An informal discussion with the coaching team indicated that at some point in the coaching relationship participants became more open to working on improving their ability to manage stress and balancing the demands of the job with demands from family. At first, this seemed to go against unspoken cultural expectations: be available 24/7, and make the personal sacrifices needed to get the job done, no matter what the cost. Coaches had to challenge these assumptions and discuss overall cost/benefits required to avoid burnout of the client and their staff. Managers’ ability to sustain productivity and meet increasing customer demands brought further interest in developing a more formal program for developing leaders and their ability to manage stress and change.

EVOLUTION OF THE COACHING PROGRAM DURING A PERIOD OF CHANGE

In a recent testimonial to the value of the coaching experience, one regional district manager remarked that he felt overwhelmed and realized that he could no longer  manage the banks under his jurisdiction in the same way he had in the past, given the mandated consolidation of field offices within his district. (Hughes & Terrell, 2008, p. 170)