“My vision is that in the coming decade every organization offers employees the opportunity to work with a trained internal or external professional coach, who supports them in becoming the best version of themselves.
My mission is to impact and accelerate making this so domestically and internationally.
Yes! The Internal Coaching function will be as ubiquitous as the HR/Talent Management function is today. Growth in this area has ramped up in the past year as an antidote to the “Great Resignation” and the racial reckoning that is inspiring companies to enrich growth and development programs to attract and retain top talent.
What is possible if your people dream big, effectively goal, stay inspired and in action, and deliver results? If they prioritize self care so as to stay energized enough to thrive at home, at work, and in their communities?
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LAUNCH A STRATEGIC COACHING PROGRAM
My experience designing and implementing internal coaching programs has clarified my purpose. I am at my best and most fulfilled when I inspire individuals and teams to grow in ways they never expected, to do things they never imagined possible.
As a coaching program consultant I partner with organizations that recognize that professional coaching is at the cutting edge of employee engagement, leadership development, and change management. I work with visionary leaders to custom-design internal coaching programs and impact metrics that align with the culture and deliver quantifiable results.
I’ve been integrating strategic coaching, organization design, and talent development for over 30 years:
As a Human Resources (HR) leader at a Fortune 100 financial services company, and later as head of HR for a highly respected 80+ year-old not-for profit, I selected and deployed professional external coaches to take individuals and teams to the next level—and personally coached members of the executive team.
As Chief of Staff for an international clinical-grade skin care company, I coached individuals at every level.
Most recently I was hired full time to design, launch, and expand a coaching function that offers coaching to any employee who desires it. Over 200 out of 650 employees received 6 months of one-on-one coaching. As leaders experienced the impact of the coaching on their work performance and leadership styles, they cascaded their learning to their team members. The most visionary requested formal coach training to deepen their mastery as leader-coaches. After three years in that role I committed to bringing all I learned to other organizations.
My launch of Weatherby Healthcare’s internal life coaching department
Between August 2016 and August 2019, I designed, launched, and expanded an internal coaching function for a company that is a perennial on the ’Fortune 100 best companies to work for‘ listings.
I landed in that role by accident. While interviewing for a completely different leadership role, I was invited by the Division President, after what was supposed to be my final interview, to consider a crazy idea. For years he’d dreamed of hiring a professional coach to create an internal coaching function that offered one-on-one life coaching to all employees who wanted it. He believed I could make his dream real. He offered me a blank page—a Director role with no job description. I said YES!
After deep internal and external research, and while also beginning professional coach training in the Life Purpose arena, I designed a program tightly aligned with Weatherby’s people-centered culture. The format was 6 months of one-on-one coaching. There was structure to ensure progress, and flexibility to respond to individual needs and styles. There were surveys to assess the impact. Oh, and lots of love. Yes, in my book love is one of the most important leadership values.
I launched with a beta of 15 people from across levels and our two locations (FL & NC). The results were such that more investments followed. I hired another trained coach into the department in late 2017. We added cutting-edge technology to deliver coaching services and quantify the impact.
In three years we coached over 200 people at all levels (out of 650 employees). Early in 2019, I created a blueprint to pilot the coaching beyond our division with a small group from our parent company, CHG Healthcare.
Diving into coaching in such a strategic and focused way changed my life, and what I see as possible for other organizations. I will forever be grateful to Weatherby for providing me with the opportunity to discover my true passion, obtain formal coach training, and make a difference in the lives of so many.
My mission is to partner with as many organizations and leaders as possible to design custom internal coaching programs that transform how leaders lead. I believe everyone is a leader on some level, in both their professional and personal lives.
Survey comments from Weatherby program participants(references available):
I have been happier and feeling more accomplished in my personal life, making me more productive at work!”
“I am more in tune with my work goals. I know every month where I stand and what I need to do to achieve my goals. I expect to make President’s Club (top sales producers) this year. Previously achieving that wasn’t even a thought.”
“How did you get her to enroll to finish her college degree? I’ve been after her to do that for years.”
“I’ve noticed the change—she’s gone from continuously complaining and bringing her teammates down to being one of the most positive people on my team—and helping other team members succeed.”
How I would work as your strategic coaching program consultant
Applying my executive coaching, strategic planning & execution, organization design & development, group facilitation, and project leadership experience I project-lead on behalf of selected Stakeholders to:
Review the current state (and baseline metrics) of talent development, change management, and employee engagement structures in place
Complete a SWOT analysis of current coaching activities if any
Brainstorm optimal design and staging that aligns with organizational values and culture, and can produce desired outcomes
Decide on optimal program mix: professionally trained internal, external, and/or trained embedded leader-coaches
Financial impact and ROI: cost/benefit analyses, technology solutions, budgets, and forecasts
How will internal leaders that opt to participate in coach training programs be supported as they navigate training and certification processes (training funds, tuition reimbursement, cost-sharing, etc.)?
As I have extensive recruiting experience, I can do the Executive Search(es) for certified coaches as needed
Co-lead and monitor the implementation plan, including internal communication
Support newly trained/hired coaches as they take over program maintenance and expansion
Post-implementation review, and follow-up advisory.
If you are a visionary leader in an organization of any size, whether for-profit or non-profit, contact me to discuss the quantifiable impact of strategic coaching on overall performance, culture, and employee engagement.
“ Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world;
indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”