Over the years like in many other dimensions, the UAE has evolved tremendously in its matrix of professionalism. It has always been a torch bearer in terms of adapting the contemporary global trends of people development and empowerment in the Middle East. It would not be wrong to comment that this early adaptability is the core reason for its phenomenal and sustainable success. Coaching is the modern day modulation for human development empowerment and like other training and development measures, executive coaching is also picking up rapidly in the UAE.
“Coaching is unlocking a persons potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn, rather than teaching them.”
Coaching brings out the best in people by helping them focus, take constructive action on plans and clarify their professional values. In recent years, coaching services have been adopted by many companies in the region to enhance the performance of their personnel. It is growing in popularity and becoming widely accepted as one of the most effective methods of developing and retaining peak performance.
In the build-up of Dubai Expo 2020, both executives and organizations in the UAE can relish the exceptional benefits from coaching. Executives can identify strengths and development needs and leverage them in creating executive strategy with action plans. Aspects like accountability and sustainable behavior changes will assure professional growth. Ongoing feedback and support through executive coaching will develop leadership skills and practices.
For organizations, the prime value of coaching would be a reduction in employee turnover and an increase in retaining top performing staff, which has been one of major challenges in the Middle East. Positive work environments strengthen organizational performance with enhanced individual performance and improved employee morale. Organizations will be positioned as being committed to employees and their continued growth and success. Coaching will act as a great support for the Emiratisation campaign which includes efforts to increase the skill level of Emiratis.
A number of coaching service providers are still establishing themselves across the Emirates. They are a mixed bag, some of them are licensed branches of well-known international coaching companies and some are independent coaches offering a contemporary service in the market. At the same time there are also many non-qualified coaches using the tag of “coach” and providing services like counselling, consultancy and wellness therapies. This emphasizes the need for a government based regulatory authority (such as KHDA), to regulate coaching service providers like it does for training services. It will serve the growth of coaching providers who are still becoming established in becoming well-organized and sustainable, professional service providers.
One immediate area of attention is coaching and training in Arabic. There is a need for more accessibility to coaching with no language barriers. Just like corporate trainers, both public and private sectors should hire coaching professionals as full time employees. This will help employees to reinforce the learning of training interventions. With the UAE gearing up for Expo Dubai 2020, now is the right time to make coaching an essential part of evolving human empowerment for performance management models.
The author has highlithed the fact that professional coaching and mentoring is need of the hour for employees of all modern organizations. I believe that coaching can get the best out of the working professionals…I like the practical approch of the writer and expect to read few more informative article like this in future from him.
Very informative … covers value for coaching in UAE and specifically for EXPO 2020.