The first step – rating the Importance of each capability in the role – has been welcomed by both those being assessed and those seeking to use the assessment data in the coaching process. Universally there has been acclamation for this step as there is invariably concern or identified issues over the range of perceptions or understanding of what the role is intended to be focused on to align to the organization’s strategic goals. Once any areas of misalignment are addressed, the opportunity to focus on development areas of the individual is enabled. The coaching approach using the BAG is to work with the individual on those areas that offer the highest return for effort. This may mean a longer-term behavioural change with a series of steps or a short term targeted approach to tactical activities. Generally, a maximum of three areas of development are selected for the initial coaching program. Interventions can be developed for each development gaol and the coach is able to use their array of knowledge, skills and supporting assessments in personality, emotional intelligence, executive presence, etc to support the development journey. One of the benefits of the BAG is that is able to compliment many of the in situ assessments or development programs.
With coaching, the desire, need or expectation of measuring the change the individual has achieved (or not), either behavioural and tactical, can often be difficult depending on the assessment process, the coaching method being used and not infrequently, the changing needs of the role. Recently there has been an array of commentary on the challenges that organizations are facing in utilizing and maintaining value from the investment and reliance on competency frameworks that are static while the markets, industries and strategies that the leaders are responsible for, are far more dynamic, requiring constant review to ensure the strategic gaols and role activities remain aligned. With the BAG, retesting is both objective and informative on changes achieved and observed in the coaching development areas, but most importantly on reconfirming if the importance of the capabilities in the role have remained consistent or changed due to internal or external organizational demands. With this process, behavioural change as agreed on in the coaching program can be recognized appropriately while confirming or resetting the behaviours needed to achieve the role from that point on.
What is frequently missing in the assessment processes that coaching is based on is the framework that links and aligns the strategic, tactical and behavioural requirements of a role. Without this, it is intrinsically harder to identify the “why, what and how” that most individuals expect and need to understand the value in the effort and challenge of change. With the BAG, this is addressed in an objective process that provides empirical data that reduces the defensive responses, provides opportunity for open dialogue between the individual, their manager and the coach on role areas that may appear misaligned but are in fact due to a lack of common perception or understanding, clarifies what is important and what are the best areas of development opportunity. With retesting, the BAG can separate change of behaviours and achievement of coaching while identifying the currency of the role requirements to set up the next phase of development.
Coaches work to enable the development of the individual who has engaged them for support, guidance, knowledge, challenge and behavioural change that will be sustainable and align with personal and professional growth. Coaching with the BAG provides the framework for this while also offering a level of clarity around the “why, what and how” that has not been offered until now.
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