19 May The TOP Reasons Why HR Professionals need Coaching Skills

Our Guest Blogger, George L Galloway from GLG Consultancy Ltd. shares his views:

As an HR professional for over 30 years and a past chair of CIPD, one skill that I regularly see missing from the toolkit of most HR professionals, is that of a competent coach.

Most, if not all programmes delivering professional HR Qualifications focus the learner on employment law, polices, procedures and standards like performance management, but rarely venture into the arena of coaching or mentoring.

Yet think about how HR professionals spend most of their time – Interviewing, dealing with absences, delivering appraisals, advising managers on employee matters etc., all of which requires them to be a confident coach to get the messages across, and have individuals start to challenge their own and others traditional way of thinking.

To become an effective and respected HR practitioner, you need to become a “TOP” coach:

Team coaching will allow your own team to gain confidence and become more relaxed in dealing with the challenges and situations they face daily, they will then be more able to reflect on decisions and provide workable solutions to the business.

Operational coaching will allow HR to move from their traditional base of the HR office and get out into the business, becoming more aware and involved with business planning, strategy and day to day issues by coaching both individuals and teams.

People Coaching will bring more exposure to a wider audience across the organisation and help HR gain the respect and credibility of management and others, which will hopefully open the door to becoming a contributor to the decision-making process at the top level.

In summary, I advocate that all aspiring HR professionals and Leaders of the profession undertake coaching as part of their professional qualification, and HR becomes the “go to” department for professional, support and guidance.

George L Galloway

ExecutiveCoach & HR Consultant

GLG Consultancy Ltd.

Interested in developing your own coaching skills? Check out our Coaching for HR/OD Professionals programme.