There are many forces in 21st Century business that are pushing more and more towards self-managed learning. Fewer management layers, less corporate hand-holding, more virtual relationships and greater individual responsibility for career development are some of them.

Against these are the forces of time pressure and the fear of being seen to need training. Allied to all this is the growing realisation by business people that individual excellence is achieved in dependence upon a good coach. The personal trainer, coach, mentor and counsellor are all common and valued features of artistic and sporting success.

Furthermore:

– when $millions ride on the outcome of negotiations or

– when whole swathes of staff are demotivated by the manner in which change is introduced, or

– when arrogant individuals just don't know how negatively they impact on others, or

– when a key individual is too stressed or unable to build his team or make presentations or

– when someone just doesn't know how to get on in his career...

...then something has to be done!

Usually the solution is to send him or her on a training course. But this is often unproductive. The course is not tailored precisely to that individual's needs, the time spent is much longer than is necessary and there is often no follow up.

This is where the personal coach comes in. Either the coach is someone from within the organisation – called a mentor, or s/he is a consultant from the outside. The deciding factor turns on the nature of the issue. The more personal performance or "life style" it is, the more an outside coach would be appropriate. The more it has to do with the organisation and its workings, the more a mentor would be appropriate.

For further information please go to Mentor or Coaching. To see how we do it have a look at the case studies.

Change at Work: Handling Resistance

Mentoring & its Benefits

Developing a Corporate Mentoring Programme

Individual Coaching

Case Study: 'Transformation'
Case Study: 'Presenting Panic'