Time for Change

“2013 was the practice, 2014 was the warm up, 2015 is game time. “

I have seen this phrase written several times on various social networking sites over the last few days, it epitomises the feeling this time of year. A time for change and what can be achieved. Potentially motivational, but equally I would question what that person was doing for the last two years!

Granted in sport the warm up and training is key and time consuming. Consider the Olympics. The 100m sprint is 4 years training for less than 10 seconds. Rowers complete hours on freezing lakes for 10 minutes of pain but a lifetime of Gold medal pride. But can this really apply to business? Can you afford to take two years to think about what you were doing and then get it right? Can you afford to practice being a business and delivering or do you need to get it right first time? In many ways this depends on what you are trying to achieve. I am a firm believer in planning, preparing and getting it right but also taking action, setting goals and achieving them now. Deliver the best service or product from the start.

Regardless of where you have been before, this is no doubt seen as a time for “out with the old in with the new”. The decorations are down and many of us are sorting out old toys or clothes to make room for the new, or starting a diet and fitness plan to combat the over indulgence. I write this sipping a herbal tea and trying not to succumb to the temptation of the rest of the chocolates in the tin!

What is it that makes people want to change this time of year? Is it the end of something and new beginning, the tiredness and stress of closing out a year combined with a rest and hope for better times or the sheer over indulgence and need to cleanse?

Whatever your motivation or desire to change at this time of year, whether work or personal, to me this means Coaching.

As a Business and Life coach I work on change all year round with individuals and teams. From rebranding mission and vision statements and values of a company to lead from the top, to coaching individuals through stress, performance issues, being effective leaders or stepping into people management roles, strategy or where to go next in life or work.

For those who don’t know about coaching, this is a process of drawing information by questions designed to effect change. The coachee has the answers and the Coach does not tell the coachee what to do, but by non directive questioning encourages the individual to think about what they want to achieve, what their options are then determine actions for change. The Coach facilitates the thinking for the individual and allows space for new thoughts and clarity to be achieved. A simple process but surprising what can be achieved with space, time to think and questions that challenge current thinking and push for commitment to change.

Coaching can also be highly effective as a management tool. As a Manager you can either tell your reports the answer every time, instruct what to do or encourage them to think for themselves by coaching. Where an individual brings you a problem, ask them what they have done, what they could do and what they intend to do to solve the issue? Continue this process and they should bring solutions not problems to your door. Yes, of course you may need a say in the final decision but autonomous employees, thinking for themselves and making decisions as you coach them to do this is motivational for them and time saving for you.

The results of coaching can be simple but powerful changes, light bulb moments or life changing and the benefits list is long in the workplace. Increased autonomy and responsibility, problem solving, increased confidence, job satisfaction and morale, motivated and engaged staff, development and creativity not to mention more effective management, strategy and leadership.

I recently read in an article stating this is the “year for coaching” as organisations are realising its benefits. Managers can be trained to coach, or individuals or teams can be coached to success.

Will this be the year your resolution is to make change all year? If so then Coach or be coached.