Coaching support creates the leaders of tomorrow

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Career Evolution is working with Queen Bee Coaching, with free coaching supervision sessions for its coaches. Queen Bee Coaching is a Pankhurst Trust service, established to empower women

In a new support initiative, Kate Howsley, our Principal Coach has been offering free coaching supervision to Queen Bee’s own team of volunteer coaches. ‘Coaching Supervision’ is an established way of professionalising coaching and supporting coaches. It provides them with encouragement, time and space to reflect on and ask questions about their coaching practice. The time also enables them to consider any issues around coaching ethics and boundaries. It also provides accountability, through peer support.

Alongside coaching supervision, Kate has been providing a monthly CPD (continuous professional development) workshop for the Queen Bee coaches. These explore a range of coaching techniques, contracting and developing the coaching relationship.

Recently, of course, these supervision sessions and CPD workshops have been on Zoom, just as both our Career Evolution coaches and the Queen Bee coaches have got used to working with their clients on Zoom.

During lockdown in the UK, the way we do business across all sectors has changed dramatically. In particular, face to face meetings have become a rare occurrence. Remote working rather than travelling into offices to work have become the norm. This has had a particular impact on career and executive coaching, where face to face meetings and personal interaction are an important part of the process.

Bee the best

The ethos that drives Queen Bee Coaching is empowering women who have demonstrated leadership, to improve their skills and confidence. This will enable them to move into senior positions and accelerate their positive impact on society. Queen Bee Coaching ensures its service reflects the diversity, demographic and dynamism of Greater Manchester. This chimes with Career Evolution’s own aims and objectives also.

Queen Bee Coaching originates from the 100-year anniversary of some women receiving the right to vote. It believes that enabling women to realise their full potential will ultimately redress the balance of power across Greater Manchester and close the gender pay gap. The initiative strives to help women develop their skills and provide the confidence to take the next step in their career and increase their impact and influence.

Inclusivity is key

This inclusivity is crucial in creating a new dynamic. It can drive home the thinking that women rightfully belong in senior leadership positions and will make organisations stronger. Queen Bee’s six free coaching sessions are open to women already working in leadership within Greater Manchester and do not have financial or organisational support to access coaching. Queen Bee also regularly hosts recruitment sessions for clients and coaches, to outline what coaching is, its benefits and what exactly is involved in the process.

Kate’s group coaching supervision sessions last around two hours. Groups consist of around four-to- six people. The sessions are initially being held quarterly and there has been very positive uptake. The sessions in March and June were fully booked, and the next session is taking place on 2 September 2020. One-to-one coaching supervision is also available.  Career Evolution is very pleased to be partnering with Queen Bee Coaching and to be guiding future generations of women to the top echelons of business.

How to stay connected whilst working remotely

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Often seen as an ideal for many staff, remote working is becoming something of a necessity in the current economic and social climate. Thanks to the portability of work technology, it is perfectly possible for employees to work as efficiently as if they were onsite in an office.

Here is our advice on how to stay connected whilst working remotely…

For companies:

Companies are being steered by necessity towards offering the flexibility of remote working. This option is increasingly becoming the norm for interconnected and international businesses.

Below are three ways to keep up with this changing way of working:

  1. Bring the team together

When things return to normal, encourage remote workers to visit the company offices when possible. Get staff together, such as through teambuilding days or company celebrations, to encourage team bonding and reduce employee isolation.

  1. Prepare for remote working

Have a policy in place to assist team members to know how to conduct themselves whilst working remotely> This should also cover how managers are expected to tackle the complexities of team members working remotely.

  1. Assist with time and career management

At Career Evolution, we can assist your business to provide the resources needed to support either individuals working remotely or staff managing remote members. Taking advantage of career coaching or building resilience, can reduce the time and emotional strain that this can bring.

For managers:

Working with and managing remote team members can arise for many reasons. It could be because of the current virus crisis, or because team members have regularly allotted days when they work from home. Managers may be supervising individuals at home on the odd occasion, or more employees when part of a large or international company.

Here are three key ways to stay connected with your remote team members:

  1. Smart working

Encourage the use of online shared work systems. Platforms such as the cloud help keep team members connected to the office. While the use of Google Documents shows who is logged in and making changes and when. This will assist with tracking productivity.

  1. Keep up the conversation

Create a chat group such as on Slack or Sqwiggle, and involve members in video meetings or phone calls, such as on Skype or FaceTime, to stay connected to remote team members and make them feel part of the team.

  1. Be considerate of different time zones

When working with team members internationally, set up daily time reminders of when staff should be coming online, to touch base with them at the start of their day.

For individuals:

As an individual, it’s important to stay connected to the team whilst working remotely. Your manager has trusted that you will continue to tackle your work as normal. Working from home is not an excuse to catch up on household chores or watch TV.

Below are three of the best ways to stay connected to the office and show that your work is still being done effectively and efficiently:

  1. ‘Go’ to work

Set up a workspace somewhere quiet, with all the equipment you need. Avoid distractions and to do your work.

  1. Be proactive

Send daily updates of what you are going to be working on. At the end of the working day, update on what you have achieved, and what still remains to be done. If you work remotely extensively, an end-of-the-week update is also effective to illustrate your productivity.

  1. Communicate early and often

Be available to respond quickly to any work messages and emails. This shows that you are still engaged and carrying on with your work. Also stay connected with at least one other colleague throughout the day, to act as a sounding board.

Contact our professional team of experts to see how we can best assist you and your business to make remote working possible.

10 signs your team would benefit from coaching  

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Times are changing

Change is an inevitable part of life, especially within the working environment. However, it can be difficult for companies and staff to keep up with these changes. Often, particularly for more senior members of staff, some can become lost and even left behind in these challenging times.

Sadly, this can lead to employees struggling or even handing in their notice, in the face of being unable to keep up with the changes. Not only can this be damaging for the individual leaving the company, but also for colleagues remaining who may then become more fearful and resistant to company change.

Noticing the signs

Changes in a staff member’s behaviour can be a key sign that individuals are not coping well with company adjustments.

Here are 10 signs which could indicate that your staff are not managing effectively with change:

  1. Frustration – with themselves and other colleagues.
  2. Stress – anxiety and general unhappiness.
  3. Isolation – lack of conversing and reduced sociability.
  4. Unprepared – looking or feeling lost and out of their depth.
  5. Increased periods of time off – illness or an unwillingness to be in work.
  6. Boredom – a reduced enthusiasm for their job.
  7. Disputes with colleagues – becoming resistant or more argumentative.
  8. Lack of confidence – in themselves and their work.
  9. Punctuality – continual lateness.
  10. Procrastinating – unwilling or unable to complete their tasks.

Inevitably, how well employees are able to deal with changes can strongly affect the business. At Career Evolution, we understand how crucial it is to help these colleagues cope.

A positive change

Our expert coaching programmes are designed to aid members of staff at all levels, including those at more advanced positions such as senior managers and directors. Our highly qualified coaches will assist your staff to handle change effectively.

This includes helping people before, during and after change. We offer bespoke support on a one-to-one and group basis.

Tailored specifically for how to best suit your employee’s needs, our coaching enables individuals to recognise their value, and most importantly, how they and your company can continue to succeed in the face of change.

Change for the better

Change should be embraced as a positive opportunity; not as something to be feared and treated with scepticism and suspicion. Change is vital for businesses to adapt and survive in an environment where too many companies have already buckled under the pressure of not keeping up with the times.

Helping employees to take control of their changing role or situation, and formulate a plan for the future that will work for them, is the key to helping individuals thrive and prosper.  It is important to strive ahead and bring about positive change together.

Passion back in fashion

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Whether you’re running you own business, or responsible for being part of a wider team, it’s important to instil confidence in your capabilities to those around you. It’s crucial that you recognise the importance of passion for your organisation and of wanting it to succeed – even when you and it are faced with outside challenges.

 

Challenging times

There are many challenges a company can face in the course of its lifespan. From competition from rival businesses, to changes in the market and changes in demand for its product or services. Economic uncertainty can sometimes undermine confidence and positivity at work. It’s important not to let such aspects affect the work environment.

 

What comes naturally

There are many ways you can evoke passion at work. However, it’s something you can’t learn or teach. People either have it, or they don’t. It helps if you are doing a job that you love, in a field that you are knowledgeable and passionate about. It’s also important for staff to stay enthusiastic about their jobs. A thirst for knowledge or someone who enjoys their work is a huge benefit to any company. Such individuals should be retained, as their positive impact is a big asset. Having a passion for a job usually means that they are good at it too.

 

Part of the team

Employees who feel they contribute to the company and are not undervalued by their employers are also likely to feel more passionate about their role in the business.  If they take part in meetings and feel as though they can positively improve the company, they are more likely to be loyal and stick around too. Passionate employees will constantly be striving to improve themselves. If they enjoy it, they may not even know that they are achieving this. Reading up on industry developments, for enjoyment, or socialising with like-minded individuals, are good indicators that they have a passion for the sector. Such natural self-improvement is worth its weight in gold.

 

Dispelling doubts

It’s easy to get passionate about something you enjoy. However, if there are signs that enthusiasm is flagging, it could be an indication that it’s time for change. HR managers should look for signs in their staff that they may not be as happy or passionate as they once were. This could be the moment to engage with a career coach, to identify where their strengths and weaknesses are and areas where there is room for improvement. Dips in productivity or changes in behaviour are good indicators of doubts.

 

Coaching back on track

Career coaches can have a positive impact on a workforce in a variety of ways. Being able to communicate with someone who can identify and help staff is a big help to morale. Simply talking to someone about their job can sometimes instil passion. Or it can help staff reconnect with what made them enjoy a role in the first place. In challenging times and in challenging situations, such reassurance can make all the difference in terms of passion and positive morale boosts.

Selling to a sophisticated market

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Coaching is an effective tool in career advancement but is an unregulated industry and it’s important that you choose your coach carefully. With more and more HR professionals having coaching qualifications and being familiar with the coaching process themselves, its still important to remember some of the key things to look for when outsourcing additional coaching expertise.

Picking the right coach for your company and the outcomes you are striving for are an important stage in the process. Career coaches offer a variety of options when it comes to coaching styles, with different skillsets and areas of expertise to suit different clients.

Experience is key

With increasing numbers of coaches promoting their services, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of knowledge and expertise. There are business-focused executive coaches available, with 1000s of hours of experience. Some of them will have impressive track records in corporate line management. Many will hold widely-recognised coaching qualifications and accreditations.

Among other attributes to look out for are coaches who demonstrate their experience of using assessment tools and psychometrics. They should also have worked in a wide range of functions and sectors. Do your research to find the career coach that best matches your company’s ethos and ambitions.

It’s a matter of principles

Ideally you want to be working with a career coach who has business experience, focus and involvement. Coaching programmes need to ensure clients’ coaching goals are aligned with organisational objectives, and that these objectives are agreed with their direct manager and/or HR.

Coaching is a learning process that takes place over time and through reflection and action. It’s not something that happens instantly and shouldn’t be treated as such. You need to recognise that coaching is appropriate at any organisational level or position – no one is beyond the benefits of coaching, but choosing the right fit is imperative. In today’s complex and ambiguous business environment, career coaching offers a space to think and develop solutions outside the bubble of day-to-day life. It also offers the chance to see the bigger picture and define the principles that are important to those undergoing the coaching process.  

Knowledge of the business

There is a wide range of coaching approaches, methods and tools, such as Executive Coaching, or Individual and Team Coaching. Confidentiality and coaching ethics are also of paramount importance, as are data security and privacy. Make sure that the coach you choose to work with can demonstrate the ones important to you. With so many unregulated or underqualified coaches out there, choose carefully. It’s worth checking, for example, if they adhere to the stringent Global Code of Ethics, via the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, or the International Coach Federation. The more you can find out about your career coach when selecting one, the better the outcomes will be in the long-term.

THE DAWN OF A NEW DECADE

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Whenever we pass significant milestones, be they personal or historical, we often reflect on what we have achieved. Significant personal ones are the passing years of wedding anniversaries or birthdays, while we often look at how long we have worked somewhere, in a certain role, as being a good way of seeing how our career path has advanced. The beginning of a new decade is one of those important milestones that cause such reflection and assessment, and offers time for us to re-evaluate, in terms of own career and that of our organisation.   

The career landscape

The last decade of business has seen a lot of transition, with technology in particular having a significant impact on working methods. The shape of employment is changing, with to some extent a greater degree of flexibility on offer. There is no longer a need to work for a single company, or sometimes even in an office environment at all, and this allows both employers and employees different approaches to their working lives. This can be factored into your thoughts and decisions, when thinking about where your company stands at the start of a new decade. For many, the traditional career trajectory is one that suits their wellbeing much better. The traditional model – of long-term employment and steady career progression – offers stability and security, but does it always offer fulfilment?

New challenges

Say you have been working at the same place for the last 10 years, running a successful company or guiding staff as a HR manager. Has it brought you and the company the rewards it should, or the hard work put in by everyone has deserved? The next significant question is, if change is in the offing, what next? If your company is in a period of transition, you may be looking at your or your team’s future.  This is a good time to think about what you want and what your company needs. Executive coaching can enable leaders to develop greater self-awareness, whilst building capability and effectiveness. Team coaching works with the whole team to help improve their collective performance and how they interact and work together.

Career Evolution

It many instances, it makes a great deal of sense of connect with a career coach, who may be able to help you or your business in new, exciting and profitable directions. Positive change can make a real difference to our working lives. Merely discussing how employees feel and what they want to achieve can bring focus and clarity to a situation. A coach will provide options and advice on where you and your team’s strengths and weaknesses lie, and how you can use them to you best advantage.  If you think a coach or mentor can help you find the next steps on a career path, then contact Career Evolution today. Together we can make the next decade your business’s best. 

The importance of SMART to you

When considering implementing a coaching programme with individuals within a team or a team within a business it is important to understand why you are doing this and what you are hoping to achieve from it.  By clearly setting out and agreeing your objectives – from the business, individual and coaches point of view – you are more likely to achieve a successful outcome.  And, perhaps almost as importantly, you will be able to demonstrate that you have.

Business coaching has the potential to deliver a myriad of positive benefits for the business and the individual receiving the coaching.  This can be anything from a fresh perspective on a personal challenge, enhanced decision-making skills, greater interpersonal effectiveness, or increased confidence. Personal and professional improvement could also include increased productivity, success in achieving goals or an overall satisfaction with work/life balance.  We take a quick look at the five key areas where coaching can have a demonstrable impact:

Development of self-awareness – coaching doesn’t provide the answers directly, but it does provide individuals with the space to develop their own solutions, guiding them and asking the right questions.

Improved levels of ownership and responsibility – with increased self-awareness, individuals are more likely to recognise a challenge and find ways to address it.

Increased confidence in identifying solutions to work-related challenges –coaching also provides employees with a better understanding of their own skills and capabilities, which in turn improves their own confidence in being able to identify an effective solution to work-related challenges.

Improvement in performance, achieving targets and goals – the combination of the outcomes above help lead to measurable improvements in things like work performance, business management, time management and team effectiveness.

Enthusiasm for personal learning and development – with the individual being able to see the positive impact that coaching is having on their performance they are more likely to recognise and embrace their own on-going personal learning and development.  This could include improved self-confidence, relationship development, communication skills and life/work balance.

Top Coaching Benefits for Employees

When considering implementing a coaching programme with individuals within a team or a team within a business it is important to understand why you are doing this and what you are hoping to achieve from it.  By clearly setting out and agreeing your objectives – from the business, individual and coaches point of view – you are more likely to achieve a successful outcome.  And, perhaps almost as importantly, you will be able to demonstrate that you have.

Business coaching has the potential to deliver a myriad of positive benefits for the business and the individual receiving the coaching.  This can be anything from a fresh perspective on a personal challenge, enhanced decision-making skills, greater interpersonal effectiveness, or increased confidence. Personal and professional improvement could also include increased productivity, success in achieving goals or an overall satisfaction with work/life balance.  We take a quick look at the five key areas where coaching can have a demonstrable impact:

Development of self-awareness – coaching doesn’t provide the answers directly, but it does provide individuals with the space to develop their own solutions, guiding them and asking the right questions.

Improved levels of ownership and responsibility – with increased self-awareness, individuals are more likely to recognise a challenge and find ways to address it.

Increased confidence in identifying solutions to work-related challenges –coaching also provides employees with a better understanding of their own skills and capabilities, which in turn improves their own confidence in being able to identify an effective solution to work-related challenges.

Improvement in performance, achieving targets and goals – the combination of the outcomes above help lead to measurable improvements in things like work performance, business management, time management and team effectiveness.

Enthusiasm for personal learning and development – with the individual being able to see the positive impact that coaching is having on their performance they are more likely to recognise and embrace their own on-going personal learning and development.  This could include improved self-confidence, relationship development, communication skills and life/work balance.

Focusing on the positive

Within the workplace employee progression is key.  One way that this can be achieved is through investing in coaching.  Coaching can provide direction, help improve performance, identify possibilities and opportunities and help individuals overcome any challenges or obstacles in achieving their objectives.  However, sometimes employees can feel that being offered coaching is somehow a negative reflection of their ability, rather than an opportunity for development, which should be embraced.

This article highlights just some of the positive benefits of coaching that your employees may not have thought about:

The chance to gain invaluable skills

Rather than being told what to do or how to do it, employees receiving coaching will be guided and supported, but the ultimate decisions will be the individual’s.  This type of learning helps develop skills that the employee may not have been aware of previously.

Team efficiency

Coaching and mentoring can impact on everyone not just the individual receiving the coaching.  The positive approach that coaching instills in an individual can make a huge difference to the morale of the whole team.

Improve upwards relationships

The fact that someone has been selected for coaching suggests that they have already been noticed by their manager or senior team within the business.  The coaching can help develop their confidence, which in turn can help them with their business relationships throughout the company.

Shows the company’s commitment to the team

Everyone wants to feel appreciated and by implementing a programme of coaching and personal development the business is demonstrating its commitment to the whole team.