Will Coaching Work in my Industry?

The quandary many have when seeking to engage with a coach is answering the question ‘will coaching work in my industry’? What’s great about answering this question is the absolute certainty that can be made as an answer. Yes, it will. A coach will be better equipped if they have no experience in the coachee’s industry. In order to fully answer this question, I’ll offer 4 key reasons. Before you read on a question for you. Do you understand the role of a coach? What a coach does and what coaching is? If not then have a read of the article Coach, Consultant, Mentor or I Know.

Why Coaching Works Across All Industries

  1. A Lack of Conformity. A lack of conformity means the coach doesn’t have intimate detail or is an expert in the industry. This is a major benefit to the coachee because they will not be governed by the industry or business norms. This can be extremely challenging for the coachee because they will almost certainly be called to account and held accountable. Through the coaching process, everything will be challenged. Those habits, processes and procedures which are the industry norm will be picked apart. This will almost certainly be the first time the business and coachee are challenged in this way. So if you don’t really know why you do what you do a coach will uncover the answer.
  2. It’s Not About the Industry. The industry shouldn’t impact on the coaching process, it’s about coach and coachee. Where constrained by the industry it will be more about their beliefs and limitations. A great coach will address these beliefs and break down the barriers in order to offer a fresh perspective. Notwithstanding legal areas of compliance, the coach will observe a wider picture without blinkers and release the coachee from those constraints. They will start to see and realise there is a better or new way.
  3. Without Agenda. It would be difficult for a coach with in-depth knowledge in a specific industry to have an agenda or bias. having too much knowledge could impact on the outcome of the coaching agenda. It simply shifts from coaching to consulting.
  4. Known Unknowns & Unknown Unknowns. In business, there are those things we know we don’t know and there are those things we as yet are unaware of. The unknown unknowns. Where industry constraints impact is having no idea or awareness, not thinking in this context. A coach will seek to raise the awareness of these matters, to have you thinking differently. Unrestricted thinking can offer insight to pursue this level of thinking and often unlocks incredible opportunity. From here diversification, disruption and fresh thinking can open new opportunities in the market place.

In Addition to …

These 4 points whilst critical should also be read in conjunction with the following articles: