Executive Coaching - A Guide For The HR Professional.pdf

What Is the Client’s Role? 81
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of many interactions, so the early experiences with the coach are critical
for establishing a strong relationship. The client must feel reassured
that the coach “has what it takes” to serve as a guide through
the journey of self-exploration and personal development.
Coaching engagements evolve over time. There’s no way to
know exactly how things will progress, or whether revisions will be
needed in the ground rules, the goals, or the methods. Encourage
the client to feel free to talk about these with the coach.
Taking Responsibility
The client should be the “owner” of the goals for the coaching and
for the steps for achieving them. When these are reasonably clear
to the client, then the best course for the client is to move forward
boldly. The client must accept feedback from whatever sources—
assessment instruments, official appraisals, informal comments, the
coach’s interviews—and make good use of it. The client will have
to engage in some behaviors that may make him or her feel uncomfortable,
such as trying new ways of doing things, getting feedback
from people who saw the client do things differently, learning what
helps and what doesn’t. The coach can serve as a catalyst, but ultimately
it is only the client who can make change happen. You can
help the client by acknowledging where the responsibility lies and
that it is normal to feel some apprehension.
Coaching requires that the client give voice to his or her thoughts,
hopes, and feelings. If this is not something the client normally does,
then at first it may feel as it does when one is exercising an unused
muscle. The client needs to work through this and keep going. It will
come more easily when the client accepts the ownership and responsibility
for making a success of the coaching effort. The coach can
only be a catalyst—the client has to make it happen.
This is obvious, but not easy. Why is it difficult? For the same
kinds of reasons that diets, good health habits, and New Year’s
resolutions are difficult. Just because it makes sense doesn’t mean
we’ll do things that way. We’re accustomed to putting blame on