Leveraging Executive Coaching in the Public Sector.
The private sector stakeholders and the public sector stakeholders are different, so naturally, the sectors respond differently. The community at large is the stakeholder of the public sector while business owners and shareholders are the stakeholders of the private sector. The different stakeholders from different sectors want a strong performance from their individual organizations.
Strong performance is believed to be the main goal of the private sector in most cases. The private sector is strictly business, meaning it is profit motivated. Similarly, the public sector should be managed with the same drive, in that, it should respond as businesses do and employ the leadership and technology to make the sector achieve a strong performance.
If this is to be achieved, executive coaching should have its place in the public sector. Despite the difference in stakeholders, the need for strong leadership cannot be overemphasized. Executive coaching in the public sector might be a difficult task but case studies have shown that executive coaching exhibits positive effects in the public sector.
RESULTS OF COACHING EFFORTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Coaching culture in an organization helps to build leader confidence, engage employees effectively and solidify essential skills. Effective and efficient leaders are conscious of the importance of a coaching culture hence they always engage it in their organizations. A survey conducted by McKinsey showed that respondent in the public sector was likely to disagree with the statement “managers are effective at coaching employees.” But they could really benefit from coaching.
A public sector service agency in Europe went further to address the issue by creating leadership modules with a step-by-step guideline on particular tasks. The module offered hands-on role-playing on how to conduct successful performance dialogue. Those who participated in the leadership coaching modules were recorded to have performed better in their projects than those who did not.
In South Africa, a public hospital in Queenstown did a four-month project on coaching and mentorship, which emphasized the importance of coaching and mentoring in an organization. When a post-project survey was conducted, the respondent jointly agreed that the program is beneficial and that coaching and mentoring had a positive effect on the organizations.
Effective and efficient leaders are conscious of the importance of coaching culture hence they always engage it in their organizations.
ORGANIZING SKILLS FOR SUCCESS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT IN PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS
Unlike the private sector that is profit-driven, which means their primary aim is making profit, the public sector is budget-driven. Despite this difference, they both apply the same skill in achieving their goal. The private and public sectors both suffer from poor morale, incompetent leadership, and disengaged employees.
Having public sector leaders develop their leadership skills to achieve goals effectively, engage employees, and promote organizational mission would go a long way to transform the public sector. This can simply come to reality through executive coaching.
EXECUTIVE COACHING FOR WOMEN IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
It is easier for women to climb to leadership positions in the public sector than in the private sector, but there is still a gap in female mentorship and executive coaching in the public sector. Executive coaching of women in the public sector is a tremendous way of assisting these leaders in developing their skills and support them in their missions. Females that have undergone the executive coaching process in the public sector and are privileged to switch to the private sector will carry this skill to the private sector and the private enterprise will benefit from it.
THE TOPIC OF BUDGET
Making a budget for executive coaching in the public sector is not an easy task unlike that of the private sector. The public sector uses tax to fund their budget so every dollar should count. Convincing public stakeholders that executive coaching is good for the sector would not be an easy task, but studies from time to time have shown that executive coaching is a positive move for the sector. There are institutions that might not be able to fund one-on-one executive coaching, there are projects where the online coaching modules are utilized. The major skills required in the private sector, which are self-awareness, confidence, outstanding communication skills are also required in the public sector.
Working in the private sector or the public sector, one needs adequate knowledge on leadership, and a large sum of this knowledge can be acquired from books. Which is something that can be started right away. For more tailored support, we invite you to learn more about your Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching Program.
Recently named one of the top three advanced leadership development programs in the world, it is a 9 to 12 month “immersive” leadership and personal growth journey that unlocks and unleashes a leader’s full potential so they truly become the best leaders and people they can be.
