Coaching at work annual conference 3 July, London
By Kate McGuire
Ever considered offering 15-minute coaching sessions? That was the reality faced by Lena Gustafsson in conversation with a potential entrepreneurial client who believed he didn’t have time for longer sessions.
In the moment, she decided to “meet him where he is” and offer “laser coaching”, which would be fast but not deep. Over time, the client began to recognise that some of Gustafsson’s more challenging questions couldn’t be examined or solved in 15-minute bursts. He began asking for more time.
This was just one of the challenges outlined by Gustafsson and colleagues, Kathryn Pope, Gaetane Lenain and Barbara Asimakopoulou, in their session, Coaching the entrepreneurial personality, at the Coaching at Work annual conference.
The entrepreneurial environment is often fast-paced and coaches need to be able to adapt to the changing lives of the entrepreneurial client. But they also need to hold boundaries and slow the pace so clients can think and reflect.
Entrepreneurs instinctively hoover up advice and best practice and are constantly looking for mentors and supporters. This presents another challenge for coaches in maintaining a coaching relationship and resisting the temptation to become advisers.
The session drew attention to different types of entrepreneurs and their varying challenges. A solo entrepreneur will be different to those in a family business or whose venture is growing into a small/medium-sized business. The risks for entrepreneurs are often much higher than for ‘intrapreneurs’ – those working in established organisations. For example, an entrepreneur might have mortgaged their house to invest in their business and coaches need to be aware of the heightened emotion this may bring.
The advice from this international group of coaches was to stay in coach role and don’t get drawn into the dynamics of the client experience. Crucially, make time for supervision to help stay ‘clean’ and focused on holding the space – the most valuable gift coaching can offer entrepreneurs.
- For full story see pages 38-43