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Business Coaching—An Investment in Excellence
In addition to technological advancement, NASA is committed to
excellence in human development and has embraced coaching and mentoring
to improve the efficiency, creativity, and capabilities of its
employees.
Unlike a consultant or a mentor, an executive coach is not an
expert in the client’s field and may never have held a job at
their level. The executive coach is an expert in helping
individuals:
- Assess their current situation,
- Define goals,
- Target areas to strengthen or improve.
- Create an effective action plan,
- Understand and overcome barriers that may inhibit progress, and
- Hold the individual accountable for implementing the changes and reaching the goals they desire.
In the coaching relationship the individual being coached is the
expert in defining what they want and what works best for them. The
coach is the objective observer, helping the individual understand where
they may have blind spots, habits, or bias that get in the way of
achieving their goals. The coach is also the catalyst supporting the
individual in taking action, trying new strategies, finding new tools,
and holding them to the plan they established.
NASA’s external and internal coaches are skilled communicators
with demonstrated proficiency in professional development and experience
related to the challenges of public sector leadership.
The focus of executive coaching at NASA is to:
- Address individual and organizational change,
- Support personal transformation and career role transition,
- Foster or cultivate development of leaders, and
- Facilitate the creation of a learning culture.
A business coaching partnership provides the opportunity for an executive to:
- Strengthen performance
- Identify and leverage core strengths
- Relate more effectively with clients and colleagues
- Organize and prioritize professional responsibilities
- Restore the balance between work and personal life
The NASA business coaching process involves four steps:
- Selection of a coach.
- Establishment of a coaching agreement that includes desired goals.
This step may also include some initial assessments that serve as a
baseline for the executive to assess his or her progress.
- Coaching.
- Post-coaching assessments.
To begin the process, individuals should contact the NASA coaching POC
at their Center. At Headquarters, call Kim Haney-Brown, 358-0433.
A listing of coaching POCs can be found at http://nasapeople.nasa.gov/training/coachmentor/
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EOEB Contacts
