I was reading an article today (Executive coach checklist ) whose author stated that; “it’s really important to the CEO or a business owner that their coach has “been there and done that.” “It lead me to question if a coach really needs to have “been there and done that” to effectively coach someone.
I have worked with many businesses who requested that the coaches had specific experience in order to coach their executives. For example, they wanted coaches with sales experience to work with the Sales Director or an Engineering company wanted the coach to have an engineering background. I can understand the desire for people who have “been there and done that”, as it may help the coaching relationship to have a grasp of the issues faced in a particular field. It can also give the executive confidence in the coach’s ability to relate etc. However, the danger is that the coach can be too close to the subject and provide too much direction in terms of solutions. They can also have a tendency to view the challenge discussed from the same end of the telescope as the executive.
A coach without specific experience in that field may encourage a totally different perspective. They might be younger or come from a completely different industry bringing a fresh view of the world and subsequently provoke a greater diversity of thought in the Executive.
I think what is more critical is the ability of the coach to provide a professional coaching experience for those being coached. The article linked above talks about the need for the coach to encourage reflection. They need to help the executive clarify their vision of the future, their goals and the strengths they have to deal with the challenges they face. A coach needs to be able to hold their client to account, and this can involve a certain amount of discomfort for the executive. If change was easy, if challenges were simple to resolve why would they need a coach?
To provide the above does the coach “need to have been there done that” or do they need to be able to listen effectively, provide challenging questions and encourage the client to view situations from different perspectives? It is often the simplest of questions that can provide those lightbulb moments that help a client identify the best way forward. Do you need to have experience of their lives as a CEO or Director to be able to ask such questions? Or are they really looking for a mentor, who will give them advice and tell them how they have dealt with similar issues in the past?
I currently coach senior executives in healthcare, logistics, construction and universities. These are industries I haven’t worked in and the individuals concerned all have different backgrounds. However; they all share common challenges – how to increase their impact, how to overcome self doubt, how to drive engagement, how to deliver on results and how to be the best leaders they can be. I help by challenging their thinking which enables them to identify what can help them move forward and how to deal with what is potentially holding them back. If, as coaches, we believe that our clients know the best solutions for themselves don’t we need to focus on them and what they can control and change to help them achieve their goals?
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