Executive Coaching - A Guide For The HR Professional.pdf

82 EXECUTIVE COACHING
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other people, procrastinating, expecting others to change first, even
being lazy. Recall the corny old joke that goes “How many people
does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but the bulb really
has to want to change.” It’s really not so funny when we think about
all the good intentions we’ve had that went nowhere, and not for
good reasons at all.
So what can the client do to overcome this tendency? A few
hints: Go public with the planned changes—it makes it harder to
backslide. Enlist the support of others; ask for their active support.
Keep a log or diary of efforts and successes. Reward themselves
when things go according to plan.
The Business Relationship
The relationship between client and coach is a business relationship:
the client and/or the client’s organization purchases professional
services from the coach to help both the client and the
sponsoring organization. There are likely to be both short- and longterm
business benefits.
The outcome of the coaching benefits many others beyond the
individual who receives the coaching, including direct reports,
peers, supervisors, and anyone else who may be affected by a
strengthening of leadership in one part of the organization. A ripple
effect of good things can be created when the changes in behavior
of one individual are perceived by others in the organization.
This is especially true if it is the leadership of a boss or a peer that
is strengthened. Improvements in the morale of a group can occur.
Individuals may be inspired to start on their own agenda for personal
growth. The “return on investment” from successful coaching
has the potential to be quite large.
With this in mind, the client should know how the business relationship
will be defined and how value will be assessed. It will help
the client frame relevant questions and form answers if the client
approaches the endeavor as one would approach any business project.