Do you know when to stop? My latest article in Coaching at Work
When is coaching actually performance management? My reflection column in the May issue of Coaching at Work explores my experience that there’s no clear, constant, easily-definable line between the two. When there may be negative consequences for the client’s career as a result of their employer using the coaching outcomes as an evaluation tool, it’s clear to me that coaching isn’t appropriate. A coaching programme that maintains close contact with the line manager can help educate them about what coaching is.
However, I’ve found that it can be easy to abandon a coaching assignment on the basis that it’s being viewed by the purchasing organisation as performance management, when actually coaching might have been appropriate. At the same time, a coaching client who isn’t interested in learning and change isn’t ready for coaching.
If you’d like to see the article and you’re a subscriber to Coaching at Work, you will find it here. Otherwise please e-mail me at lw@lindsaywittenberg.co.uk for a pdf
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