Coaching in change – survey 2011
Early Summer 2011. Consultat Sabine Pelzmann-Knafl has as part of a study questioned 72 people from top-management, middle management and staff level of profit and non-profit organizations in Austria about their experience with and their need for coaching in context with complex organizational change processes. After these people were asked anonymously via the internet the results of the survey were analyzed statistically.
As a business consultant and coach Sabine Pelzmann-Knafl accompanies complex organizational change processes and repeatedly she observes that not only psycho-dynamics of change, but also specific management tools and instruments of organizational change are issues. „Hard“ structural strategic work and „soft“ development and change work can no longer be separated from one another, both are to be worked with in coachings as part of change processes.
The results
„Individual coaching still seems to be some kind of status symbol“, says Pelzmann-Knafl „Coaching is puchased hierachical.“
- 30% of the respondents from top management have had external individual coaching opportunities in the past three years as part of complex organizational changes, whereas 0% of the respondents from employee level.
- 22% of the respondents from the middle management / from project leaders had had external individual coaching opportunities
- 0% of the respondents from employee level (without management function) had external individual coaching opportunities
Change is a constant topic
89% of all respondents stated that they experienced complex organizational change processes over the past three years, most of which where re-organization processes (73%).
The seven main reasons for coaching
The main reasons to make use of coaching by an external consultant in context with complex organizational change processes were:
- Coaching opportunity for individual coaching by an external consultant/coach as part of organizational change processes
- Discussion of difficult decisions before implementation with a coach/an expert
- Exchange with consultant on the design of the change processes
- Improve the handling with emotional situations
- Deal more effectively with resistance
- Gain confidence in dealing with the change processes
- Conflicts with employees
- Be more effective in management
- Professional Positioning
Coaching for yourself and coaching for staff are purchased according to different reasons
„For employees and middle management, coaching is purchased, if excessive demands and stress symptoms are detected and if there are conflicts amongst employees. For yourself, coaching is used to discuss important decisions or a change process.
Sensible coaching frequencies
As a reasonable rate for coaching in context with complex organizational change processes most respondents used „on demand“. It is striking, however, that 22% of the respondents recommend external coaching for the top management once every month.
What is the role of education?
People without a university degree are much more willing discuss difficult decisions with an external coach. It seems as if someone with higher education is less willing to admit that outside help might be useful.
- 71% of people without university degrees are willing to discuss difficult decisions with a coach
- 40% of people with university degrees are willing to discuss difficult decisions with a coach
People without university degrees purchase their employees coaching in case of stress rather than people with university degrees.
- 79% of people without university degrees purchase coaching for their employees coaching in case of stress symptoms
- 41% of people with university degrees purchase coaching for their employees coaching in case of stress symptoms
„The coach has served as an all-rounder“, says Sabine Pelzmann-Knafl „one coaching education is not enough for coaching change processes.“
Good coaches need the following skills and experiences:
- An understanding of developments in the business world, an understanding of the relations between social powers, their determination and their organizational forms
- An understanding of irrational processes in society, organizations, groups and individuals
- An understanding of dynamic structures in groups and organizations
- An understanding of individuals in their environment
- Dealing with different kinds of powers in organizations and micro-politics
- Knowledge of management theories, change models and approaches to change
- Knowledge of organizational development, methods of organizational development and the principles of system theory
- Understanding of organizational patterns in complex organizational change processes
Sabine Pelzmann-Knafl believes that a personal confrontation with one's one patterns in dealing with changes and with organizational changes should be mandatory for every coach who deals with change processes.