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Alsdorf, M, Koch, C and Sander, D (2006) Coaching at the building site: a feasibility study. In: Boyd, D (Ed.), Proceedings 22nd Annual ARCOM Conference, 4-6 September 2006 Birmingham, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Vol. 1, 249–59.

  • Type: Conference Proceedings
  • Keywords: building site; coaching; Denmark; lean construction
  • ISBN/ISSN: 0 9552390 0 1
  • URL: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/ar2006-0249-0259_Alsdorf_Koch_and_Sander.pdf
  • Abstract:
    Coaching has become widely used in business and is well described; however, it is rarely used in construction. This is in contrast to the poor performance of interaction at the site that leads to a vast amount of reported cooperation and coordination problems. This paper investigates the feasibility of a coaching approach to site management. The coach is a person who helps and guides another person or group to maximize his/its own capacity. Coaching is arguably useful in many different work situations, for example, problem solving, group work and planning. These assumptions are evaluated through observations at a building site operating with Lean Construction where the managers did not use coaching consciously in their interaction with employees. Twenty-nine participant observations of five of the managers at the building site were carried out at individual and group meetings. Coaching can be used successfully at a building site in certain specific situations. A feeling of security is important for the focus persons at the building site, and this is best achieved in the open air. The way the leader acts towards the employee/focus person is decisive. The manager can develop consciousness and responsibility by asking relevant questions rather than just answering the employee's questions. It would be appropriate to inform about the use of coaching at the beginning of a building project. Situations not suitable for coaching are, for example, those where an order has to be given or where dialogue would work better.