A groundbreaking, multitiered research was recently initiated by the country’s first and only International Coach Federation (ICF) Master Certified Coach Julius Ordonez, through his premier coaching, training and consulting company, Benchmark Consulting, to study the state of executive coaching in the Philippines and provide a baseline picture of the local practice.
Executive coaching is a globally recognized developmental intervention that inspires optimal personal and professional development. In the Philippines, initial results of the study confirms this, reflecting participants’ high regard for executive coaching as an effective developmental tool. However, it was also revealed that this burgeoning practice is often underutilized as a niche program.
Ordonez explains, “We are discovering that there is still a great need for education and awareness about executive coaching as a strategic business intervention. Local organizations have yet to fully appreciate how it can be a powerful tool in bridging developmental gaps, as well as stretching the capabilities and potentials of their top-level executives.”
The study showed that most executive coaching sponsors and participants come from health care and pharmaceuticals, technology, consumer goods and manufacturing, as well as financial services. Those who have undergone executive coaching affirmed that the practice yields compelling impact in enhancing self-awareness, improving communication and developing leadership skills. Significantly, executive coaching has been reported to be valuable in equipping leaders in spearheading and managing organizational change, making it a truly worthy human resource investment.
“Businesses today operate in competitive and ever-changing environments. Competency in change management is critical for executives to be able to gear up their organization for greater challenges and get their people rallying behind it. Such pursuits necessitate mind-setting and perspective setting. Self-awareness, as well as communication skills, are vital in managing interpersonal relationships. If these are not in place, there could be team disharmony or disengagement, which can be detrimental to overall organizational performance,” Ordonez elaborates.
According to Ordonez, these findings validate and echo observations from his experience in partnering with local and international clients, as well as results of the annual global coaching studies spearheaded by the ICF, the world’s largest coaching organization dedicated to the continued development of the profession.
Ordonez, the pioneer of coaching profession in the Philippines, president of Benchmark Consulting, and founder of ICF Philippines Chapter, stressed that the implementation of a local research study, conducted by TNS Philippines, the country’s largest customized market research company, is an ambitious project as it intends to probe into key issues pertaining to the coaching profession—from client motivations, perspectives, and experiences to coaching outcomes, trends, challenges and more. Its results can provide substantial information that could contribute in establishing industry standards, educating the public on its infinite benefits, and protecting them from unqualified coaches who claim to be professionals.
In the recent years, Ordonez and Benchmark Consulting have been actively countering incidences of coaching malpractice by promoting the importance of obtaining proper training for coaches and getting accreditation from the ICF. “I’m pleased that our study showed that in hiring an executive coach, clients emphasize coaches’ formal training and ICF credential, coaching experience, as well as skill in explaining and implementing the coaching process.”
Ordonez and Benchmark Consulting Inc. are likewise active in the first International Coach Summit, the biggest coaching and leadership event in Southeast Asia, happening on November 26 at the Marriot Hotel in New Port City, Pasay City. This event, featuring the world’s best leaders and coaches, is aimed at increasing awareness of the science and art of coaching and its transformational impact on individuals, organizations and the society as a whole. Like the research study they have spearheaded, supporting the event reinforces their continuous efforts to promote coaching as a highly skilled discipline and profession.
To know more about e xecutive eoaching and the results of the study, e-mail info@benchmark-consulting.net, or visit www.benchmark-consulting.net. For more information about the International Coaching Summit, check out icfpsummit.com.