Peter Goryalov

Coaching is in its infancy in Bulgaria. Change must happen from the inside out if it is to gain a foothold

Recently, I attended a conference about Bulgaria’s image, organised by Manager business magazine. Government officials, business leaders and intellectuals explored the future while travelling by train, dubbed the Manager Express. The minister for European funds, Tomislav Donchev, brilliantly summed up the event: “A shared, meaningful and creative vision for the future is the path to take, to build a new and positive image of Bulgaria. We need a broad, honest and robust dialogue within which to admit what we have, what we can do, who we are not and who we are. It is important to present ourselves as we are. That’s why it is important to understand who we are.”

This is the first time I’ve heard such authentic dialogue among key stakeholders on the need for change from the inside out. Five key pillars for Bulgaria’s future development emerged:

  • Promote broad and robust dialogue
  • Start building true leaders in schools, universities and organisations
  • Leaders in all fields to set goals that inspire larger society
  • Gather critical mass of positive energy
  • Engagement will be key for transformation

This is a call for transformation, and for coaches to help raise the game – in business, government, education and healthcare.

Coaching is very new here. There are no International Coach Federation (ICF) accredited programmes and only two books in Bulgarian that bring little value as they confuse coaching with mentoring. ICF is still the only coaching body. We’ve got a few certified coaches and an uncertain number of professionals from other fields, offering ‘coaching’ without proper training. Business organisations still confuse coaching with mentoring, often requesting it as a form of training. Nevertheless, businesses are searching for innovative solutions to the challenges of the new market reality, and an increasing number of individuals and organisations are turning to coaching.

So, how do we build quality coaching, in terms of professionalism and character? How do we as coaches best support clients in their various fields to drive change and transformation in Bulgaria? How can we ourselves become the change we all seek? And how do we best support our coaches on this journey?

As a young chapter in an underdeveloped market we launched the ICF Bulgaria Masterclass Series Initiative for 2011 (via videoconferencing). It offers perspectives from leading-edge professionals in the global coaching industry, so that more people (current and potential coaches, CEOs, HRs, consultants and others) can gain the broadest, yet grounded, understanding of the process, benefits and implementation of coaching in organisations. Guest speakers have included Ed Modell ICF Global president (2011), Karen Tweedie (2009), Diane Brennan (2008), Neil Scotton (past UK ICF president), Aboodi Shabi, (ex UK ICF president & co-founder), Liz Hall (editor, Coaching at Work) and Liz Macann, head of executive, leadership and management coaching at the BBC.

Our goal is to:

  • raise the benchmark for coaches and clients
  • tap into the wisdom of masterclass participants and build a Bulgarian vision for coaching in all areas of society over the next 10-20 years.

Our masterclass guests are role modelling this precious marriage of professionalism and character.

Peter Goryalov is president and co-founder of the Bulgarian Chapter of the ICF. He is an executive coach, specialising in individual and organisational leadership.

Coaching at Work, Volume 6, Issue 6