Fast track your career

How coaching can help you climb the corporate ladder

What is coaching?

Coaching is about creating or accelerating positive change. A coach works one-to-one with a client to help them maximise their personal or professional potential. A well recognised development tool in the West, coaching is still in its infancy in China, where it is mainly used by multinationals.

 

Who can benefit from coaching?

People often assume that coaching is about fixing what's wrong. While coaching can help in problem areas such as anger management, it's not an appropriate tool for resolving really deep-seated issues. Rather, coaching is best used to enhance the performance of already successful staff. Beijing-based Angela Keane of Keane Learning and Media coaches high-potential Chinese staff being groomed to run their organisations. "There's a real need to coach staff in the customs of a Western company...moreover Beijing's frenetic pace brings its own problems," explains Angela. Fellow coach Elizabeth Okada of The Learning Partnership adds, "Sessions can provide valuable thinking time for organisational issues and challenges... the coach can act as a sounding board - something you might not have access to internally."

 

How is coaching structured?

This depends on the client and the issue. However most business or executive coaches conduct 60 to 90 minute sessions twice a month over a period of three to six months.

 

What should I consider when hiring a coach?

Personal recommendations can count for a lot, particularly in China, but you should always check a coach's qualifications. They should have received training accredited by either the International Coach Federation (www.coachfederation.org) or the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (www.emccouncil.org). Finally, a good rapport between coach and client is vital. In the words of Angela Keane, "The client should feel they can be open and frank, and share thoughts they may not have shared with anyone before."

Sarah Cooper