We are The Corporate Learning Institute. CLI has been providing clients with custom-designed services since 1986. We work with organizations with the belief that personal, customized services build confident and motivated individual contributors and teams are the backbone for any organization. For more information about our services, we invite visit our website, at http://www.corplearning.com Feel free to contact partner Susan Cain at (630)-347-6333 Feel free to contact partner Tim Buividas at (312)-615-2211

1. Coaching Can Rebuild Motivation and
Accelerate the Development of
Critical Skills
CLI Quick Read
CorpLearning.com | CorpLearning@CorpLearning.com | 800.203.6734

2. Coaching Can Rebuild Motivation and Accelerate the
Development of Critical Skills
SUSAN CAIN, Ed. D., LCSW
Somewhere between the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Information, we have lost
touch with the value of a good “Dutch Uncle,” someone who could help steer us through
rough spots in our careers and lives. The Great Recession has not supported a resurgence
of personal development through coaching. It seems like a luxury. There was a time, right
before 2007, when there was a gold rush of coaches; personal development coaches,
corporate coaches, life coaches, you name it. What remains now are coaches who deliver
specific performance development content, and who have somehow managed to
withstand the winnowing-out of the economy.
CLI has withstood the test and delivers expert coaching leaders individual contributors
needing to work on specific skills or performance gaps. But we do it in a highly unique
way. We coach using and accelerated process that includes action learning. Action
Learning allows coachees to apply learning content to test it out. This trial and error
learning process mimics the adult learning cycle-experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and
acting.
What Makes a Good Coach?
I recently asked eight of my coaching clients what made them want to use CLI’s
coaching services. I have grouped their responses below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Flexibility to coach in person or by Skype or phone.
A high comfort level (i.e., trust).
Relaxed intimate approach.
Honesty (“You understand me when I need it.”)
Support material (CLI maintains an extensive library of learning resources).
Direct application back to work (the adult learning cycle is applied to
assignments).
There you have it. I was surprised by the repetition of the “honesty” comment. Almost all
eight mentioned the importance of a coach who would be unwaveringly honest. Coaching
can accelerate learning, increase self-awareness, and help individuals manage
performance problems. In our practice at CLI, we often start coaching with a series of
simple questions for the coachee to consider:
CorpLearning.com | CorpLearning@CorpLearning.com | 800.203.6734

3. 1. What do you want to make sure you get from the coaching
relationship?
2. How do you want me to be as your coach?
3. What do you want to work on in coaching?
4. What 2 steps could you take immediately that would help you move
forward and that would make the greatest difference in your current
situation(s)?
5. What can I say to you when you are most “stuck” that will return you to
action?
6. If you trusted your coach enough to tell him or her how to manage you
most effectively, what tips would you give?
Regardless of the performance challenges that individual contributors face, coaching can
help them leap across hurdles, pull out of a downward spiral, accelerate the speed of
growth, or develop new skills. CLI often combine assessments with coaching to
maximize coaching gains. The end result is a process that leads to performance mapping
and a return on investment for both the coachee and the organization.
We are The Corporate Learning Institute. CLI has been providing clients with customdesigned services since 1986.
We work with organizations with the belief that personal, customized services build
confident and motivated individual contributors and teams are the backbone for any
organization.
For more information about our services, we invite visit our website, at
http://www.corplearning.com
Feel free to contact partner Susan Cain at (630)-347-6333
Feel free to contact partner Tim Buividas at (312)-615-2211
CorpLearning.com | CorpLearning@CorpLearning.com | 800.203.6734