Despite huge investment into traditional coaching programmes, science shows they’re failing to change the performance of leaders as much as it seems.
Many traditional coaching participants go through numerous sessions, set ambitious goals, build a relationship with their coach, and try to soak up a wealth of information.
But once back at their desk, they often struggle to implement the learning into their every day.
Without a clear plan on how to change behaviour, they’ll revert to the same habits that have tripped them up before.
This article explains why this happens, and how precision coaching provides the answer to improving the behaviour and performance of leaders.
One of the best examples of this is New Year’s resolutions.
Despite best intentions, 80% of people abandon their resolutions by February.
This intention-behaviour gap is mirrored in the workplace, where people fail to change their behaviour from poor to great even though they want to.
This isn’t helped by traditional coaching programmes.
Many of which are underpinned by a false notion that a positive attitude, more information and a good coach-coachee relationship are all that’s necessary to achieve behaviour change.
Scientific research shows the impact of those factors on a coaching participant’s performance is minimal, and there are many other complex influences on behaviour – including personal, social, and environmental – that need to be considered to boost leadership development.
For example, a leader may need guidance from a coach on how to handle uncomfortable conversations with their team, such as discussing an individual’s underperformance.
While providing generic advice and information may improve the leader’s confidence and increase their intent, coaches also need to help them develop the right tools to act and navigate past any personal, social, or environmental blockers.
Behavioural science is critical to understanding human behaviour and the underlying factors that influence it.
And without it, lasting behaviour change cannot be achieved.
That’s why MindGym’s precision coaching is built on behavioural science and uses proven techniques to help leaders change their behaviour, achieve their goals and become better leaders.
There are three key parts of the precision coaching framework:
Rather than dwelling on past problems, coaches certified in precision coaching are able to change a leader’s mindset. Individuals are encouraged to focus on what’s working well now and use it as a foundation to build towards achieving their targeted goals.
Also, while traditional coaching has the implicit aim of building the capacity for self-directed learning, precision coaching makes this aim explicit through its mastery-learning process.
Precision coaching participants are guided to master skills and behaviours by constantly testing themselves in different workplace scenarios. They are also encouraged to regularly assess their own performance, as well as gain feedback from others.
Looking through the behavioural science lens, coaches also help leaders get off to the best start by diagnosing the potential blockers and enablers of their progress and mapping a journey that takes them to success.
Watch our free webinar showing how your organisation can start using Precision Coaching immediately.