Leadership through Eyes of a Coach...Alan Booth

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Coaching for Profit Growth

I almost became a believer when Jim [potential client’s manager] said he is looking for a coach for one of his managers…”but nothing touchy-feely because we have business to do here.”

As a formally trained scientist, I need proof before believing…either research or my own experience.

The question I wanted to ask [but did not]: Does touchy-feely erode profits, either directly or indirectly? Show me and I might believe. Of course the unspoken message was, “I am not comfortable with talk about feelings…that’s for other people.”

Beware of Coaches at Parties

“What do you do for work?” asks the woman I am standing next to at a 4th of July celebration party.

I reply, “I am in the helping profession and I would like to help you…enjoy this party and stop thinking about work. Are you in a particular crisis or is this the norm for you to be a bit preoccupied about your work…or lack thereof?”

When you are in a “helping profession” like coaching, picking up the cues is fundamentally important. Then, how you connect the cues creates a story unknowingly revealed by the coachee (in this case a coachee candidate).

Could sound threatening to the executive wishing to not be figured out so quickly, but the best candidates are those who really do want to be figured out, understood and within a trusting relationship.

So at the next party or even at lunch, don’t believe for a minute that a good coach can’t begin to understand what kind of day you are having!
 
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