Organizational Development

• Coaching is a confidential, ongoing partnership between a faculty or staff member and a WLD coach, designed to be a thought-provoking and co-creative process that helps realize professional potential.
• Coaching is proven, positive approach for exploring goals, ambitions, impact and developing skills and abilities. Coaching includes listening, observing, and customizing an approach to individual needs. It can help a person deal with issues and challenges before they become major problems. 

Inquiry:  An individual can contact WLD directly to explore coaching for professional growth or performance development. Alternatively, a supervisor can recommend coaching to an employee and then reach out to WLD on their behalf.

Duration:  Coaching sessions typically consist of 50-minute conversations held over multiple sessions. WLD recommends a minimum duration of 3 months, with meetings every 2-3 weeks.

Format:  Coaching helps the individual find their own answers by asking questions that draw out solutions and strategies, leveraging their existing skills, resources, and creativity. The WLD Coach will provide resources as needed and assist in identifying ways to assess progress. Coaching is provided in-person or virtual meetings.

Role clarification:  WLD Coaches use specialized coaching skills and training to effectively support employee development. They apply specific frameworks and knowledge for coaching but are not counselors or psychotherapists. If needed, WLD staff can refer individuals to counseling or psychotherapy resources.

Individuals often wonder about appropriate topics to bring to a coaching conversation. Common topics for coaching conversations include:

- Creating a legacy
- Developing cultural competency
- Enhancing professional performance
- Professional growth and learning
- Interpersonal communication
- Managing challenging relationships and situations
- Navigating organizational change
- Understanding diverse cultural norms
- Performance improvement
- Strategic thinking
- Supervisory and team leadership
- Time management and project organization
- Work-life balance

At WLD, we emphasize essential skills and values in our coaching approach:

- Humility and non-judgment
- Asking powerful questions
- Openness
- Self-awareness
- Acknowledging and appreciating differences in norms and values
- Deep listening for meaning and beliefs
- Avoiding assumptions and stereotyping

To be successful in coaching, individuals should:

• Be intentional with their engagement in coaching.
• Commit to the process and schedule of sessions.
• Focus on self, tackle tough questions, and embrace hard truths.
• Listen to intuition and be aware of assumptions and judgments.
• Challenge and refine attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to better serve goals.
• Leverage strengths, address limitations, and develop a winning style.
• Take decisive actions, even when uncomfortable, to achieve extraordinary results.
• Show compassion for oneself and others during setbacks and learning.
• Use humor to lighten situations and not take oneself too seriously.
• Maintain composure in the face of disappointment and avoid emotional reactivity.
• Have the courage to strive for more while engaging in ongoing self-examination.

No cost for first two sessions (sessions must take place over a 6 week period). The WLD Coach will discuss with the employee in the first session a timeline that would best meet the employee’s needs.

Ongoing coaching services beyond the initial two sessions have associated fees, costs are covered by the department or organization. For details on current fees, please contact WLD.