Introduction
In all companies they seek to maximize their resources to be effective in their operations. Reaching such a result is not an easy job today and it takes a long process. Various tools are currently being developed to provide the necessary support to organizations to meet the proposed objective. Coaching and Empowerment makes companies more effective and it should be noted that they are closely related. However, what are they and what are they for? The meaning of coaching is any activity where the person intervenes, it is the specialty focused on achieving these improvements. While empowerment is the fact of delegating power and authority to subordinates and giving them the feeling that they own their own work. They seem like two different concepts but still,they complement each other in the same direction. In this work we will see how to apply it, what results it brings us and the characteristics that each one presents.
General objective
To argue the characteristics that both coaching and empowerment present for their application in teams in the workplace.
I. Coaching
1. What is coaching?
Coaching is a service designed to help someone, whether in the professional or personal work field, to get the best of what they do with all their skills and abilities; on the basis of what you already do well, in another sense achieve excellence.
The first step in a coaching process is for the coach to observe and analyze their behavior and thoughts, and then make them aware of the effects of their decisions. Knowing what is sought (that is, what is the goal to be achieved), determining how to go towards that objective and evaluating, from time to time, the path chosen to ratify or modify the actions, are other necessary steps.
In recent years, the start-up of coaching has experienced a great boom and development. Hence, there are currently many different types of it. Among them is, for example, the so-called coercive coaching, which is one that focuses fundamentally on the relationship established between the coach and the client himself.
Another of the classes is the structural one that is identified because it is the one that is based on the use of diverse ancient cultures such as Egypt and various philosophical tendencies such as the constructivist one. And all this is combined with the latest developments in branches of our society such as science.
1.1 Features
It is a type of confidential relationship that promotes and facilitates improvements in anything the client does.
The Coach is a specialist in promoting changes for the improvement of any activity carried out by the client.
Coaching Sessions can be in person or remotely, by phone and when possible with Internet support.
1.2 Applications
From any level in company personnel, (Bussines coaching), influencing and leadership issues, meetings, working with large groups of people, transitions between jobs, projects or levels, innovation and creativity. Very precise management of projects and changes of different sizes or simply get more profit and job satisfaction. In Life Coaching, the primary theme, however, is always the client's personal development.
Any activity where the person intervenes is improvable. Coaching is the specialty focused on achieving these improvements.
It can be said that coaching begins where training ends. Its purpose is to develop your possibilities and overcome your specific weaknesses, to optimally adapt your skills to circumstances and challenges.
Although there is an individualized coaching component in the training we carry out, the purpose of the training is, above all, to acquire new skills.
II. Empowerment
2 What is empowerment?
In the empowerment manual (1997) it is defined as “a process initiated by managers that captures the ideas and desires of all company employees, allowing them to develop all of their talents and abilities to achieve the goals of the company. company and its own goals for work and professional development ”(Wilson, 1997, p. 23)
"It means that employees, managers or teams at all levels of the organization have the power to make decisions without having to require the authorization of their superiors" (Ibid 5, p. 300)
2.1 Ten rules of Empowerment
1. Clarity in tasks and responsibilities
Clearly specify to your team members what your tasks and responsibilities are and what you expect of them. Everyone learn their Job Description… and then break it.
Clarity of line and areas of authority is crucial.
5 reasons why people do not do what we ask: 1: Communication. 2: Training. 3: Selection. 4: Insubordination. 5: Motivation.
2. Complete delegation
7 key steps to effective delegation: Clarify with your staff what the rules of the game are. Identify the potential of your people. Clarify your goals beyond doubt. Allocate the project along with the resources to develop it. Agree on a follow-up schedule. Give feedback to the collaborator on their progress. Publicly acknowledge the success of the project. Give them authority in the same proportion as the responsibilities you assign them.
3. Measure excellence
Set standards of excellence: "What is measured is achieved", we are a marker-oriented society. Failure to measure creates frustration.
Excellence must be measured both qualitatively and quantitatively.
4. Training
Peter's Principle: "In their upward career, every employee reaches his level of inefficiency and ineffectiveness."
The Principle of Strategic Anticipation: "Any increase in authority or responsibility must be preceded by some type of training for the task or position." Give your team enough training, both academic, theoretical and experiential, to enable them to meet standards of excellence.
5. Communication
If there is a tool that can transform a team and an organization, it is a healthy culture of communication.
Most organizations operate based on a culture of informal communication. The culture of the periodic formal meeting is a crucial factor.
Good communication increases people's personal performance, even in the face of high levels of job dissatisfaction. Good communication motivates and generates a sense of belonging.
Intensify levels of communication with your people. Open as many communication channels as you can.
6. Feedback
Criticism focuses on the person. Feedback is intended to improve performance. An “empowered” team will generate feedback in all directions, horizontally and vertically, ascending and lateral. The Empowerment calls for a philosophy of constant feedback: dialogue rather than information.
Remove the words "constructive criticism" from your vocabulary. Replace them with “Feedback”.
7. Recognition
Acknowledge their accomplishments, progress, and attempts. Identify which behaviors should be recognized. Don't acknowledge and reward wrong behaviors. (Like the company that rewarded for speed and not for quality.)
Creativity, innovation, generation of ideas, are examples of what should be recognized and rewarded.
“That they recognize me when I do something right, and not only that they criticize me when something goes wrong”: Clamor from the staff.
8. Trust
Trust them, and show them. To trust your people, you must first know them. Identify the potential of your people and help them maximize that potential. The whole concept of "empowerment" is based on a game of Trust. The more confidence, the more empowerment.
9. Margin of error
Give them permission to fail. For example: John Scully Jr. IBM: "I just invested $ 10 million in his education." Flexibility with a limit. Thomas Alba Edisson failed more than 9,500 times.
Organizations that do not give room for error become stagnant. In the long run their competition ends up exceeding them.
10. Dignity
Treat them with dignity and respect. The customer is NOT the first.
"If you treat the staff well, the staff will treat the customer well, and the customer will bring you the business." Dignifying staff, focusing on your self-esteem, strengthening your inner self… results in a fabulous and highly profitable business.
3. Coaching-empowerment relationship
It is worth mentioning that coaching is within the empowerment process along with other key pieces for its development, this is due to the fact that in coaching the leaders support, guide and teach in order to continuously improve performance and professional development..
Although it is known that in the empowerment process there must be a leader who guides them to teaching for self-help among themselves.
III. conclusion
Empowerment is a strategic process that seeks a relationship of partners between the organization and its people, increasing trust, responsibility, authority and commitment to better serve the client or achieve the expected results.
Within this, coaching will be needed or in this case a coach who will support individuals within a group, therefore, they are working groups with employees responsible for a product, a service shared by the leadership and collaborating in improving the process. of work plan and make decisions related to the method of work.
IV. Bibliographic references
Bibliography
- Anonymous. (November 6, 2010). www.tuconsultor.net. Retrieved on July 1, 2013, from http://tuconsultor.net/disciplinas/coaching/index.htmlEngel, D. (January 18, 2009). www.slideshare.net. Retrieved on July 1, 2013, from http://www.slideshare.net/empowermentIbid 5.Wilson, T. (1997). Empowerment Manual. Spain: 2000 Management.
