Leading as a coach, and how to get and to keep talent!

The NRC-Next published on the 13th of March 2013 the following article: ‘How to get and keep engineers’.

- 1.200.000 = engineers/technicians in NL

-    102.000 = new vacancies that will be realized in 2013 for engineers/technicians in NL

-    150.000 = shortage of well-educated engineers/technicians in NL for 2011-2016

At the same time the Dutch ministry for Health, Wellbeing and Sport published the following numbers in 2010 concerning the developments within healthcare:

- 1.400.000 = people working in NL in healthcare

- the prognoses for between 2011 and 2020 is that this number will decline with 450.000

Even though we are living amidst an ongoing economic crisis, there is an increasing demand for well-educated professionals and specialists, not only within the engineering-sector, but also throughout the entire society (including healthcare). After making this observation, NRC-Next addresses the following question and ideas: how can you assure to get and keep professionals and specialist?

1. offer enough space for developments and ideas

2. autonomy

3. job security

4. don’t work with timesheets

5. own projects

6. appreciation and involvement

7. time to visit courses and congresses

8. a great work-environment

9. chances to grow in their profession – without being forced into managerial positions (for instance due to organizational structures)

All these things are rather easily promised. But to successfully implement them into practice and to change organizational structures a strong culture of ‘leading as a coach’ is required. In this new blog-series ‘Leading as a Coach, and how to win and keep talent’ I will take you on a journey through this exciting world of Leading as a Coach. Every blog will address an aspect of a logical process, and will offer you practical tools and great literature-tips.

An early itinerary:

1. Winning the talented

2. Discovering who fits where

3. Integrating in your team

4. Developing self-awareness

5. Training self-responsibility

6. Building up levels of performance

7. Stimulating of self-reflection

8. Promotions/ career-steps

I hope to see you all soon,

Paul Donders