Cathy Liska 
Creating and running an effective coaching program within an organization supports organizational success and, as with so many worthwhile efforts, has challenges. Initially it starts with creating buy-in for the program, then program design challenges, operational challenges, and challenges with the people the program serves and supports. In this blog series explore both the challenges and the possible solutions.
Start with the first challenge – creating buy-in. Often this starts with acknowledgement of challenges and then presenting coaching as the solution. It typically involves providing decision makers with the statistics on the ROI, Return on Investment, along with a brief outline of the application of coaching within the organization. (The other leaders in the organization also want this information and will take their direction from above.) The buy-in at the top levels is key to ensuring organization-wide buy-in as well as long-term support. Once buy-in exists at the top, build it throughout the organization with information, stories, and engagement in program development ideas.
Program design begins with determining which department and which employee have oversight.  Next is developing the infrastructure, policies, and procedures. Ultimately all of these steps, done well, provide the foundation for operating a successful coaching program. Addressing ongoing questions and concerns ensures the sustainability of a coaching program. Over the next few weeks, this blog will dig deeper into different challenges and considerations.
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