How to Approach Change

Change Manager as a Coach

Managing Organizational Change

Professor: John Anderson

Date: 09/19/2011

A company environment can give off a strong character on the company’s business performance. When I state environment I mean the organization’s unwritten rules, values, norms, behaviors, and other procedures that jointly define how work gets done. A lot of organizations have tried to change their culture in so they can better meet the requirements for improved talent management in a more involved, diverse and global business environment.

An example of coaching is recently reported at Caterpillar, Inc., the Peoria, IL-based producer of heavy equipment (Anderson, et al., 2008). Functioning in 70 countries, one of Caterpillar’s business units, the North American Commercial Division (NACD), wanted to change its environment to become a “customer-centric culture of service.” The NACD leaders began on their cultural path, they without hesitation articulated where they wanted to move the organization, which was well-accepted by employees and service partners.

However, they were not apparent on how they would get there. A inclusive team-coaching initiative was embarked, and over the progression of about two years, displayed progress was made on developing the new environment of service. NACD leaders were efficiently coaching their organization, grasping and being role models for new ways of working. Implanting coaching into their culture produced business results, including a measureable rise in employee interaction.

This example emphasizes two important advancements concerning the practice of coaching. One, coaching has moved beyond just being used to develop individual leaders. In the instant team coaching, group coaching, coach mentoring, coaching-skills workshops and other coaching-based approaches are being used in comprehensive change initiatives. Two, these initiatives are becoming increasingly crucial in nature. In the Caterpillar example, the coaching-based...