Worried About Coaching
Elaine Varelas offers advice on receiving coaching in the workplace.
Q: I just learned that my company wants me to work with a coach for a few months. I’m not sure how to react to this, especially since some of my coworkers have been hinting that this could be a “last resort” before being let go. I’ve been in my current role for about a year and have been doing a solid job…I think. What does this mean? Should I be worried?A:
Congratulations, you are important enough to have a coach! Companies who hire coaches for their employees are making an investment in them. Your coworkers may be hinting that it’s a last resort before being separated from the organization, but most employers are not going to make a financial investment on an individual they don’t think has a future with the organization. What it does mean is they think you are a “keeper” and you may have some developmental areas to be addressed. Your upcoming coaching engagement could be a means of getting you ready for a promotion or increased responsibilities. Yes, it could be something that is considered remedial, but don’t let that—or your coworkers’ negativity—impact your willingness to invest fully in this experience and learn from the coach. Take this opportunity to do an honest assessment of what you do well and what areas you could develop and grow in terms of your skill set.
This also gives you a terrific opportunity to talk to your manager about how you are perceived on the job. You think you have been doing a solid job—now you can find out for sure. Does your manager agree? Does he or she think you have a future at the organization and in what capacity? Be willing to ask the difficult questions to get direct clear feedback about your position within the organization.
If your coworkers have been hinting about this being a cause for concern, ask them to be more direct. What do they think your challenges are or what have they heard about your role in the organization? You are always better off dealing with solid information and candid answers to difficult questions instead of worrying about unfounded rumors. Your coworkers might also be basing their assumptions on their own knowledge of the company’s history with the use of coaching or its use at other organizations. There are times when a company decides to use a coach in a remedial situation where the goal is to keep an employee, but the organization feels that the odds are against it working. If you discover this is the case, make the most of the developmental opportunity to help you succeed, at your current company or elsewhere. Again, most companies don’t use coaching this way, and coaching firms don’t recommend it. Organizations don’t invest in employees they don’t see bringing significant value to the team, now and in the future.
Being offered a coach should be an exciting if challenging opportunity that shows that the company is interested in your development and wants to see you grow and succeed in the organization. Congrats and good luck!
