Custom essays on Critical Analysis of the concept of performance coaching as a tool to improve individual performance.

1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The major purpose of the study is to reveal the impact of coaching on individual performance. The primary objective of this study is gain a clear understanding of performance coaching as an empowerment tool that can eventually assist and drive individuals’ performance – ultimately having a group of driven people who can take the organisation to a higher performing organisation – world class business. In terms of the aforementioned the following key objectives will be explored:-

– To clearly understand the meaning of performance coaching and key elements linked with this definition
– To identify the requisite skills, knowledge, personal qualities and role of the coach
– To discover any improvement in individual personal performance that can reasonable be attributed to the coaching intervention
– To formulate recommendations for leaders and managers within the organisation on how to set up a coaching programme that is not only successful but also sustainable
– To be in a position to give inputs and suggestion for future researchers
1.5 DEMARCATION OF RESEARCH FIELD
The research focuses on the study of coaching and its influences on individual performance and value of implementing a coaching programme within organisations and the benefits of same. We will agree that employee development should be a critical discussion with employees and a process whereby an approach is devised which will both boost and develop an individual employee’s proficiency level and promote his/her advancement within the organisation through the process of talent management.

Many organisations identify talent for the organisation through structured coaching and mentoring sessions. Talent management refers to the process of developing. Hence, coaching has been seen as a key to opening up this talent pool for organisations – it allows leaders to understand their talent – their needs and abilities to feature in the sustaining the organisation and taking it to a higher performing organisation as mentioned earlier. High performing organisations apply a great deal of energy into creating a balanced climate for development, supporting and encouraging employees at all levels of the organisation to identify and pursue their career goals and integrating new employees, developing and retaining current employees, and attracting highly skilled workers to work for an organisation. The term was coined by Watkins (1998) of Softscape which was published in an article. The process of attracting and retaining profitable employees, as it is increasingly more competitive between firms and of strategic importance, has come to be known as “the war for talent.”

 
1.6 EXPLANATIONS OF KEY CONCEPTS AND THEIR DIFFERNCES
Williams (2008) displays and explains these key concepts and their inherent differences in a simplistic summary:-

Table 1. Key concepts and their differences.
Counselling/Therapy Mentoring Consulting Coaching
Primarily deals with a person’s past and trauma and seeks healing. Primarily deals with succession training and seeks to help someone do what you do. Primarily deals with problems and seeks to provide information (expertise, stratgey, structures, and methodologies) to solve them. Primarily deals with the present and seeks to guide a person into a more desirable future.
Doctor- patient relationship (Therapist has the answers). Older/Wiser – Younger/less experienced relationship (Mentor has the answers). Expert-problem owner relationship (consultant has the answers). Co-creative equal partnership (Coach helps employee discover their own answers).
Assumes emotions are symptom of something this is wrong. Is limited to emotional response. Does not normally address or deal with emotions. Assumes emotions are natural and normalises them.
The therapist must diagnose and then provides professional expertise and guidelines that will begin the path to healing. The mentor allows observations of his/her behaviour, expertise, answers, questions, provides guidance and wisdom for the state purpose of mentoring. The consultant stands back, evaluates a situation and then diagnosis he problem and suggests how to fix it. The coach stands with you and helps you identify the challenges, then works with you to turn challenges into victories and hold you ultimately accountable to reach your desired goals.

 
1.7 SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS
This dissertation is for anyone who wants to understand the importance of performance coaching in an organisation and the ultimate benefits of this concept. In particular focus will be give to Absa Bank Limited as an organisation due to the fact they newly introduced the concept of performance coaching, which is currently in its “teething phase”. To begin with, the researcher will clarify what is meant by coaching, secondly the researcher will illustrate key models of coaching, thirdly the researcher will display the effective methods via which coaches can transfer learning and accelerated empowerment within the organisation and lastly but not least the researcher will go onto share the rise in interest amongst executives and directors in coaching and its success and sustainability. In conclusion the research will examine the manner in which the aforementioned impacts and benefits and organisation like Absa Bank Limited.

The final section will focus on designing a coaching programme which will be a model that can be applied in Absa Bank Limited. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) issued a survey report wherein it was found that employees’ job performance is a function of their ability, their motivation to engage with their work, and the opportunity to deploy their ideas, abilities and knowledge effectively. Coaching contributes to this by offering an opportunity to improve the motivation and skills of employees, and enhance their performance. The coaching model that will be implemented within the banking organisation will predict to deliver the deliver the following:-

– developing employee skills in line with organisational objectives
– engaging employees’ with their work, making them feel valued and fostering commitment to the organisation
– promoting self-responsibility and initiative, and facilitating adaptation to new challenges and change
– accommodating and supporting employees’ obligations to their home lives so that they are productive and effective while they are at work.

By improving the performance of individuals, coaching should enable the organisation to achieve superior performance in terms of labour productivity, cost effective investment in HR, quality, innovation and customer satisfaction.

Chapter two will focus on the literature review on performance coaching. In addition chapter two will expand on the theory of the growth model as well as five-step staff coaching model which presents a structure of proven techniques for acquiring immense outcomes from all your team members no matter what their current performance levels.

Chapter three will examine the methodology used in the research, including the way the sample will be selected, the questionnaires design and layout, the data collation process and the manner in which the data will be examined. Chapter four will centre on the investigation of the results and findings extracted from the primary data will be gathered for the purpose of this research. The quantitative results will be presented in a number of ways.

Chapter five will focus on how the results documented in chapter four support and relate to the theory discussed in chapter two and will include a qualitative discussion of how the proficiency is used and necessary to implement a coaching programmes. Recommendations regarding these findings for management and for future research and the conclusion of the research will be discussed in chapter six.