What now, coach?

Meetings & Conventions: Short Cuts January 2001 Current Issue
January 2001
Short Cuts:
What now, coach?

A t the headquarters of the National Association of Business Coaches in Clear Spring, Md., pleas for help have been pouring in. Among recent calls: A nonprofit agency wanted 10 on-site coaches to help top managers meet job performance expectations. A woman from Nebraska, who had inherited her husband’s businesses, needed a coach to walk her through some tough management decisions. A Fortune 500 firm in Seattle wanted one-on-one coaching for a top executive. “The company felt he could triple his sales figures, if he could just improve his atrocious people skills,” says Stephen Lanning, executive director at NABC.

A part-counseling, part-mentoring approach to effective management, corporate coaching can take place on-site or off, in small groups or personal sessions. Coaches tackle a variety of situations, including integrating departments, motivating employees and honing personal and managerial skills. “Sometimes, people just get stuck in a rut and need advice on how to improve their situation,” says Diane Sanders, a coach and senior partner at Corporate Coaching International, LLC, in Los Angeles.

For more information, contact the National Association of Business Coaches at (800) 290-3196.

C.A.S.