Executive Coaching - A Guide For The HR Professional.pdf

A final topic of possible interest here has to do with having
multiple clients in the same organization. This is always true for
internal coaches, but can also be true for external coaches who have
been working around the company for a while. There are benefits
as well as challenges associated with this issue. “Discretion” is the
important point. Each client deserves to be treated as an individual,
without having to worry about intentional or accidental disclosures.
In theory, there should not have to be a problem here, and
there seldom is.
External and Internal Coaching Can Co-Exist
How Do You Select a Coach? 39
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External coaching and internal coaching should be viewed as complementing
each other, rather than competing with each other. An
organization may benefit from using a combination of external
coaches and internal coaches. As a knowledgeable HR professional,
you can benefit from having a pool of coaches from which you can
draw when client requests come in. For example, external coaches
may be more appropriate for clients who are more senior and at high
levels in the organization. Some clients who are resistant to change
or tend to be very defensive may be more open to working with
someone from outside the organization. In these situations, issues
of coach credibility and confidentiality will be critical. As one HR
professional in a health care maintenance organization stated:
“Using an external coach promotes a great way of learning. The
advantage of using an external coach is that the client does not
have to be concerned about letting down his or her guard, as he or
she would be with an internal coach. There is no suspicion of
an ulterior motive with an external coach, so it is easier for the
client to focus on the learning. For the HR professional, there is
no need to worry as much about crossing boundaries and a fear of
sharing secrets with others in the organization.”
Alternatively, if you have several high-potential clients who are
still at relatively early career stages, then internal coaches may
be advantageous to use. The internal coaches are more likely to