While mostly people manage their various crises that leak into both home and work life, it is inevitable that all of us get stuck eventually. Individuals can desperately grasp at any development tool or self-help strategy in front of them to help them climb out of that discomfort. But inevitably, many will tend to fall into the same patterns that play out in their lives repeatedly in different scenarios at home and work. Organizations are no different.
Out of sheer habit, organizations can decide that staff and volunteer development means adding new training tools to keep them on the cutting edge – or at least to keep their people on-track. This is how the self-help industry is a $12 billion market—yes, billions--that keeps people and organizations on the treadmill of constant development without leading them anywhere but to the next fad, guru, seminar, class, or feeling. Research has already shown that the self-help industry fails 100% of the time to sustain any real change. It may be for the same reasons that over 70% of all organizational change initiatives also fail and that nearly 90% of learning management systems or training programs fail to accomplish their original intent.
So how can you actively engage and develop your staff and volunteers in a meaningful way that benefits them, the roles they fulfill in your organization, and your NPO’s larger work?
First, successful staff and volunteer development means sustained behavioral changes. No development tool or system is good or bad as a general rule; but habitual and practical application is everything. Adding new tools into your organizational toolbox is only part of the equation, particularly if those who use it don’t see it as being personally useful. Real change is sustained change, which is subjective for both individuals and teams. Given this, can there ever be one effective development solution for your nonprofit?
Yes! According to research, one-on-one certified professional coaching is proven highly successful in sustaining positive change. There is a reason why this field of study is called positive psychology. The top three indications of certified one-on-one coaching are (a) sustained behavioral change (63%), (b) increased self-awareness and understanding (48%), and (c) more effective leadership (45%). People who engage certified coaches reap big benefits: 62.5% smarter goal-setting, 60.5% more balanced lives, 57.1% lower stress levels, 52.4% increased self-confidence, 43.3% better quality of life, 25.7% increased revenues, 33.3% enriched family life, and 25.7% left vices or bad habits. Pretty positive, right?
Executives in the for-profit world already know this. More than 90% of all successful top executives have a professional certified coach that they use to keep themselves sharp. They shell out thousands for this development edge. On a 1-10 scale, over half of these coached executives reported a change sustainability level between 6 and 8; over a third reported sustained change over time at the 9-10 level. What about the rest of the people in their organizations?
Organization can benefit, too. Research bears out similar coaching success rates for organizations as for executives alone. 96% of organizations report to have seen individual performance improve since coaching was introduced. Nearly as many (92%) also have seen improvements in leadership and management effectiveness. If organizations utilized coaches to develop their employees and volunteers, they would realize a huge increase in worker, leadership, and team engagement.
Many nonprofits, small groups, entrepreneurs, employees, and volunteers cannot afford the thousands executives spend for the most effective development tool that works. This is why we exist.
A-Squared LAMP Groups is a nonprofit dedicated to making professional certified coaching accessible and affordable to you through scholarships, sponsorship, membership benefits, and service partnerships. Coaching works – and it shouldn’t only be for the top executives who already know this fact. Thanks to our donors and previous scholarship recipient, we are pleased to offer anyone who applies a Pay-It-Forward Coaching Scholarship experience so you can see for yourself how coaching works. Fill out the online form and we will contact you to learn more about what you want.
Next article: Four Reasons Coaching Works and How to Avoid the Wrong Ones
Link = https://asquaredlamps.org/projects/coaching-scholarship-fund/
