Worldwide Performance Coach Training for Leadership

CASE STUDY: IKEA

Train the Coach Trainer programme

IKEA has a thriving coaching culture embedded by its founder but is challenged by the nature of the business, which involves a great deal of change, temporary staff, a diverse cultural mix and the continuing movement of staff into different positions. Working in conjunction with Sir John Whitmore and Performance Consultants International, we were asked to design a Coach Trainer training programme, to enable IKEA’s in-house trainers to deliver a short course in coaching skills internally. IKEA wanted to:

  • develop faster techniques of embedding the coaching culture with new and temporary staff
  • improve the skills of managers in providing feedback
  • build a team of in-house coach trainers to sustain the new techniques.

Solutions

We designed and delivered:

  • A two day coaching skills course for 80 managers specifically designed to suit IKEA’s culture and previous learning models.
  • Eight days of Coach Trainer training for 30 managers, who learned to deliver the two day coaching skills course.
  • Workbooks for both the courses.
  • A comprehensive script and slideshow presentation for the Coach Trainer training course.
  • A 50 page ‘Coaching and Feedback Handbook’ for the whole organisation.
  • A ‘cheat card’ to assist participants in recalling and using the training in the workplace.
  • Assessment and accreditation for the managers on the Coach Trainer training course.

Before and during the programme, we had many meetings with the Head of HR, nd other members of the IKEA team, to ensure that the programme exactly fitted IKEA’s needs.

Outcome

All participants on the Coach Trainer course passed their assessment and became accredited coach trainers. These new trainers went on to deliver  two-day coaching skills courses in branches all over the country. We have undertaken further design and delivery for IKEA’s recent Retail Seminar Big, a training project involving every manager in the organisation, and we have provided refresher days.

Testimonial for Coach Trainer James Wright from Jo Murphy, UK/IE Leadership Services Manager at IKEA:

“I was very fortunate to have been a delegate on a Train the trainer Coaching Course that James Wright delivered and I would have no hesitation in recommending him or indeed participating on any future training course he should deliver. James has many strengths and is a very competent trainer/coach with a great personality and likeability. He knows how to engage with all types of people and I really liked the fact that both he and Carol  really cared for us on our course and always had lots of time to guide and coach us even in the evenings or our down time. Carol and James had also made a huge effort to have a great knowledge of IKEA before starting our course, which showed a lot of dedication and a desire to understand and exceed our requirements. James has many strengths but will list the main ones below for you:

  • Extremely focused on the client and delegates – for James, the “client” is paramount and “what is there for the client/delegate” is a top priority, of course always considering and balancing with the needs of the person.
  • Incredible rounded knowledge of coaching and general business in different areas, levels and capacities.
  • Strong and clear communicator – James shares his passion about coaching and his knowledge of it at any opportunity. He involves the trainees in setting goals, evaluation of the results and subsequent actions. James actively searches for input from the trainees, and all relevant parties, and then provides appropriate feedback. This aspect contributes enormously to both buy-in and commitment.
  • Great provider of feedback – clear, honest and  motivating recognition, when it comes to the positives, and challenging/encouraging when it comes to the opportunities.
  • Constantly looking to improve the way we work and therefore improve the client/customer/co- worker experience as well as the company’s efficiency.
  • Understands and communicates the need to work strategically – considering the long term plans, the short term actions that will impact on the execution of the long term goals, and being able to recognise and take on board any learning during the journey.
  • Passionate and enthusiastic about coaching and coach training
  • Extremely honest and straightforward.
  • Capacity to challenge and stretch to achieve results.

Testimonials from course participants at IKEA for the Coach Trainer Training programme:

  • “Positive impact on team and individual development”
  • “Course content was very informative”
  • “Very good delivery of subject, great presentation style and teamwork”
  • “Very informative course – gives good guidelines on how to work in future ”
  • “Group interaction was nervy but enjoyable”
  • “Friendly, helpful, learned a lot about myself”
  • “Keep up the good work!”
  • “Very enjoyable”
  • “Relaxed atmosphere”
  • “A lot of energy and potential brought to the store and business.”
  • “Very useful and educational, looking forward to more depth in future workshops”
  • “Interactive, relaxed, great to practise”
  • “The course was facilitated very well with plenty of scenarios and examples to take away”
  • “It was beneficial to use exercises in which to practise the skills used as soon as they are explained”
  • “Relating theories and models back to IKEA is useful to focus us back into reality”
  • “Seeing learning and passion from my co-workers makes me feel positive that it will go down well in my store”
  • “Enjoyed the content, delivered in a professional way“
  • “Good content, well delivered with easy reference“
  • “I like the interactive parts, good material, competent trainers“
  • “The course content was good and well delivered“
  • “Easy approach. Good presentation styles“
  • “I liked the theoretical framework, participation and open input“
  • “I liked coaching feedback as I had not come across it before“
  • “The training was provided in a “fun” style – all very positive“
  • “Highlighted a lot of new ways to enhance coaching skills“
  • “I could clearly identify how this will help me“
  • Thoroughly enjoyed, looking forward to next one“