Thanks Are Due To

June 2008

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to:

All the public sector coaching clients who took time to take this survey.

Special thanks go to the following Yellow Edge people for their active involvement in producing this document: Ms Clea Wallage, Ms Georgia Kendall, Ms Akshra Kaul, Ms Emily Faulks, Ms Jacqui Hill; and,

All Yellow Edge coaches ( a subset of whom responded to the survey) for their dedicated and committed coaching of over 15,000 public sector coaching sessions in over 65 public sector agencies over the last six years.

Sue Adams (ACT)

Indra Ali (Singapore)

Lisa Baker (Vic)

Barbara Baikie (ACT)

Trish Bergin (ACT)

Jane Boardman (ACT)

Don Clayton (WA)

Dr Darryl Cross (SA)

Dr Tony Draper (QLD)

Matilda Emberson (ACT)

Trish Favretto-Dicer (ACT)

Mike Fiveash (ACT)

Phil Gouldson (ACT and Singapore)

Mark Gleeson (ACT)

Bronwyn Green (ACT)

Dr Anne Hartican (Vic)

Authors

Terry Fewtrell, Principal Consultant, Yellow Edge Pty Ltd
Dr Alison Wyse, Director,
Pogo Consulting Pty Ltd
Lindy Bryant, Director, Executive Coaching, Yellow Edge Pty Ltd

Marilyn Hatton (ACT)
Katherine Hosie (NSW)

Diane Kargas (ACT)

Deborah Kneebone (NT)

Deborah Mann (Vic)

Cathy Mauk (ACT)

Judy McLennan (QLD)

Susan McDonald (ACT)

Bill Palmer (ACT)

Louisa Scagliotti (ACT)

Peter Shakespeare (ACT)

Therese Toohey (ACT)

John Raymond (NSW)

Dr Alan Sieler (Vic)

Anya Stephens (WA)

Any inadvertent errors in the attached paper are the responsibility of Lindy Bryant – not any coach or other author.
This Research Report is available for reference and use in the public sector only, otherwise by approval fromYellow Edge.
© Copyright Yellow Edge 2008

How to use this document

This report contains information useful to:

Public sector leaders and managers
Public sector clients thinking of receiving coaching
HR Managers who are designing coaching programs and coordinating coaching in their agencies
Prospective public sector executive coaches

The overview of the current context of executive coaching in the public sector outlines:

Perspectives on executive coaching in the public sector
Importance of knowing the context of the client when coaching in the public sector
Current coaching trends
Typical coaching costs
Coaching methods, tools and capabilities
What makes coaching work and not work
Leadership capabilities across all government jurisdictions – federal, state and local

The client survey findings outline:

The focus of coaching conversations for clients
The benefits of coaching for individuals, the organisation and the public service
Qualities sought in a coach

The coaches survey findings outline:

The backgrounds of public service coaches
The range, diversity and focus of coaching conversations at Senior Executive levels; EL1 and 2 and APS 1-6 (and equivalents)
Suggestions to HR Managers about what works for coaching within agencies, including as part of leadership programs
What coaches themselves think clients should look for in a coach

I hope that this will be useful information to those working in the public sector – both clients and coaches. I would be keen to hear any feedback you might have at

Warm regards

Lindy Bryant PCC (ICF)

Director Executive Coaching

Yellow Edge Pty Ltd

Foreword

There is growing recognition and use of executive coaching in the public sector. Recent years have seen considerable growth in its application across the Australian Public Service, at both the senior executive and middle management levels.

The growth of coaching among public sector executives reflects in part the sharper focus evident in recent times on the achievement of objectives and the delivery of outcomes. In a sense it is a logical counter balance to the increased expectations and accountabilities that senior public sector managers now confront. It also reflects the enhanced customisation of conditions and development opportunities that is a feature of the contemporary workplace.

Executive coaching places the dynamic of growth and development much closer to the individual manager and leader and their real life work context. It supports and encourages executives to make a difference, to apply their insights and adjust their approaches to have an impact. It is a learning dynamic with powerful potential.

Our knowledge of executive coaching is growing considerably, based on the body of literature that is emerging from the field. The findings of this study, relating specifically to the nature, focus and benefits of executive coaching in the Australian public sector, contribute significantly to its understanding and application in the government sector.

All parties will welcome these findings and the commitment to further studies in the field.

Andy Gregory

Chief Executive

Yellow Edge Pty Ltd

Executive summary

Survey results of Client perspectives and Coach perspectives

Intent of surveys

The intent of the two surveys was to provide a mechanism to contribute to the broader understanding of the roles and effectiveness of coaching in the public sector in Australia and to continually improve our own coaching services.

Given Yellow Edge’s extensive public sector experience during the past six years (in excess of 15,000 individual sessions over 65 public sector agencies), the company was well positioned to undertake this project as an investment in our major client – the public sector. To obtain copies of this report please contact Yellow Edge Performance Architects on +61 2 6273 0168 or . It will be placed for download on our website( later in 2008.

Similarities and differences between coaches’ and their clients’responses in the surveys

Coaches and their clients were largely in agreement on many aspects of public sector executive coaching.

Topics discussed in coaching sessions –
both clients and coaches identified personal style, relationships and upward management, confidence and more effective thinking and behaviours, career strategies, and work-life balance issues
Benefits to clients –
clients identified personal effectiveness/confidence as the greatest benefit gained, followed by leadership and management style and career focus and direction
Similarly, coaches identified the greatest benefits to clients as increased self-awareness and self-confidence, skills and relationship improvement, greater career motivation and focus, and increased productivity through better performance management

Benefits to clients’ organisations –
clients identified enhanced overall personal development as the greatest benefit
coaches identified increased productivity, engagement and satisfaction and the associated greater retention of talent, and lower turnover, reduced absenteeism, and more key staff working to their strengths
Benefits for the public sector –
clients identified improved performance of the individual, clarification and direction on career, and access to confidential and objective support
coaches identified specific, competent support tailored to the individual client to maximize potential, confidential, objective support and improved personal performance of the client
limitations to coaching in the public sector –
clients identified matching the right person to the right coach, style of coaching, commitment and budget constraints
coaches identified cost and limited number of sessions available, lack of understanding of coaching and its benefits, and limiting coaching to development programs rather than an ongoing opportunity
what makes a good coach –
clients identified professionalism, discretion, trust, confidentiality and ethical; forming a strong connection with the client; and being straight talking, challenging and honest
Coaches identified professionalism, discretion, trust, confidentiality and ethical; forming a strong connection with the client; and having appropriate qualifications, training and experience
likelihood to recommend coaching as a public sector intervention
clients - 83% indicated that they would recommend coaching and 85% said they would take part in further coaching opportunities if available
coaches – 86% would definitely recommend coaching as an effective intervention

Clients and coaches held slightly differing opinions on their preferred method of coaching

clients expressed a strong preference for face-to-facing
coaches identified circumstances and opportunities for phone coaching to be as effective

A. Summary of Client survey findings

Overall, the findings of this survey of public sector officers/executives who have undertaken a coaching program revealed a very positive experience of coaching as a developmental and ‘organic’ intervention tool.

In specific terms the survey revealed that:

87% of public sector executives who undertake coaching participate in five or more coaching sessions

The bulk of coaching participants either initiate the coaching process themselves, or participate in coaching as part of a broader 360 degree feedback process

Public sector coaching participants have a very strong preference for face-to-face coaching

Participants of coaching sessions report that topics most regularly discussed in coaching sessions are:

Clarifying own style and stretching situationally
Cultivating productive working relationships with staff/peers/superiors/stakeholders
Communicating with influence
More effective thinking and behaviours
Self confidence, trusting intuition and instinct
Communicating with others more effectively
Identifying career goals and strategies
Work/life balance

The key benefit gained by individual coaching participants were:

Personal effectiveness/confidence,

with other benefits being gained in :

Leadership and management style and
Career focus and direction.

A large number (85%) of coaching participants report that these benefits are significant or very significant.

Participants believe that the greatest benefit to their organisations from their coaching relates to their enhanced overall personal development. Other key benefits include that they are now more effective managers and better able to more effectively manage team and staff relationships. Participants are strongly of the view (73%) that these benefits are significant, or very significant,for their organisations.

Coaching participants believe that the three main benefits of coaching to the public sector generally are the improved performance of the individual, clarification and direction on career and related issues, and the support provided by the coaching as a result of it being confidential and objective.

The main limitations to coaching in the public sector are: the challenge of matching the right person to the right coach and style of coaching; the level of commitment and focus required of the executive; and budget considerations.

A total of 61% of public sector coaching participants said they would definitely recommend coaching, with a further 22% indicating they probably would recommend coaching. A clear majority (85%) of coaching participants said they would definitely or probably take part in further coaching opportunities if offered.

This disposition to further coaching is replicated in the finding that 52% of participants report that their coach added exceptional value, with a further 37% reporting that their coach added moderate value.

Those who have participated in coaching sessions are clear that the key attributes of a good coach, in rank order, are:

Professionalism, discretion, trust, confidentiality and ethical
Forms a strong connection with the client
Straight talking, challenging, honest

B. Summary of Coach survey findings

While executive coaching is still a relatively new industry, coaches’ perceptions indicated significant benefits from executive coaching for their clients, their clients’ organisations and the public sector in general.

The views and perceptions of coaches are:

Phone coaching can be an effective coaching method
Most coaches (86%) would definitely recommend coaching as an intervention for APS staff
Benefits and personal improvements observed in their clients include:

increased self awareness and self-confidence
skills and relationship development
greater career motivation and focus
increased productivity through better performance management [their own and others]

Potential benefits for organisations include:

increased productivity and engagement of staff at all levels due to the flow on benefits of better management
greater retention of talent, and the associated succession management benefits
increased staff satisfaction, reduced absenteeism, lower turnover of quality staff, better outcomes
more key staff working to their strengths and achieving their potential

Top three attributes of agood public sector coach:

professionalism, discretion, trust, confidentiality, ethical
forms a strong connection with the client
has appropriate qualifications, training and experience

Coaching conversations with SES clients tended to focus on:

taking a strategic perspective
managing for better performance – self and others
career, work and life balance concerns
leadership issues

Coaching conversations with EL2 clients focused on:

career issues – planning, satisfaction, progression, direction
performance and team management issues
transition from management to leadership
upwards management

Coaching conversations with EL1 clients focused on:

career issues – satisfaction, planning and promotion prospects
personal development and skilling needs
people management, including managing up
leadership and management

Coaching conversations with APS 1 – 6 clients focused on:

career planning and progression
personal development and skilling needs
job satisfaction and work-life balance
people management; managing up

Differences between public and private sector coaching include:

Private sector emphasis more on building strengths and ROI, public sector more focused on problem solving
Coaching is more routine and accepted in the private sector, still a new phenomenon in the public sector and therefore more restricted
Coach must have an understanding of the public sector model of accountability, risk management and responsiveness to government
Different communication stylesrequired - issues can be the same.

Key issues addressed in coaching sessions:

Workplace issues – dealing with non-performers, bullying, expectation management, stress, work/life balance
Leadership skills
People and other management skills
Managing change

Benefits of coaching for the public sector:

specific, competent support tailored to the individual client, to maximise realisation of potential and retention of talent
provision of a confidential, objective sounding board
improved personal performance through non-judgmental, objective assessments

Limitations on coaching in the public sector:

Cost and limited number of sessions available to clients
Lack of understanding of what coaching is and its benefits
Client motivation and accountability for coaching
Coaching often part of a development program, not an ongoing opportunity

Considerations for HR managers responsible for coaching programs:

invest in preparing clients for coaching – set expectations, measure results
consider coaching as a more long term, development strategy, rather than a part of another development program, and provide sufficient number of sessions
allow clients to choose their own coach – within limits
use reputable, experienced coaches
emphasise that coaching is not remedial

Considerations in designing more effective coaching within leadership programs:

set coaching goals prior to commencing the program – with pre-program coaching session
use tools/instruments to provide a basis for coaching
assess learning requirements, provide the learning event, then follow up with coaching
have coaching session continue after the conclusion of the program

Directions for future surveys

These surveys of coaching in the public sector represent the first comprehensive assessment of the public sector coaching experience and its benefits undertaken in Australia. The results of the surveys provide benchmarks for further exploration of a field that, while still quite new in Australia, is clearly of growing interest and focus.

In the interests of building knowledge and professional improvement in relation to coaching, it would be important to undertake biennial surveys of coaching in the public sector, involving both clients and coaches. This would enable experience gained in conducting this survey to be leveraged in future research and contribute to the building of a body of knowledge on the benefits and effectiveness of coaching in the Australian public sector.

Future surveys might usefully involve both a broadening and tightening of questions in response to findings from each survey to better explore specific areas of the coaching experience. This would enable a more effective probing of the benefits of coaching, in terms relating to the return on the investment made by agencies and individuals.

It is likely therefore that future survey instruments could be expanded to include public sector HR managers, client supervisors and senior executives responsible for people issues. Specific case study approaches could be employed to assess the contribution of public sector coaching to the achievement of organizational goals and measures. Future surveys, across a larger participant base, would also enable the findings to be broken down by other demographic factors such as gender, generation, (X, Y and baby boomers), and classification levels, without infringing privacy considerations.

Notwithstanding future survey enhancements, considerable information and data has emerged from the survey results which will be factored into the ongoing development of better practices in the design and delivery of coaching programs within the public sector. This applies to providers of coaching services and to those within agencies who are responsible for procuring those services.

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Part A

Overview of the current context of executive coaching in the Australian public sector

Lindy Bryant PCC (ICF) Director, Executive Coaching, Yellow Edge