The Hindu Business Line : Creating executive and business coaches

A group of top industry professionals have joined hands to form the executive and business Coaching Foundation of India (CFI). The primary purpose of CFI is to offer client organisations the services of qualified coaches for their CEOs and senior management, create a cadre of qualified and competent coaches. CFI also aims to create awareness and sensitivity about coaching among organisations and professionals and be a forum for all coaching professionals in the country to interact and stay current and enriched.

What is coaching all about? Coaching has in the last two decades emerged as one of the most powerful approaches to personal growth and leadership development.

It, explains one of the founders, Ganesh Chella of Totus Consulting, is a collaborative relationship where the coach facilitates behavioural change that would enhance a person's leadership competencies. This is done through powerful interactions that help clarify purpose, remove self-limiting beliefs and develop action plans for performance transformation.

Fuelled by the growing demand, many countries now have a large community of coaches and coaching networks and it is common for most CEOs to have coaches. Indian business too finds itself in the throes of unprecedented opportunities. In this competitive and challenging environment, senior executives and CEOs are looking for wisdom, hand-holding and support to succeed, explains Chella.

The founding members of CFI include Pradipta K. Mohapatra (President & CEO, Technology Businesses of RPG Group), Dr Jairam Varadaraj (MD, Elgi Equipments Ltd), R. Ramaraj (Venture Partner and Former CEO of Sify Ltd) and Ganesh Chella (MD, Totus Consulting). Says Mohapatra, "It's a new profession that is taking birth." The coaching profession in the US is huge, a $ 2 billion business, he points out.

CFI has co-opted Dr B. J. Prashantham (Director CCC, Vellore) and Dr Sujatha Krishnaswamy (Founder and Principal of Stinsights, USA) to be on the Governing Board.

CFI is also collaborating with Christian Counselling Centre (CCC),Vellore, an institute in the field of human relations, psychological counselling and psychotherapy.

CFI's integrated coaching competency model is meant to enable and inspire leaders across levels to develop themselves into competent and qualified coaching professionals. This is delivered through a three-level coaching competence development programme, each of which addresses a distinct layer of competence needs. The three levels include a coaching fundamentals programme, a manager as coach programme and a professional development programme.

The CFI's first programme was kicked off this month with participation from senior industry professionals. Apart from the founders of the programme the senior leaders from various organisations include V.J.Rao (Director-HR, Aviva Global Services), M.V.N. Rao (GM-HR, L&T Infotech), Dr. Anand Kasturi (Consultant Trainer), Seethararn Dravida (VP, IBM),

G. Inbavanan (Director, Learning & Development, Global Delivery, HP), Poonarn Bir Kasturi (Design Consultant), K Krishnan (CEO, Krishnan & Co. and former CEO of Bharti Telenet Ltd.), S.S. Raman (President, TVS Electronics), Latha Nambisan (Principal Consultant, Totus Consulting), P.S. Srinivasan (Principal Consultant, Totus Consulting) and Dr. Lakshmi Ravikanth (Psychological Counsellor).

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