When we refuse to share our knowledge because "we're coaches not consultants", then everyone loses: the corporate paymaster, the individual coachee and ultimately the coach himself - whose credibility is soon diminished.
Of course, the focus of every coaching session must remain on the client. And when the client doesn't have direct experience of a particular situation, then the imagination becomes a powerful tool in the coach's arsenal.
While much can be learned from the past (isn't it interesting just how many CEOs rely on the oldest military treatise in the world: Sun Tzu's "Art of War"), it also worth inviting the imagination to play out a number of likely scenarios, just as Edward de Bono would encourage with his "six hats" exercise. Engaging the imagination in this way once again enables a streamlined learning process.
Their life is in their hands - not yours!
Of course, the client remains the final arbiter and decision maker - and it's absolutely about helping him achieve what's right for him. It goes without saying that it's never about persuading your client to do what you'd do in his circumstances!
But refusing to let him benefit from a wider perspective is not only cruel but bordering on the criminal. (If we apply the same logic to children, while we know that kids (and indeed adults) learn from their mistakes, it's a rare parent who would be prepared to stand back and watch a child let his hand sizzle in a naked flame.) In the same way that we have a responsibility to our children, we also have a responsibility to our clients - while of course not making the mistake of treating clients as though they were children!
When we get hung up on the debate about coaching v consultancy, we allow ourselves to be distracted from the outcome - and indeed the process - instead choosing to hang our hat on semantics.
And when we get distracted in this way, we're short changing our clients. Isn't it time instead, to start focusing on delivering all of our best stuff?"
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