The Coaching Myth That’s Costing You
Most people think coaching:
- Requires a massive financial investment
- Takes up hours of precious time
- Is only beneficial for executives
They’re wrong.
The Truth About Effective Coaching
- 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence
- 70% experience improved work performance and relationships
- 99% of coaching clients are “satisfied” or very satisfied.
Yet most avoid it because of price tags and time concerns. Instead, companies choose to shove everyone into a room for a day of training and label this organizational development. Of course, they’re shocked when they see little change in terms of improvement in the people skills of their managers.
Why Most Expensive Training Programs Fail
Training courses or mandatory online learning may have short-term effects, but seldom lead to lasting change.
These programs often:
- Focus on theory, not application
- Are designed to scale, not solve your specific problems
- Are built to maximize profit, not your results
- Provide little opportunity for participants to apply their learning immediately
If you’re looking for long-term behavioral changes and support for leaders handling high-stakes, confidential, or specialized situations, then a private external coach is the way to go.
The Real Cost of Avoiding Coaching
Companies considering coaching often put off hiring a coach with the hopes that a manager will grow into their position and will miraculously acquire the skills needed to be an effective leader.
This is a huge mistake that can be quite costly. Here’s why.
Ineffective leadership will result in:
- Decreased employee morale and engagement
- Higher expensive turnover and recruitment costs
- Reduced innovation and creativity
- Continued struggles with the same problems
The question isn’t “Can you afford coaching?” but “Can you afford to go without it?”
The Time Myth: Debunked
It’s not uncommon for companies to say their people are too busy for coaching. But consider this. A good coach can help leaders free up a considerable amount of time.
Coaching done right doesn’t require a huge time commitment.
- A new manager spending 1 hour weekly with a coach for 8 weeks uses only 2.5% of their working hours
- The skills learned create positive impacts lasting years
- Learning with a coach happens in a fraction of the time compared to trial and error
The ROI Formula For Coaching Success
No matter what route you choose, there must be an ROI.
Here’s how to calculate whether your investment will pay off:
- Pick a specific lever (retention, productivity, revenue)
- Estimate initial impact using data
- Adjust for coaching’s contribution
- Calculate your actual return
Example: 10% reduction in turnover × 100 employees × $10,000 saved per employee = $1,000,000 saved annually.
Bottom Line
Skip the $15k course.
Find a coach who focuses on results, not hours.
Implement immediately.
Measure obsessively.
The best coaching doesn’t cost you—it pays for itself, time and time again.
Interested in learning more about coaching? Reach out to me at Roberta@matusonconsulting.com
