Professional coaching is a satisfying job where clients seek formal help from the coaches. They motivate, guide, and improve the professional and personal skills of employees in an organization. Professionally certified coaches can guide, empower and assist the employees of an organization to achieve their career goals, motivate them to work to their full potential and encourage them to execute their ideas for the betterment of the organization.
Organizations may hire two types of coaches:
a) Internal coaches or
b) External coaches.
Who is an External Coach?
External coaches are certified professional coaches who are hired by organizations to work with their executives, supervisors, and leaders. They are appointed only after their expertise matches the requirement of the coachees. External coaches are neutral coaches as they do not have any inside knowledge of the organization and people.
Who is an Internal Coach?
An Internal Coach is already employed within the organisation. They may be colleagues of other employees, any level managers, team leaders, HR department members, or learning and skill development employees.
Both, internal and external coaches help the employees to handle their professional challenges, manage career transitions and create a productive environment in the organisation. As the work scenario is changing and budget constraints are becoming a reality, organizations these days are turning to “in-house” talents for coaching services also known as internal coaches.
What is internal coaches?
Internal coaches are in-house employees of an organization which gives them an in-depth view of the organisation, the work culture of the organization, work processes and also know its important leaders, therefore, they can help the Coachess to navigate the various hurdles in the organisation. Since Internal Coaches are housed within the organisation, their availability is not limited and they can be consulted as and when a need arises.
What is external coaching?
External coaching is the opposite of internal coaching. In external coaching, coaches do not work in the organization but are hired and outsourced from outside. External coaches are able to provide an objective unbiased view to the Coachees. They focus on the needs of the coachees as this coaching engagement is customizable and for a particular agreed upon timeframe.
Internal coaching versus external coaching: how to find out which approach is better for your organization?
Both external and internal coaching programs have their own merits and demerits. Both approaches to coaching are beneficial for the organization. If any professional coach, either external or internal, is consistent in their coaching approach, they can deliver results. Strong external or internal coaches focus on the overall development of their coachees. They push the coachees to achieve their desired goal, keep them on track and committed. Even though both the engagements are equally important, here are a few advantages and disadvantages of both the coaching program for clear understanding:
Advantages of the internal coaching programs:
- Internal coaches have an idea of how the organization works and are able to customise their coaching to the industry and the requirement of the job
- Internal Coaches promote a culture of coaching in the organisation, prompting other leaders to also develop coaching skills.
- As internal coaches are in-house employees, their coach training schedule is flexible, and not time-bound.
- Internal coaches are already part of an organization, therefore, there is no direct additional cost for coach training.
Disadvantages of internal coaching programs:
- As internal coaches are employees of an organization, and have roles other than Coaching they may find it difficult to schedule their daily work and manage coaching.
- Internal coaches are familiar with organizational employees and hence, might find it difficult to maintain confidentiality and be unbiased during coaching.
- Internal coaches may be perceived by colleagues as less credible as they are known to the Coachees.
Advantages of external coaching:
- External coaches are certified professional coaches with vast experience and coaching specialization.
- As they are not part of an organization, they coach the coachees without any bias or favoritism.
- External Coaches can bring a fresh perspective as they do not intimately know the organisation.
- External coaches are unaffected by an organization’s work politics or working culture.
- Coachees may feel more comfortable around external coaches.
Disadvantages of external coaching
- As the coaches are outsourced, they are not very familiar with processes within the organization.
- As the coaches are hired from outside, their engagement is for a limited time.
- It is an expensive coaching engagement. Organizations need to incur recurring cost as and when coaching needs arise.
Conclusion
Professional coaching programs are highly beneficial for both organizational leaders and their employees. Depending on the level of the employees being coached, time availability of an external coach as well as cost considerations can define which approach an organisation uses. Organisations can even opt for a combination of both approaches. Click here to enroll – https://coach-to-transformation.com/develop-internal-coaches/
