3 Impacts of Pro Bono Coaching on the Individual

Much of the literature and reporting on coaching in organizations is focused on how it positively impacts organizations. Yet, we also know that coaching has a profound effect on every individual who participates in an organizational coaching initiative. From the individual, the effects of coaching ripple out to positively impact organizations, communities and society overall.

For example, the data collected from the ICF Foundation Ignite Initiative indicates 89% of participants reported that coaching contributed to their own success, and 50% saw significant change in leadership, teamwork and personal development. Participants also reported that the ripple effect of their gains from coaching impacted operational efficiency (76%) and employee engagement (70%) for their organization.

Our Gift of Coaching Awards program celebrates ICF Chapters with impactful pro bono coaching initiatives that make a difference in local nonprofit organizations, with the effects rippling out to their communities and in the world.

In the coming months, we will feature each of the 2019 Gift of Coaching Awards winners and how their initiatives made positive changes for their organizational partners, as well as communities at large. Today, though, we’d like to focus on how these initiatives impacted the individual coachees.

Increased Collaboration and Problem-Solving Skills

Sightsavers India (Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind) partnered with the ICF Delhi NCR Chapter to better align its leadership team. As a result of coaching, on an individual level, leaders felt more empowered to find solutions to their own problems and were more confident and joyful. One participant stated, “It is magical. I didn’t know that I would be able to find solutions myself to my problems.”

On a larger scale, collaboration has increased between leaders and across their teams. Sightsavers India CEO Mr. R.N. Mohanty explained, “I am quite happy to say that there is harmony in the organization, and each one of us is motivated to do more for our society, our team and our organization.”

ICF Delhi NCR has been recognized as the Gift of Coaching 2019 Honorable Mention for this initiative with Sightsavers India.

Improved Quality of Life

Gift of Coaching-Portfolio 2019 Award Winner ICF Turkey worked with the following three organizations to use coaching as a means for addressing needs in public education across Turkey:

• Association for Supporting Contemporary Life (CYDD)
• Turkish Education Association (TED)
• Teachers Academy Foundation (ORAV)

These organizations not only shared the same overarching goal, but their coaching initiatives also had the same impact on their participants: an improved quality of life.

Coaching helped participants:

• Realize their potential and strengths
• Become better communicators by developing listening and questioning skills
• Appreciate the evolution of their professional and/or personal lives since the start of coaching

Stronger Relationships

The ICF Hungary Chapter, Gift of Coaching-Single Initiative 2019 Award winner, partnered with the Budapest Metropolitan University (METU) to support 64 students. METU believed that this coaching experience would assist students by creating clarity for expectations around employment and preparing them for the challenges and demands of the labor market.

As a result of the program, more than 80% coachees indicated that they believe coaching should be a part of every learning and development program for leaders, HR students and HR professionals.

The majority of coachees noted that they have gotten better at relationships, whether personal or professional. In fact, two participants attributed job offers as an effect of the coaching process.

Many participants also noted changes that could be seen as building a stronger relationship with their selves. These changes include increased awareness, self-esteem and self-confidence.