There are a lot of different ideas about what coaching is.
Of course, most people think first of the sports coach; inspiring, motivational, helping you to hone your skills, pushing you to do better, and holding the team together. A true executive coach does some of this but not all of this, and that’s what makes executive coaching different.
I’m thinking of this today as one of our coaches just described to me the slightly miffed reaction of a new client who said she didn’t expect to be challenged by a coach…based on her past experience of having a coach, she thought she would receive skills coaching, and advice.
At the Institute we teach that a true coach rarely if ever gives advice; they ask and don’t tell. They challenge to bring out potential but are not there to prop you up and inspire you. A good coach helps you to inspire yourself.
What this coaching client was experiencing from our coach was true executive coaching. What she had received before was what we would call skills coaching; how to do a certain something, better. Happily, what the client took away was an understanding that in his management role, sometimes he needs to do true coaching, and sometimes his reports need skills coaching from him. And of course sometimes they just need to be managed, complete with advice.
Understanding the difference, and knowing what management style to use when, can make a good manager great.
