Envision a Coaching Culture for Your Organization

What does a coaching culture look like?

To really “see” a coaching culture you have to look through the lens of a coaching worldview. The cornerstones of a coaching worldview are:

• Curiosity
• Compassion
• Centeredness
• Courage

Imagine what life would look like in your organization if people were curious about the choices that other people make, rather than judging others for being different or “wrong.” And what if people chose to interact with each other from a place of compassion, for themselves and others, with the understanding that everyone is learning and growing? What would they do differently? Add to that centeredness-the ability for people to set aside their own judgments and fears-and focus instead on being of service to others. How would that change the tone and tenure of relationships? Then imagine what your organization could create together if people had the courage to act from this solid foundation, saying what needs to be said to compassionately illuminate what’s really going on, and have the honest conversations needed to co-create a shared path forward. That’s what a coaching culture looks like. Can you see the difference a coaching culture can make in your organization?

In practical terms, a coaching culture is fully expressed when:

• Managers (and everyone, really) view developing others “in the moment” as a core responsibility
• People throughout the organization integrate coaching approaches into any conversation with anyone at any time in order to illuminate possibilities and invite meaningful dialogue
• Feedback is welcomed as a way of life because it is offered with the intention of compassionately being of service
• People set aside preconceived opinions of others and instead focus on seeing people for who they really are
• People’s interactions are guided by the intention of helping others to realize their potential by contributing in meaningful ways

The work of creating a coaching culture has to be done from a coaching worldview. Instead of thinking of coaching as a skill or tool, it’s essential to embrace coaching as a way of looking at the world that gets expressed through coaching capabilities. That’s a big and significant distinction. Tools are taken out and used when needed; a worldview is what guides the choices people make in every interaction. When coaching is embraced as a worldview, it slowly, but surely, becomes how things get done in your organization.

Begin the journey of creating a coaching culture for your organization by envisioning what will be possible when coaching becomes a way of life.

Check out Cylient’s perspective on Creating Coaching Cultures in this short video.

Dianna Anderson, MCC
CEO, Cylient

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How would you describe a coaching culture?