{"id":6372,"date":"2024-02-15T08:00:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T03:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/how-a-strong-coaching-culture-helped-the-oq-group-overcome-organizational-change\/"},"modified":"2025-01-31T02:21:56","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T07:21:56","slug":"how-a-strong-coaching-culture-helped-the-oq-group-overcome-organizational-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/how-a-strong-coaching-culture-helped-the-oq-group-overcome-organizational-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Organizational Change: The OQ Group Merger and the Power of a Strong Coaching Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Change is universally challenging due to human psychology, organizational dynamics, and societal factors. Uncertainty about the future can be disorienting and stressful as people seek stability. In organizational change, insufficient communication heightens confusion and resistance among employees. If leaders resist or lack commitment, the entire initiative may be compromised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Addressing these challenges through effective change management, clear communication, employee involvement, and leadership support can enhance success. Establishing a strong coaching culture proves highly beneficial, with research from the ICF highlighting coaching activities as pivotal in making change and progress more manageable and successful.<\/span><\/p>\n

One company that successfully weathered a perfect storm of challenges over the past several years is the OQ Group, a globally integrated energy company with roots in Oman. The company cultivated a culture of coaching to elevate its organizational culture during a period of major transformation and, in doing so, further empowered its staff, and even made substantial contributions to Oman\u2019s national progress.\u202f<\/span><\/p>\n

How It Started<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

In 2018, OQ faced a complex process that required significant upheaval to its systems, processes, and teams. OQ faced\u202fan additional challenge\u202fas a significant government shareholder announced its decentralization plans for 2022.\u202fThe energy company\u202falso had to\u202fnavigate a volatile oil and gas market and a global pandemic.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The leadership, cognizant of the intricacies involved, recognized the need for a unique response to align with the company’s vision of becoming a global energy leader.<\/span><\/p>\n

What They Did to Build a Coaching Culture<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Initially, OQ’s coaching initiative concentrated on aiding employees and managers in attaining organizational aims and team targets.<\/span><\/p>\n

OQ formulated a well-planned three-year coaching strategy fortified with an allocated budget. The program involved both internal and external coaches, all adhering to ICF’s esteemed coaching standards, as\u202fshown\u202fby memberships and certifications.<\/span><\/p>\n

From 2021 to 2023, OQ\u202fprovided coaching to\u202f530 employees and offered training on team coaching to\u202f80 leaders. This resulted in a\u202freturn on investment\u202fof approximately\u202f$500,000.\u202fThey conducted a total of\u202f1,775 coaching hours\u202fand\u202ftrained\u202f49 coaches,\u202fwith\u202fsix\u202fof them attaining\u202finternational accreditation. External coaches of the highest caliber provide mentorship to internal coaches, further reinforcing best practices and\u202famplifying the program\u2019s impact.<\/span><\/p>\n

The success of OQ’s coaching initiative is not just reflected in metrics but also in external recognition. The OQ Group received the International Coaching Federation Coaching Impact Award for Emerging Organizations, which recognizes organizations with coaching programs that adhere to stringent professional criteria.\u202f<\/span><\/p>\n

How It\u2019s Going<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Senior leaders within OQ quickly became internal champions of the program. In their pursuit of excellence,\u202fthey closely monitored the\u202fcoaching\u202fprogram\u202fto ensure\u202fongoing\u202fimprovement. Organization-wide pulse surveys are administered to measure program results:<\/span><\/p>\n