Can Transformational Coaches Really Make a Difference in Workplaces?

Most organisations would place the gap in their leadership skills as their biggest challenge.

In conversation with Rajeev Shroff, Fractional CEO of Cupela  and Transformational coach and consultant to understand corporate concepts such as leadership consulting, work-life coaches and succession planning

Leadership coaching to business professionals! Are Indian corporates ready to embrace organisational and attitudinal change through such leadership coaching? Or do we still lag behind in terms of investing in attitudes and work vibes and not just on targets and results?
Most organisations would place the gap in their leadership skills as their biggest challenge. When companies interview candidates for the role of a leader, they evaluate the past records and achievements. But simultaneously, the heads of Human Resources as well as Learning and Development functions also insist on measurable results. Because the ultimate apprehension is whether the ROI will add value to the organization or not.

Leaders today understand the value of investing in cultivating the right workplace attitude. Organisations like NASSCOM, iSpirit, HYSEA are encouraging their industry leaders and entrepreneurs to volunteer and contribute to the next generation, by mentoring. In fact, we have more than 10,000 coaches in our country – industry veterans willing to share their professional experiences, that will massively boost the momentum towards building leadership capabilities.
Just as the demand for quality has driven us into integration with the digital world, the trends currently show that investing in inculcating as well as nurturing emotional intelligence, will ultimately lead to a positive work environment.

What are the three points that leadership consulting or work-life coaches touch upon for employees or CEO or leaders to bring out a change?
Harnessing curiosity towards continuous learning and self-improvement – The change should be in an individual’s perspective of looking at a situation while being just and at the same time, evolving as a professional.
Self-introspection that enhances decision making – The ability to take an honest deep-dive into one’s conscience, tap into the hidden potential, and develop one’s instinctive acumen.
Mindfulness toward the work environment – Going beyond oneself, to cater to the people, their emotions and needs. Thus, propagating transparent communication and building empathetic work relationships.

Are there any case studies or data that can drive home the point that transformational coaches can indeed bring in a difference to the workplace and procedures followed?
Yes. There is often a constant need for measurable goals in most of the coaching programmes. I would like to cite a case study of a scenario where I have been personally involved. To make it easier, let’s divide this case study into three portions:

The Beginning: A top-level executive lacked confidence in his leadership abilities. He felt inadequate at times, began second-guessing his decisions, and was unsure whether his reports respected or feared him. This made him reluctant to assert his authority. Our core objective was to enhance his leadership qualities, increase his self-confidence and improve upon his communication skills.

The Journey: We initiated a process of 360 feedback – Acquiring candid feedback from his peers and direct reports. This enabled us to devise a strategy for his self-improvement by engaging in the method of ‘Exploring the story behind the story.’ We traced our steps backward to understand the root cause of the issues he faced. It turned out that Arun’s rural upbringing had instilled a poor sense of confidence. Especially, when it came to communicating in the English language.

The Solution: We began by inculcating a sense of self-awareness. Made him understand as well as accept the challenges, head-on. The ultimate test was encouraging him to fall back on his strengths instead of focusing on his weaknesses. We gained that he was a much sought-after mentor and a respected advisor for managing difficult customer situations. This helped us establish a strong foundation to begin with. All we did was address the core issue that kept affecting his success subconsciously. We employed the usual process of reviewing his past and current work experiences, requesting feedback, followed by analyzing and consolidating the feedback for goal planning. The outcome of this effort, combined with his commitment and dedication, was a transformed and effective leader, ready to take on new challenges.

What can firms like Cupela can do to companies, more importantly to the startup culture as catching them young could always be a good strategy?
By combining coaching and consulting, Cupela offers a holistic approach to individuals as well as organisations; empowering them to tackle challenges at a professional as well as personal level. We believe that leaders at all levels can reach their true potential if they engage in a coaching relationship with a professional who has the relevant experience, expertise, and exposure. A dedicated coach committed to the cause of their development, our leadership coaching offers business professionals an intensive personal development for a higher-level role. This, along with the guidance to think through a critical career situation, a chance to identify long-term strategy and self-direction, how to become an experienced and confidential sounding board, and even how to address issues that are stalling their career progress. Cupela also supports companies in the retention and development of their executives and high potentials.

When leaders are faced with momentous tasks like dramatic growth and change management, succession planning, and transition, we are there to fill into these potential skill gaps and equip the leadership team to successfully tackle imminent challenges. We do this by supporting companies in developing organizational skills, building global alliances, conflict management, and executive presence, amongst others. Start-ups too need mentoring. Entrepreneurs need support in building a qualified team &  advisory board, managing relationship/conflict between co-founders, getting alignment with investors, scaling operations, business plan validation, and guidance. For all of these, we need coaches who have a mix of coaching and entrepreneurial experience.