Despite trends toward humanizing the customer experience, corporations tend to circumnavigate the human side of our work in relation to their own employees. We create a false reality that, if all calculated factors go as planned, then a certain calculated reaction should follow. We leave no room for variables such as the impact of fatigue, relationships, and stress on productivity and outcomes. We also think that by encouraging practices such as cognitive behavior therapy and talk therapy, we make great strides toward providing our people with the emotional support they need. Yet, even if we do schedule these appointments, we have to carve out time and force ourselves into the right headspace for that concentrated period of time. The harsh reality is that our bodies do not work that way—we all need someone on call to help clear our minds so we can move forward. We need some kind of support made available to help us with tough decisions as we deal with them. So how do we fuse this into the workday?
It is a proven fact that people need to feel valued and motivated to perform well and to act in good character. Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO (https://qz.com/1596102/former-google-ceo-eric-schmidt-discusses-why-silicon-valley-needs-coaches/) suggests that tech people are already self-confident. As part of the industry, I agree that technologists tend to be aware of their abilities, sure of their solutions to problems, and certain about their roles in society. However, people need more than a strong internal self-esteem; they also crave external validation and inspiration to continue climbing to new heights. Many people turn toward mentors to fill this void, and as both a mentor and a mentee, I value (and advocate for) those relationships. Yet, I see a strong need for coaches in addition to mentors. While mentors give advice based on their own experiences and exposure to the situation, coaches use methods that empower individuals to come to their own conclusions. I believe we need both, and I think that the Wendy Rhoades character in Billions is a great role model for corporate coaches.
“You’re ignoring the quiet (voice) inside…that’s the voice that got you here and it’s still there if you’re willing to listen. What is that voice telling you?” During this scene, Wendy Rhoades, an in-house hedge fund psychiatrist played by Maggie Siff in Showtime’s Billions(https://www.sho.com/billions), uses a number of different tactics. One of them is a strategy to get her client to drum up his own insights. Another is using the GROW model—a series of questions and ways to frame the conversation to help clients set the goal, define their own realities, uncover the options available, and commit to the steps they are willing to take to approach the problem. Wendy’s tactics work for three additional reasons: 1) A coach like Wendy is an independent person who understands people on an empathic level and can call them out on their nonsense; 2) A coach like Wendy doesn’t have skin in the game, so she is free from bias to lead her clients toward any outcome; and 3) A coach like Wendy is engaged with the firm as a whole; thus, she understands the big picture in accordance with the firm's mission.
Adopting a corporate coaching service can help transform teams by starting at the individual level. From my experience, this type of support not only influences employees on an emotional level, but also reaps benefits of high performance. Renowned executive coach Jason Jaggard (http://jasonjaggard.com/) made a monumental move in 2018 by sharing a simple reality: the dictionary definition of integrity, he said, does not actually mean what it means to us when we use it colloquially. The definition of integrity is, simply stated, doing what you say you are going to do. While mentors can shine light on how to do something, coaches will hold you accountable to it, which benefits both the individual and the team.
And so, I encourage you to cultivate a corporate coaching culture that embraces talk therapy, incites accountability, and empowers individuals to perform better while feeling better. I recommend tuning into Billions (https://www.sho.com/billions) to see a depiction of what it means to coach in the corporate world, and I urge you to foster an environment where this type of support is encouraged and valued.
Clara Conti is a serial entrepreneur, senior executive, and change agent. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter (@ClaraConti).
The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions, strategies or opinions.