I got a call the other day about a potential client. The caller, an employee of the man who was the potential client, described him as a “narcissistic, oblivious, controlling vice president of human resources.” As I explored and asked questions about the coaching need, the caller kept saying with a deep sigh, “well, it’s complicated.”
Isn’t that the truth about coaching in organizations? The complexities are abundant, including relationships with bosses, peers, customers and subordinates; power and authority dynamics; organizational goals; performance criteria; leadership development competencies; legacy patterns of behavior from cultural norms; sponsorship and confidentiality challenges; and the list goes on. The author deals with some of these challenges. The full article can be downloaded below. It was originally published in choice.