"To be an executive coach, it is necessary to know that clients are the first and best expert capable of solving their own problems and achieving their own ambitions, that is precisely the main reason why clients are motivated to call on a coach. When clients bring important issues to a coach, they already made a complete inventory of their personal or professional issues and of all possible options. Clients have already tried working out their issues alone, and have not succeeded."
Given the statement above what is it that coaches do to provide value to their clients?
I should first mention that I disagree with the above statement. I do agree that clients are the first and foremost experts; I don't agree that they have already tried working out their problems on their own. This is assuming a great deal of motivation on the part of the client and that coaching only takes one form. In strategic leadership we focus on executive coaching, and in executive coaching this model may hold true, but coaching as whole does not fit one mold. Many of my clients lack the motivation, for whatever reason, to have tried solutions on their own. However I think I can answer the question and satisfy both ends of the spectrum.
Coaches provide motivation, feedback, framework, goals, and can help build confidence. This has value for anyone seeking coaching. Those five things provide value across any number of relationship types; coaching being one of them. Using those tools a coach can help a client either learn more about themselves and their capabilities or to see problems from new dimensions.
Why is coaching a vital aspect of both leadership and strategy?
Coaching is vital to the creation of new leaders in that coaching helps a person explore conflict, difficulties, or challenges in new ways. Leadership is about the development of people. People drive strategy, people create vision, people implement visions, and people both create and solve problems. It makes sense to develop people in the best possible way. Leadership is about knowing yourself . In many places this is called emotional intelligence. In order to develop emotional intelligence a leader has to challenge the way they view the world. Coaches can provide that challenging viewpoint; be a Devil's Advocate. It is important for leaders to have confidence in their actions but to not always assume their actions are correct. Learning to take the extra time to challenge a viewpoint, accept new information, and work through biases is a skill that needs learning; coaches provide that skill.
How can it make a difference in an organization?
How can it not? It only makes sense that developing confident, thoughtful, well-trained leaders will create huge differences in an organization. Those differences won't be obvious within the organization as the members are all well-trained, confident, and thoughtful. That being said, I think that organizations can plot success as they learn to employ coaching techniques.
What does this mean to you and your organization?
My organization is fairly well-run. This is a funny time to ask this question as I am in the process of changing organizations! I will say that since my undergraduate studies I've had a greater appreciation for coaching. It sounds horrible but I think it speaks well of my school that this week's studies didn't add to my appreciation of coaching as I already knew it was vital. I take these lessons with me into any role I take. I will provide, seek, and accept coaching and mentoring where I am able. I hope that through my actions and the effect I can have on others, that a culture of coaching is developed around me. As I move into greater leadership roles I want to be able to create a much broader cultural impact where coaching and mentoring are the norm.
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