SEPA
United Suites Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Administration
and Resources
Management
EPA 210-B-02-002
Ivhmary 2002
• In Search of Personal and
* Professional Excellence
Resource Guide
Workforce Development Strategy
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This "CoachingResource Guide''is a product of EPA's Workforce
Development Strategy. The Strategy is an initiative of the Office of
Administration and Resources Management, working in partnership
with EPA's Human Resources Council. One of OARM 's key priorities
is "preparing EPA for future challenges by building the skills of its
people while fostering diversity." This resource guide has been
designed to provide managers with information that focuses on their
personal and professional development.
Primary contributors to this Guide include:
• Lee Salmon
Principal Author
Coaching Consultant, Federal Consulting Group, Dept. of
Treasury (formerly with EPA/OAR/HQ)
* Julie Bowen
Supporting Author
Organizational Development Consultant, EPA/Region 10
* Jane Chadbourne
Supporting Author
Organizational Development Consultant, EPA/Region 8
• Michellne A. Ward
Supporting Author and Editor
Lead, Management Development Project, Institute for Individual
and Organizational Excellence, EPA/HQ (currently on detail
from Region 10)
* Sharon L. Ridings
Layout and Design
Management Development Project, Training Lead
Institute for Individual and Organizational Excellence, EPA/HQ
Kerry Weiss
Director, Institute for Individual and Organizational Excellence and
Project Manager, Workforce Development Strategy, EPA/HQ
$ These individuals may be contacted for further information.
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What is coaching? 1
Coaching is not... 2
How is coaching different from mentoring? 4
What do coaches do? 5
Why would I choose to work with a coach? 6
How does a coaching partnership work? 7
How much does it cost to work with a coach? 10
How do I find and select a coach? 11
How do I end a coaching relationship? 13
Suggested Readings 14
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What is coaching?
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There are many types of coaching but the
type described here is most often called
executive or business coaching. It focuses
on the business world and ways of helping
align organizational and individual goals to
produce performance results. In today’s
context of an emerging leadership void
throughout government, coaching is a
proven tool to accelerate the development
of future leaders at all levels.
Coaching Is Leadership in Action.
Coaching is an on-going partnership that enhances a manager’s
learning, performance, and progress in his/her professional and
personal lives. The coach is the manager’s partner and champion
for success. A coach uses a set of skills that help a manager learn
within an environment of appreciation and supportive interaction.
Coaching can help a leader manage personal and organizational
change, move through work experiences with a greater degree of
confidence and personal leadership, and connect one’s personal
skills, interests or abilities to particular work. Coaching can also help
managers learn how to bring out the best in their staff by helping
focus staff members on assignments where they can make a
meaningful contribution to the agency and develop themselves in
the process.
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Coaching is not consulting ..,. although at times a coach may use
consulting skills. A consultant gives expert advice; a coach does not
advise, but helps the manager discover within him/herself the
answers. Unlike a consultant, the coach often works with a manager
to help him/her achieve professional and personal goals, work
through changes, and/or practice new skills. A coach focuses
sessions on learning what works, what doesn’t, and the reasons for
each.
Coaching is not therapy... Coaches do not stay focused on
“personal issues,” the past, or deal with trying to help the manager
understand the root cause of his/her dysfunctional behaviors.
Coaches work in the present, are forward focused, and results
oriented for success.
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Business coaching includes principles from sports coaching, like
teamwork, going for the goal, and being the best. But unlike sports
coaching, career coaching is not about competition or based on
win/lose. A coach is more like a personal fitness trainer who focuses
on helping a person learn what it takes to improve, set meaningful
goals, and be accountable for his/her results.
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A coach helps a manager understand his/her resistance to change;
what body, mind, and emotion structures keep him/her from moving
forward; and helps design practices that break these structures down
so change can be sustained.
Not A Conversation With Your Best Friend
Coaching is not a conversation with your best friend.. You need
a best friend to listen, empathize, and share experiences with you.
However, your best friend probably does not possess the professional
skills to help you learn and hold you accountable for creating the
success you want in your life. Coaches are neutral partners. Yes,
they care about your success, but in a much more professional way
from that of a friend.
And... coaching is not mentoring.
Not Mentoring
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Page 4
Traditionally, mentors, typically senior executives, have used their
influence and experience in an organization to personally advise,
counsel, coach, and guide career development and sponsor
promotion for a protégé. They open doors and make introductions
for the protégé. In the past, mentors usually chose their protégés.
Today the role of mentor has broadened. A mentor is someone who
has the professional and/or personal competence to pass on
organizational knowledge (through skill and example). They also
share personal authority and experiences through dialogue, and often
give advice. The mentor may use coaching skills to help focus the
enhancement and development of existing leadership qualities and
skills. increasingly, mentors are chosen by a protégé. Most successful
leaders acknowledge one or more mentors as an important factor in
their career development and success.
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o “The scarcest resource in the world is leadership talent, D
capable of continuously transforming organizations to win
o in tomorrow’s world... All people have untapped potential...
o With coaching and practice, we can all get better at it.” o
Noel Tichy, The Leadership Engine.
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What do coaches do?
Page 5
Coaches use listening, interpersonal skills, and conversation to help
managers:
• Set desired goals and achieve them;
• Focus on learning how to learn and more quickly produce
results:
• Deepen understanding of resistance to change and
effectively deal with that resistance;
• Use different styles of leadership as the situation dictates;
and
• Develop tools and a network of support to accomplish more.
Coaches develop rapport and use skillful questioning to set the stage
for significant discussion around such issues as leadership
development, personal and organizational change, and creating
capability through high performing employees with enhanced
emotional competence.
Through coaching, managers learn to
surface faulty assumptions or other
barriers to learning and are held
accountable for action. A coach helps
a manager maintain perspective and
work to achieve a balance between
his/her professional and personal life.
Coaching is about tapping into the
inherent wisdom, knowledge and
creativity of the manager. Powerful
coaching builds a manager’s self-
awareness and self-confidence. It
helps identify and change behaviors
that create barriers to authentic, “adult-
adult” relationships.
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Page 6
There are many reasons a manager might choose to work with a
coach. A few examples include:
Leadership Development: developing an understanding of
different leadership styles and practicing them and learning
how to be more strategic and flexible in their use;
o Change Management: learning how to plan and effectively
implement organizational change;
O Coaching: learning coaching models and building coaching
skills;
o Team Coaching: learning how to effectively manage conflicts
that naturally arise in teams;
o Feedback: improving skill in giving and receiving feedback;
• Career Derailment: regaining focus and energy and pursuing
a major shift or re-assignment to remain productive;
o Career Development: planning and growing for the next
promotion or change in career;
• Transitions: learning how to work effectively with a new
executive team;
• Measurement Accountability: learning new measurement tools
and processes to achieve more focused results; and
• Retaining the Best: learning how to develop and retain high
performers.
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“It is incumbent on each of us, to start telling our story in such a way o
that you can grant magnificence back to your work and back to what u
you do. If you can’t grant magnificence to your work, you grant
o magnificence to yourself and have the courage to step out of it into EI
o something that is really commensurate to your gifts and is a place o
o where you can really feel like you come alive again at the frontier of °
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o your own destiny.
o David White, 1999
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How does a coaching
partnership work?
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Page 7
Most coaches work with a client face-to-face, over the phone, via
e-mail, or use video conferencing. Each coach usually has a preferred
way of working, and you need to determine if his/her approach meets
your needs.
You will be most successful if you commit to a regular meeting
schedule, typically once a week or twice a month, and are willing to
follow through with the actions you agree to during your coaching
session. The minimum time commitment to work with a coach is
six months. The time commitment for you will depend on what
you are trying to achieve and your willingness to do what it takes to
achieve it.
In your first coaching session, which is often
your initial interview or the next session after
that, you can expect the coach to want to
get to know you, understand your coaching
goals and why they are important to you.
The coach will look for clarity in your goals
and assess your commitment to success.
Likewise, you will want to get to know your
coach and how he or she works. What kind
of results have they achieved with other clients? You’ll want to know
what results you might expect and for how long you might have to
work to achieve success.
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Your coach may ask you to define what success might look like or
how you would know if you are successful. You will want to discuss
how you will meet, how often, the duration of each session, and the
cost. (See the explanation of cost on page 10.) The coach might
discuss the use of assessment instruments to help give you important
data upon which to develop a Learning or Individual Development
Plan.
Above all, you will want to assess the rapport between you and the
coach (e. g., Do you have the right “chemistry”? Is the coach someone
you feel you can trust and confide in?). The quality of the relationship
and the foundation upon which to build trust are the most critical
factors you need to determine to ensure success in the coaching
relationship. More guidance on how to select a coach is provided
later.
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Page 9
Once you decide on the coach you want, you should develop a
partnership agreement that, at a minimum, covers the following:
• Coaching goals;
• Roles and responsibilities of both parties;
• Cost of coaching, form of payment, and payment schedule
(if applicable);
• Session location, frequency, and duration;
• Policy for canceling or rescheduling sessions;
• Contact information for both parties: phone numbers (business,
home, fax and cell), e-mail address, and mailing address: and
• Termination policy such as a “no fault” decision to stop without
cause. Negotiate the final closeout payment (e. g., a total
payment for work to-date; a pro rata percentage of program
completion) — if applicable.
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How much does it cost
to work with a coach?
Page 10
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Most coaches charge a fee based on the length of the coaching
period the number of times you meet, pre- and post-session
preparation and research, and the way you choose to work together.
The cost can also include the use of assessment instruments or an
assessment session. The experience, background, and credentials
of the coach also determine the cost.
Investing in
Your future
Note: Because coaching is being recommended as part of the EPA’s
Management Development process, some Agency locations are
contributing toward the cost of a coach for their supervisors,
managers and executives. Check with your local Training Officer or
Organizational Development Consultant to determine your location’s
practice. If your location is not willing to pay for a coach at this time,
be willing to pay for one yourself. Having a coach is an investment in
your professional and personal development — you’re worth the
investment.
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One of the best ways to find a coach inside the EPA is to ask your
colleagues for referrals. You can also talk to your organization’s
Training Officer or Organization Development Consultant. You might
also want to contact staff in the EPA’s Institute for Individual and
Organizational Excellence or the Career Resource and Counseling
Center.
The International Coach Federation (ICF) maintains a list of certified
coaches. They also provide a list of recognized coaching training
schools. The ICF, and all coaching schools, provide coach referral
services for people completing their programs. You will find the ICF
coaching training schools at the following website address: http://
www.coachfederation.org/schools.htm .
If you are considering the services of an executive or business coach:
a Interview the prospective coach, preferably in person or on
the telephone.
a Ask for qualifications, e.g., degrees, training, certifications.
Qualifications of coaches vary widely, from some training, to
successful completion of a coach training program, to
certification by the ICF. Ask for a copy of his/her resume,
company brochure, statement of capabilities, and/or website
address.
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a Find out about the prospective coach’s experience. Ask such
questions as how long the person has been coaching, how
many clients he or she has, and what other work and life
experiences does he or she possess which may support his/
her ability to coach. Ask what was his or her most challenging
coaching work, what results did his or her clients produce and
what they learned in the process.
a Ask about the coach’s area of specialization (i.e., Executive,
Change Management, Leadership Development, Career
Development, Managing Transitions, etc.).
a Ask if the prospective coach has a coach and is in a regular
coaching relationship with his/her own coach. Ask what he or
she does to keep learning and developing.
a Ask for referrals and/or written client testimonials. Call one or
two references at a minimum.
— Ask the prospective coach to describe his/her particular
approach to coaching. Determine if the coach’s approach,
specialty area and style is compatible with your desires. Assess
what results you might expect from working with the coach.
a Ask for a free sample coaching session. This is a good way to
experience the coach’s style and approach.
a Ask about the coach’s fee (if applicable — see note on page
10) and whether there is a separate charge for assessment,
including the cost of any assessment instruments. Inquire how
much money is needed up front, and whether or not the
payment schedule negotiable. Ask for a sample copy of the
coaching contract/agreement and the coach’s cancellation
policy.
a Base your final decision on a combination of the coach’s quali-
fications (e.g., training, depth of experience, testimonials); how
well you align with his/her perspectives, approach and personal
demeanor; personal chemistry; a sense of trustworthiness; and
commitment to your success. Finally, consider the coach’s fee
and payment schedule, if applicable.
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In some instances, the coach/manager relationship may not work.
Sometimes we outgrow the coach’s ability or area of competence.
Revisit your goals. Ask yourself if you are working as hard as you
can and are getting the results you originally set forth in your
partnership agreement. If there is a problem, end the relationship
and move on. If needed, find another coach who can help you move
forward and be successful. In a successful coaching relationship a
manager learns more about him/herself and how to be a more
effective leader, in turn coaching others. Both the manager and the
organization benefit from the coaching experience. As Warren Bennis
notes, “To become a leader... you must become yourself... the maker
of your own life.” 1
The realistic outcome of an effective coaching relationship is that a
manager becomes more self-aware, is more confident, more
resourceful, and better able to make more informed professional and
personal decisions. A manager leads by demonstrating a commitment
to continuous learning and personal growth. Because of these
coaching outcomes, it may not be easy to end a coaching
relationship. Sometimes one can grow to depend on the wisdom
and support a coach provides; however, an effective coach and
manager manage the “letting go” and “moving on” process.
On Becoming a Leader , Page 51, by Warren Bennis, 1989
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•••ss*•o•
V
Page 14
“Behind Closed Doors: What Really Happens in Executive Coaching” by
Douglas Hall, Karen Otazo, and George 1-lollenbeck, Organizational
D ynamics, Vol. 27, 1999
Co-Active Coaching ew Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in
Work and Life by Laura Whitworth, Henry Kimsey-House, and Phil Sandah l,
1998
Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others by James Flaherty, I 998
Coaching for Performance by John Whitmore, 1996
Developing High Performance People: The Art of Coaching by Oscar Mink,
1993
Leader as Coach by D. Peterson and M. D. Hicks, 1996
On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis, 1989
The Handbook of Coaching: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for
Managers, Executive Consultants, and Human Resource Professionals by
Frederic Hudson, 1999
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: “To be successful in today’s ever shifting, always competitive :
• market, people count for more — they can make or break the •
• U
• best business strategy; be the driver or brake in adopting new •
: technologies. People are not an implementation issue, nor just :
an operational or strategic asset. People are the raw resource :
• around which business success revolves.
No strategy, however well
: designed, will work unless you :
• have the right people, with the •
right skills and behaviors, in :
the right roles, motivated in :
: the right way and supported :
• by the right leaders. •
Adopting new technologies :
without having the right :
: people to use them, :
• wastes billions of dollars •
: of investments by :
: companies throughout :
• the world.” •
• •
The Hay Group
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