Level Two: Available to All Employees at a Certain Level

As professional coaching has become more widespread and acceptable in many countries, it has in many instances simply become one of the standard offerings of the Human Resource Department—along with such activities as leadership development programs, software training sessions, and career awareness days.  While any employee at a certain level of the organization (usually at least at a managerial level) may be able to avail themselves of coaching services, it is usually provided under the assumption that the coaching client is in need of some support—the coach provides an opportunity for reflection and dialogue on the part of the client (combining the role of confidant and counselor), motivation and guidance regarding a specific performance issue (combining the role of coach and performance manager), or some knowledge or skills training (often blending the role of coach and educator). In each case the client is assumed to be lacking something that the coach can assist the client in discovering. At the very least, the coach can help the client find clarity regarding the deficit and work with the client to identify resources that can be used to overcome this deficit. The executive coach must be prepared to assist the client in recognizing the opportunities available and encourage the motivation for work optimization.

Level Three:  Developmental

Increasingly, we are finding that organizational coaching is being linked to (even coupled with) other developmental initiatives so that the impact of these initiatives can be strengthened and sustained. We find this to be particularly the case with leadership and management development programs. There is substantial evidence suggesting a much greater retention and use of the knowledge and skills offered in leadership and management development programs if each participant has a coach who is knowledgeable about the principles and competencies embedded in the developmental program.

This third level is certainly framed as a positive step which enables a leader or manager intentionally to call forth their emotional intelligence or do an even better job of influencing other people. It is still founded, however, on the assumption that something is lacking in the leader or manager that the developmental program and coaching can address. In many instances, the deficit is nothing more than a lack of experience: the newly appointed manager or the woman or man who has just assumed a major leadership role is given an opportunity to accelerate their learning while assuming this increased responsibility. In other cases, the deficit may be framed as an overuse of existing strengths, the alteration of tactics or strategies in response to shifting technology or customer needs, or the movement into a new organizational culture.  Framing the deficit as due to lack of experience rather than  overuse of existing strengths poses subtle differences for development.  The coach can positively present the need for more developmental experience as an obvious enhancement.  When the deficits occur from overused strengths, the rationale for those strengths must be honored while encouraging the need for balance with the underused polarity. We frequently encounter high performing executives who have achieved their position through use of their  existing strengths while underusing attributes that were not perceived as valuable to their work.