In an era of corporate change, skilled workplace coaches are in demand

If you’ve ever witnessed a sports team transform from mediocre players to championship contenders under the guidance of an exceptional coach, you’ll understand the incredible power of coaching.

But did you know that the transformative impact of coaching isn’t limited to the world of sports? As the demand for coaching among corporates continues to rise, it’s clear that a skilled career or workplace coach can do wonders in helping both individuals and organisations reach their full potential.

The ongoing digital shift and resulting business transformation have resulted in changes to job scopes, expectations and opportunities. To thrive in this environment, employees and businesses must effectively communicate, stay engaged and actualise potential – all skills that can be enhanced through coaching, according to NTUC LearningHub’s recent Industry Insights Report on Coaching.

NTUC LearningHub is a continuing education and training provider that seeks to transform the lifelong employability of people in Singapore. In response to the rise in interest in coaching, it has launched the Khrysalis Coaching Series, a trio of accredited courses fully funded by SkillsFuture Singapore.

Mr Anthony Chew, the chief core skills officer of NTUC LearningHub, said the courses are designed to make professional coaching affordable and accessible to individuals and organisations looking to boost their personal and professional development.

“By partnering with International Coaching Federation (ICF) and offering ICF-accredited learning programmes, we aim to provide our learners with the highest-quality coaching education and training available,” he said. “Beyond enhancing the skills and credibility of workplace leaders and coaches, the ICF certification also opens up opportunities for aspiring and current coaches to work with a wider range of clients across various areas such as executive coaching and organisational development.”

DEFINING COACHING AND ITS POWER

Effective coaching has become critical in driving positive performance management. Both employees looking to climb the career ladder and businesses seeking to embark on transformation stand to benefit from coaching.

But what is coaching, exactly? Contrary to popular belief, it is not the same as mentorship. In the Industry Insights Report on Coaching, Mr Colin Lee, a certified coach and NTUC LearningHub associate trainer, explained that while a mentor provides advice and solutions to workplace challenges, coaches ask effective questions intended to guide the coachee to find answers on their own.

“Effective coaching involves active listening, empathy and the ability to ask powerful questions, all of which help individuals to clarify their goals and develop strategies to achieve them,” he explained.

Furthermore, while training is focused on imparting knowledge and counselling requires the individual to reflect on past experiences, coaching aims to take the coachee through a thought-provoking and creative process designed to maximise his or her personal and professional potential, said Mr Stanley Ng, who is also an NTUC LearningHub associate trainer and ICF-certified coach.

To achieve this, coaches rely on emotional intelligence, a skill set that includes relationship management, reflective practices and giving constructive feedback.

According to the Industry Insights Report on Coaching, successful coaching also requires excellent communication, problem-solving and people development abilities, all of which are critical core skills for effective leadership as well.