Management learning, training, and coaching has been established as a leading business service with a significant impact on the sustainable positioning of businesses all over the world, in Bulgaria as well. To a large extent, it is because the focus in management training and coaching is mainly on personal and people management skills development.

According to several studies - by IACCM, ICF, and The World Trade Organization a significant number of large and medium-sized corporate business organizations have increased their market share using management training and coaching services to develop their employees in management positions.   A study conducted by the Human Capital Institute (HCI) and the International Coach Federation (ICF) reported that more than 80% of organizations use a coach approach to management and leadership roles and most of the companies plan to expand its use for the next 5 to 10 years.

Last few years it has become clear that knowledge plays an essential role in making trade an engine for sustainable development (Agah, 2018). Several studies suggest that the use of soft and coaching skills by managers and leaders is related to higher team-member engagement, better working relationships, reduced turnover, etc.

The expansion of the use of such services in organizations is indicative, as along with Senior Management and owners of medium and small companies, the service also reaches line managers and supervisors in more complex structures.

The topics where management coaching would be very effective are:

• developing leadership skills;

• dealing with increasing stress and responsibilities;

• effective adaptation to the complexity of different management roles;

• dynamically changing business conditions and, hence, performance goals;

• discrepancy between corporate goals and available resources of managers;

• waning motivation and commitment to company values.

Management coaching provides added value both for those who have recently entered a leadership position, as well as for managers with high potential and experience. The approach is not that problem-oriented and is not only used in specific moments of crises.

Management and leadership development trainers and coaches in companies have been informing for years about the key need for a long-term investment to ensure sustainability and organizational development. The limited use of such services in our country is likely due to insufficient trust and poor awareness of the real levels of return on investment in these employees.

It is an established practice in Western cultures to employ a Trainer/Coaching specialist for individual or group work with management. In such projects, the responsibility is distributed among the three parties involved – a senior manager or representative of the owner, a user of the service in a managerial position in the company, and the trainer/coaching specialist. This practice adds great value by further strengthening the end beneficiary's commitment to support the company's business objectives.

Typically, Senior Management is results-oriented and directly interested in the added value of the training/coaching service. It is real, although it does not come immediately as an investor would like. One of the key concepts in business development is that the management training/coaching process is part of the bigger picture. The benefit is not only for the service user - life improvement or personal change. The impact on the organization is measured by the improvement of the financial results, better working atmosphere in the teams, greater involvement of the employees, and even better employee health. Along with the personal needs that are met through the coaching process, the specialist works steadily to achieve results that are consistent with the goals and objectives of the organization.

What does it take management training and coaching to act as a sustainable organizational development catalyst?

The answer is in their roles:

 The role of the Manager – the service user (his/her ability to identify)

 • possible areas of progress;

• critical areas in performance (related to the diverse roles of a manager);

• developmental needs and commitment to the organization's goals;

• organizational capabilities for maintaining direct communication;

• appropriate channels for feedback on one's performance;

• resources for drawing up his/her own development plan;

• necessary specific actions to be taken as soon as they were identified;

• needs and opportunities for his/her subordinates’ team development;

• the senior manager's commitment to his/her development through a training/coaching service.

The role of the Senior Management:

• assume responsibility for monitoring the progress of the manager in training and/or coaching;

• work in close partnership, for more effective implementation of the results in practice;

• stimulates the manager to participate and suggests ideas for company development;

• regular analysis of the acquired skills’ degree of alignment with the company's goals.

 Role of the Trainer/Coach - openness and readiness to:

• support awareness of the importance of company processes and procedures that are not directly connected with the user's management role;

• facilitate understanding and acceptance of the measures developing the company (rotational and rescheduled tasks, motivation and evaluation of personnel, building a corporate culture, initiatives for change, etc.);

• support the planning and development of the management team;

• provide constructive feedback to the Senior Management, especially on organizational development needs;

• support the building of clear communication and relationships in the organization;

• support the building of internal mentoring and coaching culture, to increase organizational efficiency.

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References

1. Agah, F., 2018. Knowledge for Development Partnership Opening Session. Geneva Knowledge Week.

2. DiGirolamo, J.A., Tkach, J. T.  2019. An exploration of managers and leaders using coaching skills. International Coach Federation, Lexington, Kentucky .