Business coaching is relatively new to the corporate world and aims at enhancing company profits and employee productivity through transformational leadership. It strives to induce positive changes in the organizational behavior, belief and value, in an effort to improve organizational performance and simultaneously provide greater job satisfaction to employees.

Business coaching has the power to change an ordinary group of employees into a high performance team. The field of business coaching has evolved over the years and innovative techniques have been experimented on, in the effort of improvement. It helps all those who wish to eliminate their self-limiting behavior that impedes their progress in life. A business coach ensures that coaching is carried out in a favorable coaching environment, to produce the desired behavior and skill.

Business coaching has identified eleven core coaching-competencies. These have been developed to enhance business coaching behavior and skill within many organizations. These include:

. Meeting ethical guidelines and professional standards.

. Establishing the coaching agreement.

. Establishing trust and intimacy with the client.

. Developing a coaching presence.

. Ensuring active and rapt listening.

. Powerful questioning techniques.

. Direct communication.

. Creating awareness.

. Designing actions.

. Planning and goal setting.

. Managing progress and accountability.

Traditionally, scientists believed that the human brain could not be further developed after twenty years of age. However, modern research confirms that adult brains can grow and experience change. William Greenough, a researcher at the University of Illinois, holds the view that the human brain requires physical and mental exercise, to perform at optimum level. This ability of human beings goes a long way in developing their cognitive powers that could be harnessed to assist them in achieving success and efficiency in their professional and personal lives. The best part is that all this can be achieved through simple coaching exercises for the brain.

Clinical psychologists propose structured mental exercises or brain gymnastics at the workplace, to increase brain volume and activity. The trick lies in providing new challenges to the brain, to sharpen existing skills and develop new ones. Business professionals participating in coaching programs are taught the different skills, using the Behavioral Change Methodology, to boost their existing skills, like thinking and analytical, decision-making and problem solving skills. The professionals are also taught ways to enhance their concentration and memory. In addition, they also learn to apply different skills to different problematic situations.

A skilled business coach helps business professionals and individuals to:

. Improve their productivity.

. Reduce emotional and physical stress associated with work.

. Increase job satisfaction.

. Boost work relations and help individuals to resolve personal differences effectively.

. Curb absenteeism and check and minimize unproductive time in organizations.

To produce lasting behavioral changes among employees, it is important to understand the nature and extent of the unconscious forces responsible for the existing behavioral patterns. A skilled business coach takes into account the cognitive and emotional development of the target group, to work out a viable coaching system. Business coaches usually adopt a person-centered approach and provide customized training to business professionals, after assessing their individual requirements. The coach employs tired and tested methods to bring out and polish individual strength and skill.