COACHING
Southern management believe a coaching involved discipline without asking why. Since
approach has contributed to the success: completing the course, I now use coaching as
• Best train service performance ever on a tool to encourage staff to see how they can
the network make changes to avoid potential disciplinary
• Best Train reliability ever issues. It helps me tremendously to bring out
• Best Customer Service survey results ever the potential in my staff.” Conductor Manager,
• Staff customer service measures improving Brighton.
as coaching skills becoming an integral • Staff Turnover reduced by 30% Chris Burchell recently said:
part of how performance and development • Absence reduced & among the best in “Southern continues to be a very successful
conversations are held in the organisation. For the Industry business, consistently delivering the high
the HR Director, Matt Watson, the coaching • Grievances, disciplinaries & tribunals standards of service our passengers deserve
programme became a critical component of reduced and have come to expect. I think an element
the overall HR “Cycle • Staff engagement results improving of this is definitely attributable to our focus on
to Success” strategy - again the bridge • National Training Award for Coaching developing the leadership and management
between knowledge and implementation, Programme style. I see the coaching program as a key
theory and action. • Maintenance Team of the Year, National part of developing our business. It has
The business case to fund the second Railway Awards fundamentally changed and shaped my
programme was a challenge. Enthusiasm • Staff Assaults at lowest level ever behavioural approach to work.”
and anecdotal evidence were not initially • Winning and smooth integration of What has it meant for Buonacorsi as the
enough to get the programme approved by Gatwick Express brand coaching partner in this journey? It has been
the Southern board. Fortunately, by then links These results are very impressive, and an amazing experience. The factors that single
with the programme and improvements in certainly ones to be proud of. However, what the experience out are really very simple. They
business measures were beginning to come they do not convey is the personal change relate to:
through and there was acknowledgement of and development it has meant for so many • The quality and commitment of the
the contribution made by coaching. Seven Southern managers. Here are some examples leadership and sponsorship from the
Southern Executive Group members have of what managers who have attended the Southern’s Managing Director and other
now attended and sponsored programmes. programme say: Exec members
This is one measure of the level of “For me the coaching journey has been • The quality of the working partnership with
commitment to the programme, with a total about discovering that you can be a far more HR and L&BD
of approximately 80 managers now having effective leader if you develop your coaching • Our ground rules about transparency and
been through or currently attending the fourth skills. Learning to be a powerful listener instead learning together
programme. of a ‘good talker’ – learning to ask the right • The fundamental belief of the value of
Let’s recap - why is Southern investing in questions makes it easier to get more from coaching as a tool to allow people to offer
this way? Two main reasons - the first is to people.” Selhurst Train Care Depot Manager. their potential.
develop a coaching style of leadership which “The programme was my journey of self- Buonacorsi has found it an immensely
now clearly demonstrates an improvement awareness. It made me realise that I did not satisfying professional experience to work
in employee engagement which in turn actually listen to my staff enough and that my in partnership with Southern, a fabulous
improves customer satisfaction. The second values of “say it as it is” and “up front” views opportunity to create something tangible
is to create an internal coaching service came across as aggressive or ignorant. I am together, delivering worthwhile outcomes we
that offers developmental coaching to all looking forward to the future with coaching can be proud of at every level. And best of
members of staff. How do we manage the and I can’t see managing people in any other all, it’s by no means the end of the story, with
evolution of the service? We now have way”. Revenue Manager, West Croydon. challenges to consolidate, embed and make this
a Coaching Steering Group, comprising “This isn’t just about coaching, it completely better still, in time still to come.
representatives from Operations, Engineering changes the way I think about talking to
and Commercial areas of the business as well people.” Financial Controller, Southern
Gill How, Buonacorsi Consulting
as HR and Buonacorsi. What are the results Head Office.
www.buonacorsi.co.uk
from the investment? These are things that “Most of my working life in the armed
www.SouthernRailway.com
have happened over the last four years, where forces, prison service and on the railway has
rapport - Summer 2009
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