Coaching helps professionals, managers, and business owners to connect with their people and their customers.
South Africa is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. We are the rainbow nation and herein lies the challenge for leaders to have a strong ability to connect with all the people in their teams.
South Africa’s value lies in our people
If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts” you may not have linked to the diversity of a team, but there is a business case for diversity being an asset.
The Business Case
The ‘business case’, which argues that ‘increasing diversity would enable organizations to utilize the talents and abilities of all employees, which may be critical for success in an increasingly complex and dynamic business
environment’ 1(Qin et al., 2014: 138)
How do we leverage diversity in teams?
I found myself asking this same question and found many pieces of research suggesting that team coaching helps, but more interestingly diversity also reaches the coach as a person. “To operate within an organizational context, coach practitioners need to develop an awareness of their own responses to diversity. It is vital that coach practitioners understand their own prejudices, biases, limiting thinking and life conditioning.” 2
Coaching with the Enneagram
When I started my coaching business, I decided to use a scientifically-backed tool to assist me with getting to know my clients and their context. I use the Enneagram to help people identify their self-limiting beliefs and find their true perspectives.
All my clients have found the enneagram valuable and it has helped each client to progress. I’ve found personal value in the Enneagram and use the insights in my life daily.
I’ve qualified to do team coaching with the Enneagram
The Enneagram links into diversity as it helps each person be their best, but also find the best in their team-mates. It helps people to grow as a team and I am glad I’ve invested the time to be qualified in a tool that will have great value to my clients and their businesses.
Contact me if you would like to know more about the Enneagram and diversity coaching for teams
Rita Govender
“creating agile, purpose-driven thinking”.
email: rita@disclosure.co.za
call: +27 82 804 6391
Further Reading
- Qin, J., Muenjohn, N. and Chhetri, P. (2014). A review of diversity conceptualizations: Variety, trends, and a framework. Human Resource Development Review, 13(2): 133–157.
- The Sage Handbook of Coaching (pp.238-255) Edition: One Chapter: 13 Publisher: Sage Editors: Tatiana Bachkirova, Gordon Spence, David Drake