In a nutshell coaching works on the premise that the person being coached has the answer locked up inside them, but because they are so busy, they lack the time to focus on an issue for long enough to bottom it out properly. Yes it is possible to coach yourself, but it's a lot easier to find someone to do it for you.
A coach doesn't need to have answers and if they do they shouldn't provide them, because that isn't coaching. The coach's task is to formulate the right questions; these are designed to focus the recipient on the issue or topic until they have established 'clarity' and some 'options' for resolving the issue.
Most coach's work with senior managers on an individual basis behind closed doors in a confidential conversation on a pre- agreed topic such as leadership, performance management, how to restructure a team, self awareness... the list is endless because you can be coached on virtually anything.
A key decision for many organisations it whether to use internal or external coaches and there are pro's and con's which need to be understood. Internal coaches are seen as a cheaper option, training staff to take on a coaching role on a part time basis in addition to their normal function.
The downside is that coaching relies on the development of a trusting relationship and it's very difficult to fully open up to colleagues that work in the same organisation who may know your line manager and other people you work with.
Secondly few internal coaches study to Dip level and coaching does require both knowledge and experience. While some people have a natural aptitude for it, if an organisation is taking their development seriously they want maximum ROI and a qualified coach with a background in management is in my view essential.
For me the decision is simple - use a qualified external coach. I've been offered coaching in two major organisations via internal coaches and although they tried hard, the experience wasn't a good one.
When I'm approached about a new coaching assignment I spend time working with the organisation to identifying the 'right' coaching approach. Unlike a lot of coaches I don't focus solely on individuals, I also look at teams, groups or various levels of collective coaching. For instance the organisation might want coaching made available to a whole project team or department at all levels, not just the senior people. Traditional approaches would be extremely expensive, but there are ways of reducing costs and adding additional value to the organisation at the same time.
Think of coaching as a block of flats, the ground floor is your traditional one to one coaching for senior people. The penthouse is coaching for everyone in a team or department where the coach walks and talks freely with anyone, engaging them in conversations for a few minutes to half an hour as required. The floors in between provide flexibility between these two extremes depending on the need of the organisation. In a perfect world the coach should be able to get on and off at different floors during the course of the day to deliver the right type of approach for the current circumstances.
The additional value-add for the organisation over and above the coaching interaction is the impact that bringing coaching out into the open can have on organisational culture. It's about making a statement that development is good, and not just for senior managers, it's for everyone and this organisation encourages it.
For this to happen several things have to fall into place. First the organisation has to be mature enough to handle this type of open coaching; the senior team have to be confident enough in their own abilities; and the coach needs to be extremely skilled and sensitive. If you start embarrassing people in front of others your shelf life is limited... So there it is - coaching is and should be a team sport, however there aren't many organisations and senior managers who are ready for it yet. Why? Because many organisations still work in silos, senior team leaders still act as if they are in competition with each other and pay lip service to inclusivity. They aren't ready to step out of that comfort zone. The question is how confident would you be that your organisation is ready...?
In summary, points to consider if employing a coach
* Internal vs external
* Qualified vs unqualified
* Meet your coach first, if you don't feel comfortable with them, choose another one
* If your coach tells you how to do things they aren't coaching and you are losing out, choose another coach
* Consider the broader applications of coaching as discussed above, it isn't just for senior individuals.
If your organisation isn't ready for a collective coaching approach perhaps it's time to start positioning it for the future!
