If you have been a coach, or if you have been coached, you know there are many questions to ask the person you’re coaching, such as: 

• What do you want to talk about today? 

• Why do you want to focus on that? 

• How will this help make a difference for you? 

• What can you actually do to improve? 

Coaches dig deep and help performers identify issues that may be affecting their performance and guide them to an appropriate solution. While there are many coaches who work independently, organizations are beginning to recognize the benefits of having an organizational coaching approach. In organizations that are doing this successfully, managers emphasize one-on-one sessions with their employees, pull techniques from the coaching method, and guide their employee to better performance. 

In the ATD research report The Coaching Approach: A Key Tool for Successful Mangers several benefits have been cited by organizations that have embedded this method into their culture, including: 

• improved communication 

• improved engagement 

• improved productivity. 

Recently, I had the chance to interview Nanci Appleman-Vassil on her coaching experiences. Not only has she been a coach, but she has also been coached and currently facilitates ATD’s Coaching Certificate program. In this exclusive interview, Nanci reveals the most challenging aspects of being a coach and some of the greatest benefits of coaching well. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about what coaching can do for you in your organization.