Case study: creating a trusted advisor relationship through coaching skills

Creating a Trusted Advisor Relationship Through Coaching SkillsClient: Financial Services Firm The Context A large global ?nancial services organization was seeking to shift their Human Resource Business Partners’ (HRBPs) mindsets from problem solvers to strategic business partners. There was an acknowledgment that to drive more powerful business results, the HRBPs needed to deepen their relationships with the business unit leaders so that they were turned to for thought leadership, high-level counsel, and coaching instead of more tactical tasks. Our Approach ZRG designed and facilitated a six-month virtual learning journey for 25 HRBPs. The program was customized to meet the different levels of experience within the cohort. To assess the current state, ZRG conducted interviews with key sponsors and senior HRBPs to gain insight into the varying levels of coaching expertise and skills. From these insights, use cases were created and utilized throughout the program so the content was applicable to their day-to-day realities. To ground the learning, the HRBPs completed a communication assessment to gain insight into their dominant communication style and the implications for their coaching approach. ZRG then led a series of interactive sessions. These sessions taught coaching skills as a leadership competency, provided techniques to enhance coaching competence and offered a coaching framework to embed into their daily interactions. During the sessions, the HRBPs were split into small groups, pairs, and triads to embed the learning and practice in a safe place with the oversight of a ZRG Executive Coach. To support the learning, the HRBPs were sent learning assignments which allowed for pause and re?ection and provided opportunities for them to practice their newly learned skills. Results The organization witnessed a signi?cant shift in the depth and context of the discussions the HRBPs were engaging in across the organization with a wide range of stakeholders. The HRBPs reported the following takeaways: Distinguishing between opportunities to provide HR guidance and what presents a coaching opportunity Taking pause, listening more, and asking probing questions before jumping to solutions Transitioning from problem solver to coach enhances the HRBP role Coaching the person, not the problem drives better business results The impact of pausing and coaching to problem solve The HRBPs referenced the following impacts on the organization: Increased robust and rich discussions The business being served in a way that is more aligned to the business partners’ needs A shift from the HRBPs being doers towards the HRBPs being facilitators of conversations to ensure diverse perspectives are heard and the best outcome for the business is realized Greater opportunities for the others to verbalize and articulate their own solutions Root causes of issues are being identi?ed quicker and minimizing over dependency Our Expertise Coaching Skills Training, Executive Coaching