Introduction:

In response to the ever-evolving global banking landscape, volatile and ambiguous uncertainties of the economies, FLOW Coaching Institute’s corporate international banking client embarked on a strategic initiative named "Coaching and Mentoring for Cultural Transformation." The program aimed to leverage coaching as a cornerstone for change management, particularly during the challenging their process of merging and acquisitions (M&A). The overarching goal was to cultivate an internal coaching capacity and instill a leadership approach centered around coaching, mentoring, enhancing strategic thinking, planning, change management, people communication skills, engagement, and fostering inclusion and diversity within the organization.

 

Program Implementation Steps:

1. Focus Groups for Needs Analysis:

Various focus groups were conducted to perform a comprehensive needs analysis. The focus groups aimed to understand the organization's needs, potential opportunities, as well as threats and gaps. This process was crucial for assessing the organizational readiness required to establish a coaching and mentoring culture.

2. Creating Relevant Case Studies:

With insight and information collected from focus groups, multiple case studies were meticulously crafted to align with the specific challenges and nuances of the organization. These case studies served as practical examples, providing a contextual framework for participants to relate coaching and mentoring principles to real-world scenarios within the bank.

3. Training Across Organizational Levels:

The program targeted individual contributors, middle management, and top-level executives. Tailored training sessions equipped participants with essential coaching skills and demonstrated how to seamlessly integrate these skills into their current roles. Role plays were incorporated to provide a practical understanding of coaching dynamics in various workplace scenarios.

4. Practice Component:

Recognizing the importance of hands-on experience, a practice component was integrated into the program. Participants were encouraged to apply their newfound coaching skills in their daily interactions and responsibilities, reinforcing the principles learned during the training sessions.

5. Supervision for Skill Embedding:

To ensure the sustainability of the coaching skills acquired, a supervision component was introduced. This step involved ongoing support and guidance, allowing participants to embed their coaching skills and undergo behavioral adaptation over time.

Results:

The impact of the "Coaching and Mentoring for Cultural Transformation" program was nothing short of remarkable:

• Within three months of people managers incorporating coaching into their leadership approach, turnover rates decreased by an impressive 25%.
• Subsequent employee surveys reflected a significant shift in perception, with employees expressing that the company now invested more in their development, and their managers demonstrated a heightened concern for individual performance.
• Employees conveyed an increased sense of encouragement to grow, learn, and develop within their organization.

 

The successful integration of coaching principles not only facilitated smoother M&A transitions but also contributed to a positive cultural shift, emphasizing the bank's commitment to its people and fostering an environment conducive to both personal and professional development. The case study stands as a testament to the transformative power of coaching in driving cultural change within a complex international banking setting.