What do we really want to know? Hiring a coach for one or more members of our leaders or executives can be expensive, both in terms of time and money. The benefits aren’t always immediate or promised, such as when your organization invests in software or hardware upgrades. Coaching can seem more of a luxury than “must have”, but that view is bit short-sighted. So how do we get the best return on investment from engaging an executive or leadership coach for our leaders and high potentials, or even better look at it as the gift that keeps on giving? If we try to apply traditional quantifiable metrics (such as those used to measure KPIs) to improvements or changes in human behavior, it can seem like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole! Coaching an individual or a team can be a significant investment in terms of time &money, so how do we measure that return on that investment? Over the last 20 years, several studies were done, conducted by organizations such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and others to answer these questions. Stats and facts Did You Know… In a study (International Coaching Federation) of 100 Executives & Stakeholders of Fortune 1000 companies who received executive coaching: some of the key findings are: 70% increase in individual performance (ex. Higher confidence, goal attainment, improvements in leadership skills, etc.) 50% increase in team performance (ex. better work relationships, communications, collaboration, etc.) 48% increase in organizational performance (ex. Higher revenues, increases in efficiencies, reduced turnover, etc. Other indicators were also looked at and measured in this and other similar studies, but the bottom line was that effective executive and/or leadership coaching can lead to positive and observable improvements in individual, team, and organizational performance. What’s the secret formula to getting the most out of your company’s investment in an executive/leadership coaching engagement(s)? Invest in your people: create & reinforce a coaching culture in your organization. Shifting to a coaching mindset as a critical piece of your organization’s strategy starts from the top! Equipping all your leaders with coaching skills will help everyone grow, thrive, become more engaged, and ultimately perform better. Commit to learning & development. Coaching works best when the individual(s) being coached are fully committed, motivated, and accountable to the process, to self-development and learning. If the organization also supports the process, the chances of success of a coaching engagement increase significantly! Identify objectives & goals. Deciding the goals/objectives and how to measure progress is an integral and critical part of the coaching process. Hire the right coach. Not only is hiring a qualified and competent coach important, but also at the core of the optimal coaching engagement is the relationship between the coachee & the executive coach. Positive chemistry, 100% trust and openness are just a few of the factors necessary for a successful coaching engagement. Bottom line: Investment in Coaching is Worthwhile! People are at the core of all organizations. Investing in the development of a high [...]

Let me tell you about a topic I've been talking about a lot lately in my coaching; a topic that is very common in real life. Over the past year or so time spent with my own thoughts has increased as it has for many of us, offering up many opportunities for good conversations with myself... conscious or unconscious. This inner talk defines, whether we like it or not, who we are. I'm talking about that little inner voice that constantly whispers in our ear, shaping our thoughts and therefore our actions. This voice can inspire us, but it can also crush us. In these moments of doubt, I force myself to take a break to do two things: 1- Become aware of the discussion going on in my head 2- Regain control of the discussion by changing the dialogue to my advantage... Now, I can already hear you saying "Jean-François, it's really not that easy. I can change the dialogue, but if I don't believe what I'm saying to myself..." Well, you are absolutely righ!. Do you think Mohammed Ali believed his affirmation "I am the greatest" the first few times he said it to himself? Probably not. But as he said it to himself, he took the step-by-step actions to make that statement a reality and began to believe it beyond a shadow of a doubt. He took some opportunities that he might not have otherwise considered. This leads to Step 3: 3- Apply/Repeat this new dialogue daily to align your actions to it and thus believe in it more and more each day. I recently saw an interesting text on Facebook that illustrates this taking back control of our inner dialogue, or rather this reframing. If one day you tell yourself that: I am a big loser No one will dare to think that I can accomplish great things I know that I will fail at everything I do I no longer believe that I can succeed I am worthless I stopped telling myself that I have confidence in myself I am convinced of one thing I am useless and it would be silly to think that I am a beautiful person So read it again, but from the bottom up. Remember: Awareness = Power. If I perceive this inner dialogue and become aware that it limits me, then I have the power to change it. It's up to you to decide how you will do it. Whether it’s via an affirmation that you create for yourself, a quote or piece of text that you connect to. Go ahead and try several options and see what inspires you. I’ll leave you with a little text that serves me in those moments when I want to change my inner dialogue. This is a text by Marianne Williamson that inspired me throughout the years. "Our deepest fear is not that we don't measure up. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond all limits. It is our light, [...]

The words EMPATHY and empathetic leadership are gaining more traction as essential components of high performing organizations. What does it mean for employees, leaders, and organizations? Does it really matter and why should they or we care? Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s experience, feelings, and point of view. As a leadership style, empathetic leaders draw on empathy to understand their team’s or people’s situations, as well as what they are going through so they can offer support and help. Interactions based on empathy, can build trust, encourage honesty, and deepen connections between people. However, there is a subtle nuance here; empathy is about the ability to comprehend other people’s situation and not how you would feel or react in their situation. Why it matters Empathy matters because people are not robots and what works to motivate one person is not what is going to work with someone else. Organizations, teams, employees, or people in general are individual human beings with unique needs, wants, feelings, and motivations. In other words, no one person is the same as another and as such no one person will respond in the same way as anyone else to situations, demands, or stress. Why we should care Empathy can make the difference between so-so or good results and great results at work. Simply put, showing empathy toward those we lead or work with can start us all on the road of understanding each other better. Understanding what drives us, challenges us, and motivates us can deepen our connections to one another and open the gateway to better, happier, effective, and more productive work (and personal) lives. If you develop and show empathy for everyone involved in your organization and teams, and you’ll likely have leaders and a workforce that feels valued, included, and driven to help you and your organization succeed. There is good news! Empathy can be developed and practiced. Whether empathy comes naturally to you and or it’s miles out of your comfort zone, there are a few easy foundational best practices that everyone can immediately start employing and potentially reap big benefits. Three Basic Steps to Developing your Empathy: Step 1 Listening: This is not a revolutionary concept. Real listening happens with more than just our ears. When we really pay attention to what someone else is saying to us, we listen with our mind, heart, and gut. What is the person really saying? What are they really feeling? What is really going through their mind? If you don’t know, ask! Step 2 Stay Curious and really care: Ask questions. Be interested in what the other person is saying. Assume positive intentions; you’ll probably be right about 90% of the time. They could offer up important information that could impact the rest of the team or even the organization. If possible, avoid “Why” questions, which can put people on the defensive or make them feel judged. Try “What” or “How” instead. Some examples, “What can you tell me….” What else?” Step 3 Honesty and Transparency: We can’t [...]