PrismAward

Based on the author’s firsthand experience guiding talent through the merger of giants MCI and Verizon, and the implosion of Worldcom, this book teaches how internal coaching programs, when executed properly, can retain and develop talent in the face of incalculable change and many unknowns.

Part autobiography, part prescriptive, The Coaching Solution™: How to Design an Impactful Coaching Program to Drive Talent Development, Organizational Change and Business Results provides those responsible for talent management — HR managers, talent management executives and group and team leaders — a step-by-step approach to building an effective internal coaching program.

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Renee Robertson designed and implemented the first and, at the time, the most comprehensive internal coaching programs at MCI Telecommunications and Verizon. Her learnings and observations are embedded in this book. In addition to real-world examples, insights are offered from client sponsors and leaders enrolled in the program. The book provides concrete evidence for business leaders, talent management, human resource leaders, internal coaches and organizational development consultants about the value that a well-implemented internal coaching program can provide to participants and the return it brings to the bottom line. The author speaks directly from her experience as the Director, Talent Development at Verizon and as a two-time winner of the International Coach Federation’s Prism Award for her excellence in organizational and internal coaching initiatives.

“Coaching is one of the new—and misused—buzzwords across organizations today. So, what is coaching and how and why should you implement it across your organization? Renée Robertson provides cogent answers to these questions, and does so based on her own real-world experience of implementing an award-winning coaching program in a large organization that was in crisis. That company was MCI as it emerged from the WorldCom scandal—and bankruptcy—and sought to re-establish itself as an elite and trusted player in telecommunications again. The stakes—retaining our best employees in spite of the scandal. Renée’s book captures her experience at MCI and broadens across a larger organization at Verizon. It is a “must read” for anyone even considering a coaching program.”

– Stephen P. Young, Retired SVP, MCI and Verizon Visiting Instructor, Georgia State University Founding Director, Sales Executive RoundTable

“Bookshelves and online bookstores are overflowing with books about leadership, employee development, driving results and business success. One could spend two lifetimes absorbing the available contet. Renée Robertson’s The Coaching Solution rises above all the noise and wide variety of methodologies, systems and theories, and gets right to the bottom line of why coaching is a pivotal leadership learning and development strategy for everyone in your company. Renée delivers the message from a real-world and totally transparent perspective. That, coupled with the detailed roadmap on how to leverage coaching in your organization, makes this a must-read for every leader.”

– Frank Traditim Regional Sales Learning Manager, XO Communications

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Reviews

KIRKUS REVIEW | January 1st, 2016 Issue

A Fortune 500 executive–turned-consultant looks at how to implement coaching programs inside professional organizations. In this debut, Robertson draws on her own successful corporate coaching career to explain what coaching is, why organizations need it, how it serves a variety of human resource and talent development needs, and how it can lead to organizational change and improve results. The author discovered coaching while working in sales for MCI Communications in the mid-1990s. At the time, “life coaching” was popular, but professional coaching in corporations rarely extended beyond senior executives. She spearheaded a coaching program for MCI sales managers, who were dealing with rapid growth and technological change. Her program expanded to other departments and diversified in scope; meanwhile, MCI was acquired by WorldCom in 1998, which declared bankruptcy in 2002, emerged from bankruptcy in 2004, and was acquired by Verizon in 2006. Her coaching, she says, helped retain employees during the various crises and combine different cultures during mergers, which garnered her two consecutive International Coach Federation Prism Awards. This book’s content and workbook format appear to be aimed specifically at human resources administrators.
Robertson uses her experience to offer instructions that are never dry or vague; instead, she moves seamlessly back and forth between her coaching principles and real-life anecdotes. She displays an encyclopedic knowledge throughout as she provides a step-by-step blueprint for launching an internal coaching program. Along the way, she also discusses how to use external coaches when time frames, budgets, or required skill sets warrant. The book looks at how to evaluate a company’s readiness for coaching and where it should reside in the organization and gives advice on how to write job descriptions, hire qualified coaches, develop talent, and measure results. Robertson continuously asks helpful questions in clear, if not always succinct, prose (“What level of impact do any pre-existing conditions have on the sales process and the ability to sell services into the account?”). There’s some business jargon, but it’s appropriate for the book’s audience; professional coaches, she notes, should be conversant in the language their clients use. She also offers document templates, training tools, and websites for further reference. A comprehensive, authoritative, and well-organized manual for boosting productivity through coaching. View The Published Review

Press Releases

Internal Coaching Success Stories

MCI Telecommunications designed and implemented their program to retain, develop and grow leadership talent across their sales and customer service organizations. (press release) Verizon Business implemented its internal coaching program as a key driver to support the integration of Verizon ESG and MCI. Given’s its success it was rolled out across the enterprise to develop leadership talent across all functional areas. (press release) [/av_textblock] [/av_one_full]