We have had coaching behaviours as long as we've had people in organisations, but it is only recently that they have been given that label. In the last few years the term coaching has entered the management lexicon and become seen as an integral part of the successful deployment of people at work. Perhaps the obvious analogies with the world of sport where the coaching relationship has always been valued by even the highest performers helps to encourage managers and leaders today to look towards coaching as a means of encouraging and sustaining performance in these most turbulent times.
But let's be clear, coaching is not a panacea for all organisational ills and ought not be introduced to the organisation on the basis of a leap of faith. Here I'll seek to set out in stark terms the obvious advantages which I hope imply compelling benefits without the need for complex, and often spurious, Return on Investment calculations.
Greater Leadership Effectiveness
The prime function of leadership is surely to generate the next generation of leaders. With coaching as a regularly encountered management style, talent in any organization will be allowed and encouraged to shine through. Such people, as well as being identified for succession purposes, can be encouraged to take more responsibility for operational tasks, freeing the leadership to concentrate on more strategic matters.
Increased Employee Productivity
Employees are more productive when they're focused. In coaching parlance, being focused refers to a state of mind where one feels aware and responsible within a climate of trust. Coaching helps promote focus by making employees aware of the critical variables in their tasks and jobs. When employees more accurately identify the things that change when they're successful and when they're not, they find it easier to do the right things.
More Effective Performance Management
Recent years have seen organizations of all kinds clamour for effective Performance Management (PM). Most PM frameworks emphasise reviewing past performance against set targets and objectives, but this is akin to rowing a boat; trying to move forwards whilst facing backwards. Coaching fosters an emphasis on learning and development within a PM appraoch. Once the basis of an effective system in place, coaching presents an opportunity to develop the management skills that can harness a system to best effect More Effective Communication Coaching is employee centred yet performance focused. Day to day discussions and 1 to 1s in particular will be more effective when the focus of these exchanges in on promoting performance, but with the employee's needs duly considered.
Increased Retention and Loyalty of Staff
Coaching promotes Performance, Learning and Enjoyment. Staff who finish the working week having learnt something, achieved something and enjoyed themselves in the process will be happy productive employees for years to come. At the very least, these prime motivators help dilute an obsession with financial and other external rewards.
Better Alignment of Organizational Goals Throughout
Coaching encourages the articulation and ownership of challenging goals. Where such goals can be developed against a backdrop of clear organisational aims, the chances of alignment and consequently successful achievement are much increased.
Why Now?
Increasingly, the benefits described above can be underpinned by a Senior Management Team's exposure to external coaching where this is the case. The business case for having these skills in house in the management population are obvious but the logistics of getting them sometimes more complex.
To train a managers and leaders as coaches requires an investment of money and, even more crucially, time, when almost all available landing slots are likely to have been assigned to other projects.
Nevertheless, the time is right as the challenges facing organizations will not be met without an employee base that is motivated, skilledand coached to perform at its best.
Reasons For High Cholesterol
The truth? You can’t handle the truth! Here's some information you need to know:
Any total cholesterol level above 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood (written mg/dL) is considered borderline high. Extremely high total cholesterol is any reading above 240 mg/dL and one that puts you at risk for heart disease, liver failure, and other health problems. And here is why Americans are at serious risk:
107 million, or 1 in 5 adults, has cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dL.
Almost 38 million more have levels above 240 mg/dL.
More women over age 45 have high cholesterol than men.
Almost 30 million prescriptions are written each year for cholesterol lowering drugs, accounting for $20 billion in annual sales for the pharmaceutical industry.
Americans spend $10 billion per year on the statin drug, Lipitor alone
In 2001, the statin drug, Baycol used to lower cholesterol was taken off the market due to toxic side effects.
Most drugs prescribed today to lower cholesterol are statin drugs.
Asians on average have an LDL cholesterol level of less than 95 because of their low fat diet. Anything under 100 for LDL cholesterol is considered good.
Diet and lifestyle changes, without the use of drugs, have been shown to decrease LDL cholesterol in one year’s time by 40 percent on average (from 144 down to 87 mg/dL.)
Q: What is cholesterol?
A: Cholesterol is a fatty substance present in most meaty foods and some vegetables. In normal amounts it is an important building block of bile acids, which help digestion, and steroid hormones. In the blood, cholesterol is found in particles containing both lipids (fats) and proteins; hence they are referred to as lipoproteins.
Q: Who should be tested for high cholesterol?
A: Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is important for everyone: young, middle-aged, and older adults; women and men; and people with or without heart disease. Adults 20 years and older should have their cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. Those found to have elevated cholesterol requiring changes in diet or drug therapy, or who have been diagnosed with heart disease will require more frequent lipid profile testing, at least annually.
Q: Why should I test my cholesterol level?
A: As one of the major risk factors for developing heart disease, your blood cholesterol level affects your chances of having a heart attack. It is important to find out what your cholesterol levels are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the chance of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease, even if you already have it.
Q: Besides cholesterol, what are other risk factors for heart disease?
A: Cholesterol is only one risk factor that may lead to heart disease. The other major risk factors are listed below. Your doctor can help you to understand your risk for heart disease by taking into account these other factors along with your cholesterol.
Cigarette smoking
High blood pressure
Early heart disease in a close relative (before age 55 in men & 65 in women)
Age more than 45 for men or 55 for women
LDL and HDL cholesterols
Life habit risk factors (obesity, physical inactivity and fatty diet)
Q: What is LDL?
A: Often called "bad cholesterol," LDL is the main source of cholesterol build-up and blockage in the arteries.
Q: What is HDL?
A: Often called "good cholesterol," HDL helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries.
How does cholesterol cause heart disease? When there is too much cholesterol (a fat-like substance) in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries. Over time, this buildup causes "hardening of the arteries" so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down or blocked. The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.
High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms; so many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high. It is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or dying of heart disease, even I you already have it. Cholesterol lowering is important for everyone-younger, middle age, and older adults; women and men; and people with or without heart disease.
Everyone age 20 and older should have their cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. It is best to have a blood test called a "lipoprotein profile" to find out your cholesterol numbers. This blood test is done after a 9 to 12 hour fast and gives information about your:
Total cholesterol
LDL (bad) cholesterol
The main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries
HDL (good) cholesterol
Helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries
Triglycerides
Another from of fat in your blood
Saturated Fat & Cholesterol – an evil combination
If you are trying to control you blood cholesterol level, you must limit not only the amount of cholesterol you consume, but also the amount of saturated fat, which appears to stimulate the body's production of cholesterol.
Although they're often mentioned together, cholesterol and fat is not the same thing. Cholesterol is found only in animal products - meats, poultry, dairy products, and eggs.
Steps you can take to keep your cholesterol level down:
Substitute unsaturated fats for saturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats (such as safflower and corn oil) and monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil) help to lower blood cholesterol levels.
But this doesn't mean you should add any of these fats to your diet - you should still keep your total fat intake at or below 30 percent of your daily calories. Replace butter in cooking with olive or corn oil. Substitute fish for some of the red meat and poultry in your diet.
Lose weight, if necessary
Not only does excess body fat raise your total blood cholesterol and LDL levels, but it also is an independent risk factor for heart disease. On average, each two pounds of excess body fat contributes one mg//dL of total cholesterol.
Exercise
A program of regular aerobic exercise may help lower total cholesterol and raise HDL. To get this benefit, as well as the other benefits exercise offers, you should exercise at least three times per week for thirty minutes a session.
Increase your consumption of food high in soluble fiber
Oat bran is certainly the most familiar of these food along with legumes and other vegetables, such as black-eyed peas, kidney beans, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and broccoli. In the fruit category, bananas, apples, pears, and oranges have some soluble fiber.
Don't Smoke
Smoking increases total cholesterol and reduces HDL, and is an independent risk factor for heart disease as well.
Both Matt Somers & Ian Mackie are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Matt Somers has sinced written about articles on various topics from Power of Coaching, Career Change and Depression Cure. Matt Somers offers managers a startling way to achieve results through coaching via his range of training programmes, books, articles and seminars. His popular guide "Coaching for an Easier Life" is available FREE at. Matt Somers's top article generates over 8100 views. Bookmark Matt Somers to your Favourites.
Ian Mackie has sinced written about articles on various topics from Blood Pressure, Fitness and Finances. Visit Quick Medical –http://www.quickmedical.com - A comprehensive online resour. Ian Mackie's top article generates over 5400 views. Bookmark Ian Mackie to your Favourites.
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