56 www.miningoilgas.com.auJUNE 2013THE AUSTRALIAN MINING REVIEW

MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP COACHING

LEADERSHIP and the perception of a leader’s effectiveness are linked to outputs such as a compelling vision, innovation and business results.

This encourages a focus on the ‘what’ rather than the ‘how’ of being a great leader.

LDN International, a fi rm that specialises in growth through strategic

self-awareness, has recognised that both go hand-in-hand.

LDN stated that the way leaders went about setting direction for their businesses and mobilising their people could be the most critical factor in sustained leadership success.

When executives fail, the underlying cause may be tracked to personal traits that

shape leadership style. Ironically, these qualities may have driven early career success. Leaders are most vulnerable to missteps during transitions such as a change in company strategy, a merger or acquisition or simply taking on a new job.

In 2013, shifting market conditions and business priorities could lead to the need for signifi cant business transformation.

A skilled executive coach, acting as an objective and unbiased thinking partner, can be invaluable to a leader dealing with major change. LDN International coaches see themselves as personal trainers for leadership development. They draw on proven approaches including the 90-Day Plan to help leaders develop the skills that matter.

Coaching helps leaders shape up for transformation

SPECIALISING in the tailored delivery of leadership development solutions, Ricky Nowak is dedicated to developing leaders that know themselves, their strengths, and the areas where they have specific opportunities for development.

With a client list consisting of leading organisations throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia, Ms Nowak has been an industry standout in developing leadership for 20 years.

She is a published author, professional

speaker and executive coach, with qualifications including accredited stakeholder engagement coach using the Marshall Goldsmith method.

Ms Nowak also holds the designation of excellence as a Certified Speaking Professional – an accreditation held by less than 10 per cent of all professional speakers globally.

Her contribution to leadership development and the value she adds to organisations has been labelled “second

to none in the market place” by The CEO Circle managing director John Karagounis.

Working with Ms Nowak, leaders can get the best out of themselves, the individuals and teams they lead; the relationships they manage and the organisations they promote.

Throughout the personal and professional development journey, each individual requires a variety of approaches at different times to meet

development needs. These range from assessment, direct

feedback and monitoring through to training, workshops and individual coaching.

Ms Nowak offers a choice of individual services that empower managers, leaders and teams, through to a comprehensive development program designed to build high-performance teams and individuals within organisations.

Empowering leaders and teams through comprehensive development

Effective coaching delivering long-term, measurable organisational changeMANY people don’t really know what executive coaching is or why they should invest in it, according to premier WA coaching provider AIM WA∙UWA Business School Executive Education.

Executive Education director Suellen Tapsall said people often thought of executive coaching as an expert giving advice on how to best achieve performance in the workplace, but this was generally incorrect.

“Our coaches provide thousands of

sessions a year, and very few of them involve telling people what to do,” Ms Tapsall said.

“There’s a place for that through subject matter experts and other targeted leadership programs, but that’s not the role of a good executive coach.”

UWA Business School adjunct professor and director of AIM WA Centre for Customised Solutions Barb Wood said coaching assisted individuals in achieving long term, measureable change.

“It’s a non-judgemental space for us to challenge our thoughts and understandings,” Ms Wood said.

“It’s particularly useful in industries like mining, where managers have typically been successful in technical and professional roles.

“They can benefi t immensely from purposefully exploring and implementing effective leadership behaviours.”

Ms Wood said she believed that coaching

enhanced working relationships by enabling mining leaders to clarify role expectations and identify barriers to success.

“This tends to increase confi dence for the coachee, resulting in solution-focused outcomes in response to personal and operational challenges,” she said.

“Coaching is not merely a technique or a one-time only event; it’s a strategic process that adds value to mining leaders and their staff, as well as to the bottom line.”

58 www.miningoilgas.com.auJUNE 2013THE AUSTRALIAN MINING REVIEW

MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP COACHING

AUSTRALIAN oil and gas and mining companies are leading the way in retaining their technical edge by promoting their best and brightest technicians into management positions.

Professional Coaching Australia (PCA) principal Jenny Edis said that promoting staff from within the ranks ensured that knowledge accumulated from years within the industry was not lost.

In a complicated industry, Ms Edis said it was common to see great geologists, engineers and software specialists bridging the transition to manager with the support of an experienced coach.

“Technically competent managers can often find themselves gravitating back to what they know and love at the expense of managing their personnel; their new management responsibilities

can sometimes be vastly different to their previous role and this can cause frustration or bewilderment,” Ms Edis said.

“Coaching helps the transition by building a tool kit, clarifying roles, understanding style and motivation, increasing communication, delegation and teamwork effectiveness, thereby simplifying the people issues and freeing

up time to be more strategic.”PCA is a highly regarded, preferred

provider of coaching services to the oil and gas and mining industries in WA.

PCA coaches have a minimum of 20 years of experience and are accredited with the International Coach Federation.

They coach all levels of leaders and teams towards excellence.

From great technician to outstanding manager

WEDGE Consulting International has helped businesses to achieve positive transformations for more than eight years.

Based in Perth, Wedge Consulting International has a proven record of working with clients nationwide to manage the growth of their business, problem-solve, improve performance, provide expert personalised advice and develop strategies for success.

Driven by a purpose to positively and fundamentally change people’s mindsets

both personally and professionally, Wedge Consulting International is run by specialists who help clients to reach their goals.

Wedge Consulting International’s business specialists thrive on developing solutions for the changing needs of businesses, both now and into the future.

For every challenge, Wedge Consulting International uses a personalised approach based on tried and tested methods adapted for unique situations.

The company’s specialists also draw

on their experience managing successful businesses, as well as founding, owning and building their own businesses.

Wedge Consulting International continues to help its clients look to future successes and show them how to get there.

Specialists use personalised approach to strive for success

Workplace coaching maximises productivity from limited resourcesA recent study by RedBalloon found that organisations investing in coaching programs were far more likely to increase their profi ts and productivity than those with lower engagement levels.

The 2013 report found that organisations with the highest levels of engagement outperformed others in every

commercial metric. Specifi cally, among employers with greater engagement, the majority reported an increase in productivity, increased customer satisfaction, greater profi ts and improved staff retention.

Coach & Co. operations manager Simon Altschwager said his company focussed

on value for money through an affordable cost base and outstanding return on investment.

Mr Altschwager said the RedBalloon study results stacked up with Coach & Co.’s experience.

“There is no doubt that workplace coaching results in increased

productivity,” Mr Altschwager said. “Coaching encourages staff to become

far more engaged in their role, better communicators with their team, and more enabled to produce the outcomes required.

“In times of reduced budgets, coaching provides maximum productivity from limited resources.”

Wedge Consulting International managing director Darren Wedge