| Summary: | Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. === The last few decades have been characterised by a high degree of rapid change in the
business, social and political environment. The period we are currently living in has been
referred to by one of the writers on the subject as a period of "hyper-change"
In a period of "hyper-change" the consequences for global businesses is significant.
Organisations constantly face new sets of challenges and before they have worked their
way through one set another presents itself. In the area of skills development this could
have major consequences for the leadership of organisations.
It is said that the only way to succeed in a rapidly changing environment is to ensure that
knowledge growth outpaces that rate of change. This implies rapid skills update as well.
Under traditional leadership development approaches, through structured programmes,
the rate of change in skills growth is not sufficient to ensure that the executive and the
organisation remain ahead of change. Indeed, traditional programmes are not even able
to effectively deliver the kinds of skills that are needed by today's executive. The skills
referred to here are softer skills such as communications skills, diversity awareness,
conflict resolution, listening skills and so forth.
In the last two decades a new trend has developed in the USA. ..coaching, more precisely
executive coaching. Started in 1982 by a financial analyst, Thomas Leonard, the practice
of coaching seems to have grown exponentially over the last two decades. The popularity
of coaching is ascribed mainly to its effectiveness in being able to deliver quick results. It
has also proved to be popular among executives for its flexibility around time and
structure of process allowing the executive to focus on areas of improvement that will the
greatest impact.
Coaching has made its mark as one of the essential development tools that must be found
in the portfolio of options of any people development strategy.
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