Coaching the coaches
Growth and development are given high priority at SNS IT. The company invests in its employees’ talents. And challenges them to do the best they can. MT members actively contribute to this by coaching forty managers and senior employees in the organisation. Each MT member did this on the basis of his/her own insights and experience. This is why SNS IT decided to professionalise its coaching approach.
Professional approach
Berenschot organised three half-day workshops. The workshops provided practical guidelines and advice for managing by coaching. MT members gained insight into their own expertise. And the possibility of further developing their expertise. The result?
- MT members acquired a professional coaching approach.
- Consistent and clear coaching structures within SNS IT.
- More conscious use of each other’s qualities. Based on a number of factors, such as the ability to identify one’s own limitations.
- A positive contribution to team building for the MT as a whole.
Case studies from actual practice
Ad Nuijten, Berenschot Consultant: “The coaching theme was central to each workshop. The precise content was developed along the way. This was done on the basis of the participants’ progress and their own needs following the completion of a session. Where possible we used case studies from actual practice at SNS IT to illustrate the theory. And used them as a means for learning together and from each other.”
Teaching how to coach
The workshops dealt with various elements:
- Recognising the difference between coaching as a manager and coaching as a coach. And to link consequences to this.
- Demonstrating and discussing coaching dos and don’ts and pitfalls. In part on the basis of examples within SNS IT itself.
- Practicing basic skills. Such as contracting, conversation skills, dealing with resistance, giving feedback.
- Providing insight into the strengths and weaknesses of each individual’s personal style. By becoming aware of own motives, qualities and limitations.
Better relationships within the MT
Alexander Baas, Director SNS IT: “Thanks to the sessions we were able to professionalise our coaching skills. In a short time we learned the dos and don’ts of coaching. Thanks to Berenschot’s professionals who were clearly close to the subject matter. The selected approaches resulted in better relationships within the MT. The sessions reenergized us. This is why everyone on our MT wanted to pursue these meetings with an open agenda. Guided by Berenschot consultants.”
