Executive Coaching - A Guide For The HR Professional.pdf

74 EXECUTIVE COACHING
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some knowledge about both the relevant leadership issues with
which the client is dealing and, simultaneously, about the topmost
organization development concerns. Quite often, these
two apparently separate issues are linked. You are in a position
to assist the client in advancing his or her coaching goals by
helping the client to gain access to sources of information that
could enhance or accelerate his or her ability to learn and
adapt to the ever-changing organizational environment.
Support the Coaching During and at the End
Because your help is needed to ensure that the coaching assignment
stays on track, that the client commitment remains strong, and that
the coach stays connected to relevant organizational issues, you will
want to consider the following set of tasks:
1. Be open to discussing shifts in the goals for the coaching. Initial
issues may not be the useful or complete definition of the
scope of the assignment. Very often the client issues are initially
defined in terms of behaviors that have been observed
by others and obtained from a consensus of opinion. This
“presenting problem” may only be the “tip of the iceberg,”
and it is incumbent upon the coach to diagnose the true
issues. The coach, together with the client, may determine
which behaviors should be modified in order to have the
greatest impact. As the coaching process evolves, goals may
shift for many reasons as the client gains practice in behavior
change and as the salient issues in the organizational environment
also evolve. Your flexibility and openness to discussion
with the coach and the client concerning the future scope of
the assignment will add value to its outcome.
2. Make sure the coach and client are staying on track and are
in contact with any other people who need to be involved.
Periodic contact with the coach and the client is important
for obtaining feedback on whether the coaching engagement