October 2008

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cipd

Credit crunch catalyst for just-in-time coaching.....


CIPD Coaching at Work, Published by Liz Hall Editor

The economic downturn is prompting coaching providers to launch just-in-time services to help leaders and managers tackle crises and uncertainty. The idm group has just launched an intensive two-day coach-mentoring programme to help executives under pressure to resolve complex issues speedily. Meanwhile, Coaching on Call, an emergency telephone coaching service which launched in June is proving popular with organisations including DSGI (see news, Coaching at Work, November/December). Increasingly calls to the service are reflecting the pressures managers are now facing to perform under difficult economic conditions.

The idm Group, which has been using mentoring and coaching with board directors for 15 years, launched Emerge in September. The programme is aimed at individuals responsible for resolving "significant and complex issues that have substantial implications for the organisation they lead and where time is of the essence." As part of a structured and facilitated two day process, executives are assigned a coach-mentor to help them work creatively and analytically to "create insight out of confusion". Other executives, specialists or advisers are brought in where appropriate. Meetings are preferably held away from the workplace. The programme also aims to help executives learn a critical thinking process they can apply to other issues that arise in the future. Tim Coburn is the mentor heading up the programme, drawing on his mentoring and commercial experience in organisations such as Rolls Royce, BBC and Motorola.

The idea for Emerge came from idm's CEO working on a crisis with an existing client, spending focused time with them exploring all perspectives of the issue to get to a suitable resolution. In a separate development, one of idm's clients, construction company the Kier Group, recently won the regional East of England Training Award and the national UK Training Award for the large organisation category. Coaching and mentoring formed part of Kier's development programme for directors and senior managers, which included modules on 'Director Responsibilities' and 'Strategic Decision Making' delivered by idm. More than 100 of Kier's most senior executives have participated in the programme to date."