Employee advocacy programs have often been as effective as a soggy toast at a brunch party. They’re good in theory, but when it comes to actually getting employees to actively engage and represent your brand? Well, that’s where things tend to get a little… meh.

But what if I told you that the secret to turning this dull toast into a delicious masterpiece lies in one simple tool – coaching? Yes, coaching. Before you roll your eyes, hear me out.

Coaching isn’t just for CEOs or leadership teams. It’s the secret ingredient for employee advocacy that’s authentic, sustainable, and, dare I say, downright transformational.

The Coaching Recipe: Stirring Authenticity into the Mix

Here’s the thing: People don’t want to share a company’s message just because it’s “in the job description.” They want to believe in it. Enter coaching, the magical catalyst that helps employees align their personal values with the company’s mission. Think of it like this: coaching is the seasoning that takes a bland corporate message and makes it something employees genuinely want to share.

And let’s face it: if your employee’s LinkedIn post is just another “company news” update, it’s not going to make much of an impact. But when that post comes from someone who feels it, who’s truly aligned with the organization’s purpose……suddenly, it’s real. It’s authentic. It’s powerful. And the world can tell.

The Ripple Effect: Coaching That Ripples Through Your Organization

What happens when you coach employees to truly understand and champion your company’s values?

A ripple effect of epic proportions.

When employees are coached to connect with their own purpose and recognize how that aligns with the company’s mission, they become advocates without even trying. They’ll start sharing stories, posting content, and talking to clients in a way that feels real. People will begin noticing because authenticity is magnetic.

Now, imagine scaling this effect. What if everyone in your organization was empowered to speak from that place of genuine connection? Suddenly, your company’s employee advocacy program isn’t just a “thing” on a checklist; it’s a living, breathing force that is spreading through social media, emails, and, yes, even the occasional water cooler conversation.

Leadership Coaching: Walking the Walk

Here’s where the magic happens: employee advocacy doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It requires leadership to fuel it. Coaches work with leadership teams to ensure that leaders aren’t just talking the talk but walking the walk. Leadership alignment is crucial if the leaders aren’t advocating for the company in an authentic, empowered way, why should the employees?

A good coach doesn’t just work with your employees, they work with your leaders to build a top-down culture of advocacy. Leaders become role models, setting the tone for the entire organization. It’s like building a house: you need a solid foundation at the top to ensure the rest of the structure doesn’t crumble.

Branding: From the Inside Out

Now, let’s talk about the good stuff: branding. When employees are genuinely invested in your company’s mission, that passion radiates outward. And, spoiler alert: this is when employee advocacy becomes the ultimate branding tool.

Coaching isn’t just about turning employees into walking marketing machines (although that’s a bonus). It’s about fostering a culture where employees want to share the company’s story. They’ll do it with pride, enthusiasm, and dare I say with a touch of sass. And this, my friends, is how employee advocacy starts to build a brand that’s not just “seen” but felt.

When employees post about your company, engage with your content, or simply share their experience, they’re building the company’s brand in an organic, unforced way. The best part? People trust them more than they trust any marketing campaign. It’s authenticity on steroids, and it’s the real deal.

Conclusion: Coaching: The Ultimate Employee Advocacy Game-Changer

So, the next time you find yourself staring at your employee advocacy program wondering where it all went wrong, consider this: it’s time to introduce coaching into the mix. Coaches aren’t just helping employees checkboxes on a to-do list; they’re empowering them to authentically advocate for your company.

If you’re not building your employee advocacy program with authenticity, you’re just wasting your time and your employees. It’s time to bring in the coaches, align your organization’s values, and watch as your employee advocacy program transforms from a ‘meh’ initiative into an unstoppable force of genuine brand ambassadors.

After all, real change starts from within. And with credentialed coaches in your corner, it’s unstoppable.