As in many other regions of the world, coaching has undergone a tremendous period of growth in Germany. But while it is widely accepted as an efficient business and management tool, there are fundamental differences between other countries regarding the understanding and practice of coaching. This is especially true when comparing Germany with English-speaking countries such as the UK.
Being used to working in both regions and regarding myself as a wholehearted cosmopolitan, I find these differences especially fascinating and stimulating and continually integrate them in my work.
Perhaps the most noticeable German characteristic is the development of a rather consultancy-orientated understanding of coaching. Most clients in Germany require specific expertise from coaches in the field in which they are coaching. This contrasts with the Anglo understanding of coaching which provides a much clearer distinction between coaching and consulting and is much more, if not purely, process-oriented. For example, instead of requiring specific expertise from the coach, British people tend to discuss whether, to what extent and in which way a coach may use and integrate existing expertise in the coaching process.
Another typical German characteristic is that coaching tends to be implemented more at the lower levels. Coaching is discussed and implemented primarily as one-to-one and team coaching. In the UK, coaching is a hot topic in the context of leadership and business and management culture, in Germany this is less so.
Finally, the German approach to coaching is traditionally a rather hypercritical one. Behind closed doors, coaching is still all too often seen in a negative light and readily associated with therapy. Only by using the loophole of redefining coaching as a form of consultancy have we seen coaching gain popularity and acceptance in Germany. Scepticism about coaching may exist in the UK, but generally it is milder.
These differences were highlighted in the “coaching research project 2005” in which I developed best implementation of coaching in business, and examined national characteristics.
So, what can be learned from this?
First, coaching obviously isn’t equally applicable everywhere in the world and in the same way. Second, a country’s culture can be a key determinant in the way coaching is actually understood and implemented. Third, existing cultural differences are a vital source of diversity of coaching approaches. And fourth, and maybe this is the most important point, herein lies enormous potential for mutual inspiration and learning for all of us.
Frank Bresser is the initiator and head of the coaching research project 2005, looking at the implementation of coaching in business, and an international coaching manager and executive coach based in Cologne.
He will be at the European Mentoring and Coaching Conference in Cologne, 1-3 November.
Email: mail@ frank-bresser.com