching is not just an abstract concept; it produces tangible results. Many organisations that invest in coaching report increased productivity, employee satisfaction, and profitability—demonstrating that coaching is a strategic investment, not just a cost. Most coaching engagements are for a fixed period of time with a set outcome, so you can track progress and deliverables.
Ready to Transform Your Organisation?
If you’re looking to enhance your organisation’s performance, culture, and leadership capabilities, consider investing in organisational coaching. We will work with you to create a tailored coaching strategy that aligns with your goals and unlocks the full potential of your workforce.
Let’s connect and explore how coaching can support meaningful change in your organisation.
Reach out anytime to Jessica Baxter, Principal, Organisational Transformation – Jessica.baxter@parbery.com.au
