The Value of Coaching (after Arnold, 2014) Coaching is uniquely suited for leadership and executive development because it is focused on providing new perspectives, extending vision and fixing blockages to action, implementation or performance. It does not aim to fix the actual performance problem, rather allows the coachee to understand the issues, and fix it themselves. In the future, the coachees are then better able to self-observe through increased self-awareness, with self-correction in an iterative process. The coaching interventions can be telephonic or virtual, so are quite appropriate for large, extended or remote teams. There is an increase in expectations for corporate leaders and managers to cope with a rapidly changing world, with increasingly complex situations in a less hierarchal and less structured organisation. They have fewer resources to support them and yet are still expected to deliver, flawlessly, under this pressure and amongst more uncertainty. This often results in less time to think, reflect and consider all the options and implications before action (or reaction) is required. Also they must maintain an increasing number of vital relationships, inside an increasingly onerous, even belligerent, legislative and compliance framework. At a leadership and senior management level; at this strategic level, they may need to change their traditional and formulaic approach into a more flexible, faster acting approach that does not focus upon specific issues over a limited time period. An experienced coach can ask the hard questions, the questions that don’t get asked and probe the real reaction and meaning that can emerge from inadequately considered actions. There are often no specific goals, but creates a safe, confidential and considered space, outside of the normal organisational rules and constraints. One improved decision can often pay for a years’ worth of such interventions. Research shows though that many aspects of leaders and managers behaviour and actions are changed by this reflective thinking. At a more tactical level; managers have a wide variety of styles and techniques for employee growth, team alignment and performance improvement. Often this has been direct observation with a direct discussion or intervention, and the manager then observing the result achieved. Further direct discussion or intervention is planned as needed. Performance behaviour modification is usually only possible where there is a tangible and measurable output. If an employee fails to achieve the desired output, then reward (carrot) or threat (stick) is directly linked to improved output. This can be very effective but is not always applicable to roles that have limited tangible and measurable outputs, or where performance is being affected by issues or blockages. Also, with the increasing reliance of dial up e-mail connection, home offices, hot desks and tele-conferencing there are fewer opportunities for direct observation and intervention. My experience from the management of remote teams (5 to 9 employees 2005 – current) is that it places the burden of self-awareness, self-observation, self-correction and results reporting on the employees, in an iterative cycle. If the employee has the appropriate skills and attitude sets, then the best suited management intervention or modality for performance and team development is coaching. Coaching for managerial, leadership and executive development; Coaching is also a very appropriate performance improvement modality for fast tracking selected employees where a technical competence is demonstrated, but other issues are obscuring the best actions and/or implementation. Many leading South African and Worldwide companies have therefore identified coaching as a very suitable for all candidates, especially fast track candidates, at a senior or executive level. Phil Ridgwell has extensive history and experience in non-directive counselling and managerial or executive coaching in Nedbank, including fast tracked individuals who are struggling with the new managerial responsibilities, and need to make the shift from “Manager as friend” to “Manager as manager”