To be successful in business, it is critical to build and maintain relationships. Not just with customers, but also with vendors, employees and competitors. You need to have long-term customers and good vendor relationships especially during challenging times or tight deadlines. Good relationships with other business owners allow you to share your struggles, resources and best practices that can give you an edge in business. Of course, any relationship will involve give and take.

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Did you know that 23.2% of your work force is likely experiencing a high level of emotional distress?

In the Manon Dulude Ph.D. research project “an Effectiveness Study on Telephonic Brief Solution-Focused Coaching on Life Satisfaction Measures”, it was discovered that 23.2% of those who volunteered for the study were considered too emotionally distressed to benefit from coaching and more suitable for counseling services.

Out of a sample of 138 volunteers, 32 individuals were disqualified due to their high score on the Brief Symptom Inventory, a brief psychological self-report symptom scale. These unexpected findings bring us to question how these individuals impact the overall performance and dynamics of a team.

These results also bring to light a number of questions:
• How ethical is it for coaches to coach everyone and not take into consideration the level of emotional distress a client presents?
• How do coaches appropriately assess the “coachability” of a client?
• When an organization identifies difficult employees, do they seek coaches with mental health knowledge to assess and make appropriate referrals to fully support the coaching process?

These surprising results highlight the need for decision makers within organizations take into consideration the larger scope of employee needs when considering coaching as a solution.

In 2011, Manon Dulude Ph.D. conducted a life coaching research project to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term coaching model (brief solution-focused coaching) on the emotional and cognitive aspects of life satisfaction (how positively people feel and think about their life). This research project was a doctoral dissertation requirement. Aspiria EAP Corp. sponsored the research project.

The results of this research were exciting. Click the link for a summary of Dr. Dulude’s findings on this short-term coaching model.

In this day and age where we want to minimize time on the road commuting, telephone coaching is the way to go. Ninety-five (95) percent of one hundred and six (106) subjects involved in a research project (Dulude 2012) confirmed that telephonic coaching is a viable approach to deliver the service.

Some of the most commonly experienced benefits of working with a coach identified by the participants were;
• increased level of life satisfaction,
• improved confidence,
• positive outlook,
• understanding of self,
• determination,
• momentum, and
• increased courage.

A professional coach will ensure that telephone coaching is effective by the use of active listening, use of silence, and building relationships. There are a number of techniques employed to establish and maintain a connection between coach and client.

Telephonic coaching in particular offers a number of advantages such as:
• People are busy with limited available time. It may appeal to them if they can participate whenever and wherever it is convenient for them.
• Technology exists to make telephone conversations engaging and effective. Look at such programs as tele-commuting (work from home), ehealth, and conference calls.
• Using the telephone is more cost effective. Travel is not required. For groups, no boardroom space needs to be booked.
• Privacy is assured. No one will see the employee enter or leave the coach’s office.

In our busy lives, it is gratifying to know that we have a choice when it comes to a service like coaching. Whether in person or via telephone, the coach and participant can select the method most effective for their needs.

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