proform :: inspire :: involve :: evolve

Case Studies

We believe that coaching can make a real difference. So what evidence have we for making the case for coaching? Here are some interesting studies that will help to illustrate the power of coaching - how it inspires, involves and evolves.

See the results of our methods below...

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  In-house Improvement Team beats the 'Experts'

  A number of years ago I was part of a large multi-national company which was concerned about the high level of waste produced every day after new generation machines were introduced. The company brought in the experts – the machine designers and suppliers – to consult and advise for two weeks at a cost of £1000 per consultant per day (£14,000). They observed and made adjustments and immediately the amount of waste dropped by 0.1%. The experts stated that this was the best they could offer without compromising quality.

  The factory’s senior management did not want to accept this result so they set up an 'Improvement Team' made up of shop floor managers, machine operators and technicians. Within one week the team had proved that with slight alterations in ejection timing, and with some operational changes, the amount of waste could be reduced significantly. They then set a goal of achieving the same waste levels as the old machinery.

  After the initial week, the Improvement Team’s recommendations and actions were implemented by the 16 packing and making machines. The different shifts and production areas each had a member of the Improvement Team to coach them and take them through the process of change. The result was that the waste levels dropped from 0.96% to 0.39% with no detrimental effect on quality. This meant an annual saving of £30,000 in materials, and operator time was optimised because the operators spent less time reworking waste and more time adding value to the process.

  The people involved in the team were part of something that made a difference to their own and their colleagues’ working day as well as contributing to organisational success. The ripples went through the organisation with the result that people wanted to be involved. This boosted morale as well as creating further trust and belief in the organisation.

  If the recommendations of the consultants had been accepted there would have been some savings, but nothing like the outcome from asking the people directly involved in the process to look for answers and enabling them to “find a better way” without instruction.

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  The Metrics of Organisational Coaching

  In an article printed in the Professional Manager, Matt Somers states "It is nigh on impossible to prove definitively a causal link between coaching and improved results, there are so many variables". Taking this statement at face value, as the leader of an organisation you would probably hire someone who can deliver tangible results rather than a coach. However, I believe that coaching offers measurable results for both the individual and the organisation.

  What is the purpose of coaching? In summary, it’s to help both the individual and the organisation become more effective. One of the biggest challenges in measuring the success of coaching is that tangible behavioural change is usually linked to intangible mindsets and beliefs. Effective measurement strategies require the coach to identify the mindsets that drive the critical behaviours and then to make those intangibles measurable. This can be done by defining 'Success' for the individual or the organisation. What needs to happen to move from the current position – the starting point – to this desired state? Who can confirm the movement has taken place? By answering these questions, progress can be tracked.

  For example, take this case:

  A coach was hired by a business with a substantial turnover (circa £10 million) - specifically to address the sponsor’s concerns about Joe’s ability to develop the new role of training/quality manager. There were problems with low productivity and high customer returns, and substantial stocktaking errors were common. Joe’s current approach was very hands-on and he was achieving only limited success whilst working with small teams on two shifts.

  How could the effectiveness of this coaching engagement be measured?

  In order to make the intangible tangible in this case, first of all the coach needed to establish the following prerequisites.

  • The client must be coachable.
  • The coach must fully use all the data the organisation has that will help support and track changes.
  • The coachee must identify the real problems, with the help of the coach.

  Point number 1 can be assessed by finding out the answers to the following questions.

  • How open is the coachee to receiving feedback?
  • How aware is the coachee of their own need, and do they have a sense of urgency?
  • How do they perceive the value of coaching and of the likely outcomes?
  • How strong are any competing commitments and any fear of consequences if the coachee does not seek and accept help?

  Point number 2: It was agreed by the organisation that the coach must fully use all its available data to help support and track changes. They also fully supported the individual and verified that the metrics set out at the goal setting stage were real and trackable through their systems. Metrics such as production throughput and customer returns could be easily tracked.

  Point number 3, the coach and coachee must identify the real problems. As coaching progressed, the coach investigated past attempts at solving the problems and what the outcomes were. The coachee explored the current situation and what options there were to move forward. The outcome they agreed was that the coachee needed to adopt a more engaging management style and change the way he interacted with his teams, which would change their behaviour as well. With a less hands-on style from him and by securing ‘buy in’ from his teams, changes began to happen.

  Through feedback, the coach was able to identify and verify behavioural changes in the way the coachee was interacting with his team.

  The outcome was that the coachee, whose coachability was established at the start and who had the full support of the organisation, made a series of decisions based upon past experiences and newly found options, and was committed to change his approach to dealing with the challenges he faced. His intangible mindsets and beliefs changed and drove tangible behavioural changes in the way he managed his team. His behavioural changes could be, and were, verified by feedback from his teams and his direct manager. The teams changed their perception of their manager and their role which then allowed them to change procedure and practice. Commitment was increased because they, the employees, initiated these changes with the manager’s support and facilitation. This was then tracked by the organisation’s management reporting systems which showed an increase in productivity and a drop in customer returns.

  Both the individual and the organisation had benefitted from the coaching process.

  • Increased output – better efficiency, less use of overtime = cost savings
  • Better quality and fewer returns – better customer perception, customer loyalty increased, less time re-working = cost saving
  • New working practice and procedure – training new people easier as training now fully understood by all through formal written quality procedures that can be followed and taught by people below managerial level = increased confidence
  • Engaging people – involvement, satisfaction, being listened to
  • Optimised manager’s time to concentrate on job/people development rather than hands-on problem-solving
  • Increased team involvement and understanding organisational goals
  • An easy assessment method for quality procedures
  • Staff retention

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• 

  Independent and Productive

  There’s always a risk when any production facility is modernised and upgraded, and when a significant sum of money (£5.5 million) is invested, there is great pressure to meet previous levels of performance, at the very least. The following study of such a situation demonstrates how effective an independent consultant can be in adding value to an organisation.

  Decommissioning and installation had gone well but as the plant started up and moved into the commissioning stage there seemed to be no further progress in productivity. The factory was not even living up to previous performance levels achieved by the old plant and machinery. Numerous reasons, both technical and operational, contributed to the underperformance.

  Employees felt let down. They felt they were insufficiently trained and had no real ownership. People working in the before and after stages were disillusioned and had lost faith in anyone resolving the issues that affected them and their organisation.

  The two main contractors were represented on site and, along with the management and staff, were trying hard to resolve the ongoing technical challenges, but still the plant was underachieving daily. An atmosphere of misunderstanding between all involved parties prevailed at each meeting, action planning session and debate. The underperformance against plan created a growing pressure from the organisation and fingers started to be pointed.

  The advantage of having an independent consultant on site was that he was able to look in a truly independent manner at the management process and the contractor / organisation interface. Without any organisational pressure and no hidden agendas the only point to make was that things could change and change rapidly for the better.

  It quickly became apparent that the language they were speaking had different meanings for each side. It became noticeable that the contractors were not fully aware of the ramifications of the underperformance, and this was being lost in trying to find out why it was happening. Everyone was concentrating on fire fighting and not on the real issues.

  There was a three month period of steady, determined work towards a clear process in which everyone concerned would have a transparent understanding of each challenge, new and old, and all would have a constructive input. After this, the following had been achieved:

  • There was a clear understanding of the root causes of the problem presented in a quantifiable way.
  • There was a unified approach to creating a plan to solve each challenge.
  • There was a collaborative maintenance plan which was executed in a timely manner.
  • People were driven by a value added approach.
  • After each task was completed everyone involved reviewed how effective it was and re-planned it if it was found to fall short of expectation.
  • Everyone concerned was included and told when things had worked well and every success was celebrated, no matter how small.

  The final outcome was that people felt listened to, and the plant started to perform. The contractors finished commissioning and the project was signed off with the plant’s performance living up to expectations.

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What our clients say about us...

• David is a business coach - coaching me on a personal level to help me (1) develop myself and (2) deal with business issues. He does this through effective questioning and clear action planning and does so in a way which nets real tangible results. He allows me to focus on my thoughts and priorities in relation to my business.

• As a mentor having “been there and done that” he has the skills and knowledge in all areas and would normally be your superior in a work situation. He will deal in the now, and how the past has shaped you, what makes you "tick" and how a specific physical or mental condition can be addresses.

• He took time to understand my organisation, its people and the technical problems that were prevalent at the time. By working with individuals, both listening and coaching, he supported the development of strategies to drive improvement.

• Working with David was interesting and it was refreshing to work with someone who is passionate about what they do. He has a clear energy that focuses on understanding your business and its people.

• David uses a technique which enables me to think of the best solution by myself in a shorter time. He simply asks me what my goals and objectives are for the immediate future and longer term. When I have identified those he simply asks one or two questions and lets me decipher the best course of action to achieve those goals.