Coaching to Impact is a twice yearly publication by the Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service, dedicated to advancing civil service leadership and to inspire our Sarawak Civil Service (SCS) leaders with contemporary leadership principles. It features a range of content contributed by our strategic partners and panel of advisors from renowned global institutions as well as established corporations that we are affiliated with. Occasionally, we have guest contributions from subject matter experts as well as from our employees. The views expressed in the articles published are not necessarily those of Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service Sdn. Bhd. (292980-T).
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s permission in writing.
Published by
Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service KM20, Jalan Kuching-Serian, Semenggok, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Read this issue online at https://www.leadinstitute.com.my/coaching-to-impact/ or Scan the QR code.
The Role of Coaching and Mentoring in Leadership within the Sarawak State Civil Service
In the dynamic field of public administration, strong leadership is fundamental to effective governance. Within the Sarawak State Civil Service (SCS), coaching and mentoring serve as vital tools in developing skilled, visionary, and ethical leaders who can propel the state’s progress. These leadership development strategies ensure that the SSCS remains efficient, innovative, and committed to delivering people-centric public services. As former U.S. President John Quincy Adams once stated, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”
Strengthening Leadership Skills
Coaching and mentoring equip civil servants with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to address complex challenges. Coaching emphasizes personalized growth and problem-solving, helping leaders refine their decision-making, communication, and strategic thinking. On the other hand, mentoring supports long-term professional development by allowing experienced leaders to pass down their wisdom and expertise to emerging talents. This aligns with the words of leadership expert Warren Bennis: “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”
Ensuring Smooth Leadership Transitions and Knowledge Transfer
For the SSCS to function effectively, leadership transitions must be seamless. A strong mentoring culture enables the transfer of institutional knowledge, policies, and best practices from senior leaders to their successors. This continuity minimizes disruptions, strengthens governance, and enhances policy implementation for the benefit of Sarawak’s people. As Peter Drucker, a pioneer in modern management, observed, “No institution can possibly survive if it needs geniuses or supermen to manage it. It must be organized in such a way as to be able to get along under a leadership composed of average human beings.” A structured coaching and mentoring system ensures that leadership remains stable and effective, regardless of individual changes.
Building a Culture of Excellence and Integrity
Through coaching and mentoring, a culture of excellence, accountability, and ethical leadership is reinforced. Senior officers act as role models, instilling values such as integrity, transparency, and dedication to public service. By embedding these principles in leadership development, the SCS nurtures leaders who are not only competent but also committed to serving the rakyat with honesty and responsibility. Mahatma Gandhi’s timeless words capture this essence: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Civil service leaders who embody integrity and accountability create a ripple effect, fostering a culture of trust and excellence across the organization.
Driving Innovation and Adaptability
As public administration evolves with technological advancements and changing societal needs, civil service leaders must be adaptable and forward-thinking. Coaching encourages a mindset of continuous growth by challenging leaders to embrace new perspectives and innovative solutions. Mentoring complements this by providing a supportive environment for discussing fresh ideas and alternative approaches, fostering a dynamic and progressive leadership culture within the SSCS. As Charles Darwin famously noted, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” The ability to adapt and innovate is crucial for civil servants leading Sarawak into the future.
Enhancing Employee Engagement and Retention
Leadership expert Ken Blancha stated that “A well-structured coaching and mentoring framework increases job satisfaction and motivation among civil servants. Employees who receive guidance and support from their leaders are more likely to feel valued and engaged in their work. This positive environment reduces turnover rates and ensures that the SSCS retains experienced, dedicated personnel who contribute to Sarawak’s long-term development goals”.
Coaching has long been associated primarily with the sports arena, where athletes work with trainers to refine their skills, enhance their performance, and achieve competitive success. This limited view often leads people to think that only those in athletics require coaching to unlock their potential or meet their purposes. Coaching is a multidimensional process that exceeds the confines of sports. It is essential for fostering growth in various aspects of life, including personal development, career advancement, and interpersonal relationships. In personal development, for instance, coaching can help individuals set meaningful goals, build confidence, and cultivate better habits. In a professional context, coaches assist individuals in navigating career transitions, improving leadership skills, and enhancing workplace communication. By providing tailored support and guidance, coaching empowers individuals to identify their strengths, overcome obstacles, and create actionable plans for achieving their aspirations, no matter the setting.
Initially, I was sceptical about the value of coaching in my life. As someone who does not engage in many physical activities, I wondered why I should invest my time in coaching. I assumed that coaching was primarily for individuals eager to refine their athletic abilities or improve their physical performance in sports. However, my perspective shifted dramatically when I began to explore the broader implications of coaching. I understood that coaching is not limited to athletic development but encompasses a broader spectrum of personal and professional growth. It is about tapping into one’s untapped potential and enhancing various skills that can be applied in everyday life. Through coaching, individuals can cultivate confidence, set and achieve meaningful goals, improve decision-making, and develop better interpersonal skills. This realization opened my eyes to the profound impact coaching can have, not just in sports but in nurturing a more fulfilled and productive life in any area I pursue.
Recognizing Personal Strengths
In my endeavour to be a good listener and approachability, I experienced a period of personal introspection about my personal characteristics and how they relate to the art of coaching. Being a good listener for me meant hearing what others say and understanding their emotions and perspectives, which involves creating a safe space where individuals feel comfortable expressing themselves. On the other hand, being approachable implies being genuinely open and welcoming, encouraging others to share their thoughts without hesitation. These two attributes are not only beneficial but foundational in effective coaching because they enable the development of meaningful conversations that can lead to significant personal growth, insightful guidance, and unwavering support for those I work with.
The Value of Coaching in Everyday Life
Coaching is not just about achieving better results; it is about personal transformation. Whether in a professional setting, personal relationships, or self-development, coaching is intended to help individuals discover their strengths, overcome challenges, and achieve their goals. It empowers people to take charge of their lives and continuously improve. Coaching is not exclusive to athletes; it is a transformative process available to anyone seeking personal or professional development. At its core, coaching involves a relationship where a trained coach provides insightful guidance, motivates individuals, and offers unwavering support to help them uncover and achieve their goals. Through personalized coaching sessions, individuals can delve into self-reflection, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and create actionable plans tailored to their aspirations. This journey often leads to remarkable growth, enhanced self-awareness, and the courage to take on new challenges. By coaching, individuals open the door to a wealth of opportunities, whether advancing their careers, improving their interpersonal relationships, or gaining confidence in personal endeavours. I believe that Coaching is a powerful tool for unlocking potential and cultivating success in various facets of life.
Helena Ului
Helena Ului is a Certified Master Performance Coach, Certified Train-the-Trainer, and Certified Training and Development Professional. She holds a Degree in Business Administration (Marketing) and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Counselling. Helena now leads the Department of Coaching with a vision of empowering individuals to unlock their full potential. Driven by her belief in the transformative power of coaching, Helena is dedicated to fostering growth and resilience to create a supportive and empowering environment where individuals feel heard, valued, and inspired to grow.
How Peer Coaching Groups Nurture Desire to Change
Dr. Roman Terehkin, Research Fellow Professional Lecturer, George Washington University
Lockdowns and pandemics, trade wars, geopolitical tensions –a lot of unexpected, dramatic changes happen in the world, requiring organization leaders to change, too. However, changing can often bring uncertainty and can drag you out of your comfort zone. Therefore, to no surprise, it can also be fearful.
Still, the most successful leaders embrace changes and learn to adapt quickly, cope with the stress of uncertainty, and inspire their teams to leap into the challenging yet promising unknown. How do these leaders manage to “switch” their brains from fear and depression to inspiration and excitement for change?
Contemporary coaches often use positive emotional attractors (PEAs) to pave the way to such sustainable change. That technique is an inherent part of coaching with compassion, the effectiveness of which has been proved through 30 years of physiological and behavioral research and is discussed in Boyatzis, Smith, and Van Oosten’s book, Helping People Change and the Conversations that Inspire Change article in this journal.
In a nutshell, PEAs are some “triggers” that help a person activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the brain’s natural arena for creative thinking and innovation. Although people may have different PEAs, some are more common, such as walking in nature, mindfulness, petting a pet, playing and laughing, meditation or praying, and being with loved ones.
Thus, coaching with compassion does not teach you a “right decision.” Instead, it helps you tune into the creative waves of your brain, that allows you to innovate and find great new opportunities in any change. Now, you embrace change and harvest what the storm brought instead of seeing it as a threat and being frightened by it in a cave!
To further reinforce this effect, leaders all over the globe use another common PEA: resonant relationships. They join groups with their peers or leaders of similar divisions or organizations and meet regularly to help each other with personal and professional development. These groups are called peer coaching groups (PCGs). For decades, they have been conducted by global leaders’ communities and thriving organizations, like the Young Presidents’ Organization, US Department of Defense, Maybank, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola Company. PCGs are scalable and accessible to everyone –even those without a budget. Hundreds of thousands of people in middle and lower levels of management, as well as professionals for which the organization cannot afford to hire coaches or even provide leadership training, can access coaching and systematic developmental support from their peer coaches in a PCG.
What does an organization need to implement PCGs successfully? Not much, actually, and many groups within global corporations even emerge as grassroots initiatives. Depending on the goal, these groups are usually comprised of 7-12 peers that meet regularly (weekly during lunch, monthly over a weekend day, or quarterly for 2-3 days). Moderators (usually one or two of the group members) are important figures who keep timing and help the group follow both the agenda and the established rules for respectful and constructive conversation.
A meeting usually starts with the participants sharing an update about their personal and professional challenges, then choosing some of the most resonant challenges from those updates for the group inquiry. Hence, discussions in workplace PCGs are always timely and relevant. The peer coaches understand each other without effort, as they face the same challenges. Yet, they have different perspectives that can complement their knowledge and create synergy in the face of a global challenge. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many leaders exploited their PCGs to get information about changing environments and laws more quickly, pivoting their organizations by using the experience of others and creating synergy with other organizations. The variety of participants represented in their PCGs combine their collective efforts to overcome emerging problems – like leveraging a bank for a special offer or sharing some common divisions in their organizations: for example, accounting or delivery services.
Within organizations, PCGs also become an arena for exchanging news and best practices during a change. These groups help leaders to better understand such changes and learn how to deal with them. The change becomes not so scary, after all, and participants can even discover how it can benefit them and their divisions.
According to our recent study, there are three main elements to keep in mind while designing an effective PCG: group composition (participants should be from diverse backgrounds and have no conflict of interest), organized coaching process (emphasizing group inquiry of an issue instead of giving advice), and trustful, compassionate relationships.
As PCGs create a climate of support and provide instruments for development and problem-solving for everyone, these groups can easily become an organization’s competitive advantage in the changing world. Therefore, if your employees have not started PCGs on their own yet, it is a great time to arrange the groups in your organization! These groups serve a dual purpose for both the leaders and the employees. First, they will help the participants to quickly adapt to the existing and upcoming changes and facilitate growth. Second, they send a strong message to the employees that the organization cares about them and provides developmental opportunities, autonomy in such self-managed groups, and supportive relationships in the workplace – which are three vital elements of employees’ satisfaction with a job.
Roman Terekhin, Ph.D., is a Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University. His research explores developmental relationships and accountability, with a specific focus on workplace peer developmental groups and peer advisory groups of business leaders. His recent work on peer coaching groups in professional settings has earned multiple award nominations from the Academy of Management, the European Academy of Management, SHRM, and the Institute of Coaching. Prior to his academic career, Roman led the business development department at a global internet company (Yandex) for 10 years and founded several startups, including a global B2B firm providing research and consulting services to Fortune 500 companies. He is a certified group facilitator and regularly serves as a coach for business leaders.
Roman Terekhin
CoachingAwareness & Self-Reflection
Faizah Bazid (PCC- ICF) Facilitator and Executive Coach
Member of International Coaching Federation
ICF Malaysia Chapter
HRDF
Certified Trainer (TTT/ 15304)
I think I can do anything now, Coach!
Best la Coach, I got what I have been looking for. Thank you.
These are some of the responses that a Coach would normally get at the end of the coaching sessions.
Coaching is super powerful! The one-hour time spend with your Coach may solve the question you have been asking yourself for the longest time. How is that possible? As a coach, we are paid for the time we spend with our client (coachee). What is so special about us that clients are willing to pay us quite a handsome sum for the time spend together with us?
International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the biggest coaching institution in the world today. The headquarter is located at Lexington, USA sets a high coaching standard for coaches. There are 8 competencies that the coaches have to master and hold on to when delivering their services as a Coach. The 8 competencies are; (1) Demonstrates,
Thank you Coach, the question that I have been asking myself for the past 3 months, you helped me find the answer within 1 hour.
(2) Embodies a coaching mindset, (3) Establishes and maintains agreement, (4) Cultivates Trust and Safety, (5) Maintains Presence, (6) Listens Actively, (7) Evokes Awareness and the finally the last one, (8) Facilitates Client’s Growth.
One has to be certified in all the 8 competencies in order to call himself/herself as a certified coach under ICF.
In this article, I would like to touch on some of the more important competencies in my opinion that made spending time with a coach is most valuable. Maintains Presence is competency 5 under the sequence of the competencies, although the ranking does not signify the importance of each competency. What it means for us Coaches to Maintain Presence during the whole coaching session, which can be between 1 hour to 1.5 hour is that we give our
undivided attention to whatever that our client is sharing with us. Presence in the sense of physical presence and mental presence. As a coach, we will be present to the words said by the client, the words not said by the clientlooking and observing at the whole-body language of our client, the facial expression, the intonation of the voice of our client, the choice of words used by our client and everything else that we can observe while being with our client. This may seem intense for the coach to appear before the client; however, this is what makes us valuable to the client.
We act as a mirror to the client, for him/her to be able to see himself/herself clearly. A coach will give honest feedback to create awareness in the client. A coach also while being present to listen to the client, will listen without judgment. This is another beautiful and important quality of a coach - to listen without judgment. Some of the feedback we normally get from clients is the fact that they feel safe and comfortable to share because they don’t feel judged. When someone feels that they are not being judged, it is one of the most peaceful feelings one can feel. To conclude on the competency of Maintains presence, it is key for a coach for him/her to be able to listens actively and ask powerful questions.
Another competency which I would like to touch upon is Listens Actively. To listen without judgment is a gift. Often time we received feedback from our coaching certification class that most of the time, they are just pretending to listen but not really listening. There are basically 4 levels of listening- ignoring, pretend, active and engaged. Which category do we normally practice? Pretending to listen seems to be most popular. We sit with our friends or loved ones and we pretend to listen to what they are saying, while our mind is wondering elsewhere. To change the usual state of listening from pretend listening to active listening would take some serious focus. One of the special skills that the coach would bring into the coaching session is Listen actively. Listening actively would require giving full attention to client sitting before him/her. In that 1-hour session, client is the most important person in whole world for Coach. A coach will listen without judgment and will allow the client to share whatever topic or goal that he/she would like to share. As Rumi quoted, “Since in order to speak, one must first listen, learn to speak by listening”.
The third competency that I would like to elaborate for Listens actively is Asking Powerful Question which falls in the competency of Evokes Awarenesscompetency 7. A coach will form questions and in ICF we term it as powerful questions throughout the coaching session to support the client to evoke awareness to the subject matter that the client is referring to. Sometimes when the question is super powerful, the client would need time to respond or find the answer to the question. It may happen that the client would only find the answer to the question well after the coaching session has finished.
These 3 competencies- Maintain Presence, Listens Actively and Powerful question are some of the values that make the coaching session priceless to the client/coachee. These are the skills that we as coaches bring into each coaching session to support our client to achieve the goals they set for the session. In conclusion, most of the time at the end of each coaching session, the clients will feeling liberated and achieve the clarity that they are looking for pertaining to their issues and/goals.
Faizah is a certified Coach with International Coach Federation (ICF), USA and was an exco member holding the post as Director for Membership for ICF Malaysia Charter chapter 2014-2016 (ICF Malaysia). She is also an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with ICF, USA. She is very active within the coaching circle and also a passionate coach. She personally believes that every leader need a Coach and a Mentor to guide them through work and life challenges. Faizah also holds a Law degree from Brunel University, West London, United Kingdom. As a trainer, Faizah is a Certified Learning Game Practitioner (North America Simulation and Gaming Association/ NASAGA). She has a unique approach in training using Gamification and also Adult Learning model. Her areas of expertise are developing leadership, planning, integrating, driving and executing organisational improvement, innovation and transformation through people and leadership.
Faizah Bazid
The
Success of an Organization
Leadership and Coaching as Key Drivers
Datu Dr. Azhar Bin Haji Ahmad Chief Executive Officer, Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service
Organizational success does not happen on its own or by chance but is a result of the combination of several key factors, which comprise the elements of effective leadership, adequate and appropriate resources, and an environment that fosters success. From the leadership perspective, an organization’s accomplishments largely depend on how well a leader can collectively drive leadership efforts toward achieving predetermined goals, creating an ecosystem that sustainably stimulates success. A leader’s ability to implement collective leadership is one of the essential leadership qualities within an individual.
Leadership qualities are not merely inherent traits a person is born with but also encompass qualities that are developed and cultivated through structured training or reflective leadership experiences at various levels. Generally, an effective leader is someone who is strong-willed and has high self-confidence to help elevate the organization to a better and more sustainable level. More specifically, an effective leader possesses the ability to analyze the environment and mobilize the entire organization toward achieving shared aspirations. This is done by optimizing strengths, addressing weaknesses within the organization, leveraging available opportunities, and guiding the organization in overcoming challenges. Amongst the key leadership qualities required for an effective leader are the following.
a.
Having a clear vision and mission, developing wellorganized and detailed work plans, and the capability to mobilize available resources to achieve organizational goals. b.
The ability to monitor and evaluate work execution efficiently.
c. The capability to maximize opportunities around them that benefit the organization while simultaneously influencing and mobilizing all members toward achieving common goals and overcoming challenges will ensure a leader’s success.
In essence, effective leadership is not an isolated effort but a collective journey involving all members of an organization, regardless of its size. As an African proverb states:
“If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.”
Therefore, effective leadership must be attuned to its members’ needs and strengths while integrating and mobilizing them toward shared objectives. Leadership is not something one is simply born into; it is built through continuous development
One of the most powerful approaches to shaping leadership is through effective coaching. As a strategic tool for advancing organizational leadership to higher levels, coaching plays a crucial role in unlocking potential, broadening perspectives, enhancing awareness, and inspiring leaders to embark on the path of becoming truly effective. It is an impactful strategy for sustainably developing future leaders by taking into account the unique qualities inherent in every individual from birth.
Coaching for Leadership Development in the Sarawak Public Service
In the context of the State of Sarawak’s development and growth, the strength of the public service is a critical pillar in ensuring that the aspirations of the government leadership are realized. No matter how ambitious these aspirations are, they cannot be achieved if the state’s public service is not responsive to the necessary changes, and this highlights the importance of nurturing quality leadership within the public service. In this regard, a structured leadership coaching process within the state’s public service can ensure that the aspirations set by top government leadership are achieved. Continuous coaching will enable the development of a sustainable and effective leadership succession within the public service, ensuring that Sarawak’s governance and administration continue to progress toward excellence.
Maximise Performance by Unlocking Inner Potential
Mohammad Farhan Darin bin Azri Head of Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre
During my early working life, I demonstrated good qualities as a resolute and competent person. Despite juggling several responsibilities, I delivered and performed well in my tasks. However, the job has become a routine and it has provided me with a sense of safety and predictability which limits my career and leadership growth.
Now that I am pursuing my career at Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), a Sarawak State statutory body, I foresee that I will be given more responsibilities and are expected to do exceptionally well. Hence, I intend to utilize and improve my strong work ethic to deliver projects of a better quality. I am aware that the organisation is ever-evolving, so in a short amount of time, I was expected to be adaptable and always ready. Learning new information and executing anomalous complex tasks might impair both my performance and capacity to comprehend and adapt to my new work.
The opportunity to experience the Coaching Onboarding programme hosted by the Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service, under the coaching of Madam Maureen Jono, has enlightened me to harness the untapped inner potential to maximise my performance. The coaching made me realise that it is important to step out of the comfort zone to establish oneself, stop doubting your ability and keep your frequency and your belief high to manifest your dreams and goals.
Moving forward, the coaching has gotten the best out of me. I am constantly challenging my expectations about how things are done, questioning existing ideas, and learning what is significant to my role. I continuously unlearn old methods and relearn new ones and that is for me the key to adaptation, because I believe we must always embrace continual learning. In approaching this thinking, one method I learned from the programme is to take the opportunity to connect with experts for knowledge sharing or insights. They provide the support and direction required to complete complex tasks and promote clarity and at
the same time, I can receive constructive feedback from them which is valuable to me. Additionally, they have encouraged me to interact with others in the workplace, allowing me to listen to advice and counsel of others who have gone through this experience and know secrets and tips to guide me through the same process.
Apart from that, I am able to remain on my work principles, to keep up with my role and adapt to the dynamic environment. The coaching also provides us with valuable information, and the opportunity to empower ourselves and to take the initiative to improve by learning, unlearning, and relearning relevant knowledge. For instance, to process multiple projects, paperwork and procedures efficiently. My skills in making better decisions improved through facing constant problems and issues that required critical thinking. Therefore, with the knowledge I acquired, I feel more confident, driven, and capable of carrying out the task at hand.
Overall, the programme helped me to believe in my ability to adapt, and it aids in the development of my critical thinking abilities, encouraging me to continuously analyse, assess, and create great ideas to ensure it is current and relevant. I believe the coaching programme has demonstrated the value, efficacy, and impact not only for me to be successful but to many of my fellow Sarawak Civil Service colleagues.
Mohammad Farhan Darin
Dr. Mohammad Farhan Darin bin Azri is the Head of Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology at the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre who specializing in Specializing in microbiology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics. He holds a PhD in Environmental Biotechnology - Biochemistry from the University of Malaysia Sarawak whereby his research focuses on the isolation and characterization of heterocyclic hydrocarbon-degrading marine fungi for potential bioremediation applications. In 2022, he joined Onboarding Coaching, an outcome-oriented program targeting new officers, aimed at fostering a growth mindset and agility to help new SCS officers become solid, fast, and effective contributor.
The Power of for Yearly
Planning COACHING
Niresha Nirnala Certified Enterprise Coach (CEC)
The new year has arrived, and now is the perfect time to start setting your goals and intention for year 2025 and a plan for how you will achieve them. It is also the best time to reflect on what has been working well in your career and what areas you may want to focus on improving. By taking your time to plan and prepare, you can ensure that you will end your 2025 on a high note and set yourself up for more achievement to target in the future.
Speaking of planning, many people will get overwhelmed with the thought of creating a plan. It seems scary but planning is essential to your success in workplace while juggling with your personal life. It can be overwhelming if you have no idea where to start and what to do to make it happens. Often, I heard from my clients before we start working together on building their action plans to reach their goals are…
I don’t know what to do next.
I
have lots of idea right now but I don’t know which one I should focus on first.
This is where coaching could be beneficial for you to navigate you in planning your year. Coaching is an essential tool for effective annual planning, as it offers structured guidance and accountability that facilitate achieving goals. A coach can provide valuable guidance in harmonizing different facets of your life, including your career, physical and mental health, personal relationships, and self-development. You can create a tailored plan that addresses your unique goals and challenges by working with a coach. This holistic approach ensures that each area of your life complements the others, leading to greater overall fulfilment and success as you navigate the year.
Everyone has their own goals, but they don’t have plan to work on achieving it. You will get distracted easily and off track if you try to achieve your goal without making plans. The secret to success is having a plan that is exclusively yours. It is what separates successful people from unsuccessful ones. It’s the difference between reaching your objectives and failing to do so. In coaching, a coach empowers you to clearly define your objectives for the coming year, aligning them with your core values and long-term aspirations. They guide you in converting broad desires into specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, setting a solid foundation for success. This will help coachee/client to establish a clear roadmap that outlines actionable steps to prioritize their goals effectively, minimizing overwhelming feelings. Additionally, coaches assist in anticipating potential challenges and developing strategies to navigate and overcome these obstacles. Because, when you see a realistic path to achieve your vision, it becomes easier to take the first step, sparking momentum for broader transformation.
The beauty of coaching is it is a highly individualized process that focuses on your strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances. It involves deeply understanding who you are and what you aim to achieve. This tailored approach ensures that the strategies and goals outlined in your coaching plan are achievable and closely aligned with your daily life. By considering your unique lifestyle and challenges, the coaching experience becomes flexible, allowing for adjustments as your circumstances evolve and as you progress towards your objectives. Coaching also acts as a powerful catalyst for confidence through uplifting encouragement and the joyous celebration of milestones. It nurtures a deep-seated belief in your potential to achieve greatness, illuminating the path to success with every positive affirmation and accomplishment celebrated along the way. With the coach’s guidance, you can transform challenges into stepping stones to personal growth and achievement. This is because they help you to shift your mindset and create the confidence and resilience needed to embrace challenges and take bold steps.
It is not too late to begin making plans for how you will advance your career as the middle of the year draws near. Now is the moment to evaluate your current progress and establish new objectives for this year. Use this opportunity to think back on your accomplishments and setbacks, and then plan how you will continue to develop and get better over the next year. Through coaching, yearly planning becomes more than just setting goals—it becomes a catalyst for personal transformation. It empowers you to move beyond routines and embrace purposeful, sustained change in every area of your life. Sometimes, you might need a coach to help you grow, and having someone actively track your progress can be an excellent source of motivation, encouraging you to cultivate discipline and stay committed to your journey toward success.
Niresha Nirnala is a Certified Enterprise Coach and currently the Lead for Coaching Culture & Impact in Department of Coaching. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a keen interest in human personalities and behaviors, she aspires to be an industrial psychologist. Her work focuses on fostering leadership development, and enhancing workplace dynamics through impactful coaching and psychological insights.
Niresha Nirnala
Introduction to
Leaders Build Leaders
The “Leaders Build Leaders” philosophy emphasizes that genuine leadership entails enabling and encouraging others to take charge. Effective leaders devote time and resources to developing the potential of people around them rather than concentrating on their achievement or power. In the Sarawak Civil Service, Leaders Build Leaders serves as a coaching-mentoring-facilitation structure that is set to expedite the capability building of Sarawak Civil Service officers in both the functional and leadership areas of development. While distinct, these methods are interconnected and, when integrated effectively, can create a powerful, comprehensive development strategy.
Department of Coaching
Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service
1
Key aspects of this concept include:
2
Coaching Mentoring
Coaching is a partnership focused on goals. In a goal-oriented relationship, a coach assists a person with goal setting, strategy development, and obstacle overcoming. A coach helps individuals identify their goals, develop strategies, and overcome obstacles. Coaches always provide a structured, supportive environment to motivate their clients/coachees.
3
Facilitation
Mentoring involves an experienced person (mentor) assisting and guiding a less experienced person (mentee). A senior employee and a younger employee typically engage in mentoring, a cooperative, mutually beneficial at-will relationship to further the mentee’s career, learning, and growth. Mentors can be a sounding board for mentees’ aspirations and ideas.
Facilitation is the process of leading a team or group through a conversation or decision-making process. Facilitators assist groups in reaching an agreement, settling disputes, and accomplishing shared objectives. Imagine an impartial party supporting a group. A facilitator guarantees effective problem-solving and seamless conversations. Facilitators remain neutral, focusing on the process rather than the content.
Integrating coaching, mentoring, and facilitation provides a comprehensive approach to growth. While each has its distinct purpose, their integration can enhance learning, foster collaboration, and drive sustained performance improvement. What we mean by enhanced learning is that it combines self-discovery (coaching), knowledge transfer (mentoring), and collective intelligence (facilitation) holistically. Skilled professionals often switch between these roles based on their needs. For example, a coach might briefly adopt a mentoring stance when their experience is valuable, or a facilitator might use coaching techniques to draw out quieter voices in a group. By leveraging the strengths of these interconnected methods, we can create a supportive environment in Sarawak Civil Service that empowers individuals and teams to reach their fullest potential, and this is what we need – an organization where leaders who develop leaders ultimately produce a domino effect, guaranteeing that leadership traits are transmitted and leading to more robust and resilient cooperation.
“Leaders don’t create followers; they create more leaders.”
Thomas J. Peters
THE ART OF FACILITATION:
UNLOCKING COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION
Maureen Jono
Certified Professional Coach (MIM) Masteries Practitioner (IAC)
When we were first introduced to facilitation two years ago, we thought it was just a role as liaison officers in any events or programmes. Such as helping participants with registration or briefing the participants before the programme started. However, the field of facilitation is very broad, intricate, and sometimes a little perplexing. Facilitation is fairly vague and lacks distinct borders. It might mean many things to different people, and many people are likely facilitating, even if they don’t call it that. So, what is facilitation, actually? Picture yourself in a room filled with your colleagues that were about to do strategic planning. You might know each other well, or perhaps you are strangers united by a shared goal. Or maybe you are familiar with some but not all faces. Regardless, the group needs to have an important discussion.
To do this successfully, effective communication is key, along with strategies to stay focused and avoid distractions. It’s also essential to capture the conversation and reach a meaningful outcome that aligns with your goal. Since the topic may hold varying levels of significance for different people, you might need to encourage full engagement from everyone. The person who ensures the group stays focused and moves toward the objective is the facilitator. The facilitator’s role is to create an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and respected, ideas are exchanged, and the group can focus on achieving its goals without judgment. Unlike a traditional leader who may command the agenda, a facilitator empowers participants to take ownership of the process, fostering collaboration and engagement. Often facilitation usually involves a neutral third party who helps a group of individuals navigate conversations, work through challenges, and arrive at a consensus. However, the facilitator’s job is not to impart knowledge or to be the only one with ideas; rather, it is to assist the team in moving forward and transforming their ideas into something that is actionable, clear, and succinct. Facilitation offers a wide range of benefits for groups, teams, and organizations. The first one is fostering collaboration by encouraging diverse perspectives and promoting open communication. This leads to richer discussions, more innovative ideas, and collective problem-solving. Apart from that, it encourages teamwork by creating an environment where individuals can share ideas, perspectives, and expertise. This collaborative atmosphere leads to better synergy and enhanced group performance.
Secondly, increasing engagement. When participants feel heard and valued, they are more likely to engage actively in the process. By engagement, we are referring to people being genuinely involved and invested in the group discussions. Engagement differs slightly from participation because someone can be fully engaged in the process without necessarily speaking up in the larger group or actively taking part in activities. Some individuals prefer to listen, reflect, and process the information being shared. Their quieter approach doesn’t mean they’re disengaged; they’re still fully attentive and present. However, a skilled facilitator will ensure that all participants are involved and engaged in discussions. Facilitation techniques that promote participation can lead to higher levels of commitment and accountability among team members, and this level of engagement fosters a sense of ownership and commitment to the group’s objectives. The final one is that facilitation can be an effective decision-making process. A structured facilitation process helps groups make better decisions by clarifying goals, evaluating options, and considering various viewpoints. This leads to more thoughtful and effective outcomes.
As a conclusion, facilitation is more than just a process; it is an art that can transform the way groups work together. Skilled facilitators play a crucial role in driving innovation and creativity for teams and organizations by fostering collaboration, enhancing engagement, and facilitating effective decision-making. As the complexity of work continues to nurture, the need for effective facilitation will only become more pronounced, making it an essential skill for leaders, managers, and team members alike.
Maureen Jono
Maureen Jono is currently the Coaching and Mentoring Management Lead, where she plays a key role in driving coaching initiatives. A graduate of Bachelor in Administrative Science and Policy, Maureen also holds a Diploma in Human Resource Practice from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK, and is a Certified Professional Coach and IAC— Masteries Practitioner. With a deep passion for coaching, Maureen has coached over 59 coaches/clients from government agencies within just two years, dedicated to empowering individuals through coaching, She has also taken the lead in executing Executive Coaching within the Sarawak Civil Service, fostering leadership growth and professional development, culture of mentorship and transformation, ensuring that leaders and professionals unlock their full potential.
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