There are many benefits to executive coaching. Professional growth, personal growth, and increased effectiveness are just a few positive outcomes that can result from the process. Like anything else, though, there are negatives that can emerge during and after executive coaching. Here are a few of these potential pitfalls.
It’s All About Me
Some executive coaching programs focus almost exclusively on internal issues. That is, taking an in-depth look at the participant’s personal style and assessing common behavior patterns. This approach typically uses psychological profiles and other personal analytical tools to pinpoint a participant’s strengths and weaknesses.
The pitfall of this approach is that it leans too heavily toward the personal growth side. The participant learns a great deal about himself or herself, but the connection is seldom made to how that learning can be applied in the professional realm. In other words, the high level of personal growth can have the effect of “disconnecting” the participant from the organization if the learning is not clearly translated into actions for being more effective at work.
It’s All About Them
Another common type of executive coaching program is primarily concerned with behavior. The focus is external rather than internal, and it often involves gathering feedback from a number of external sources. These assessment tools are variously known as 360° surveys, peer reviews, full circle evaluations, or some other name that describes the nature of the external feedback.
The pitfall of this approach is that it is so external in nature. There is no doubt in the minds of those surveyed that something (perhaps coaching) is underway. It can also create an unfortunate perception that there is something wrong with the participant and the coaching is going to “fix” them. Lastly, the heavy reliance on others’ perceptions can be misleading if the organization is dysfunctional or experiencing cultural change. If the participant is someone who is implementing changes and working to get rid of dysfunction, that person is likely to receive a lot of negative feedback. This is simply human nature at work – most of us don’t like change and we naturally target complaints at whomever or whatever we perceive to be the cause of the disruption.
It’s All About Status
Some participants view executive coaching as a status symbol, a sign that they are important enough to the organization to receive coaching. Their ego is heavily invested in being perceived as a rising star and coaching helps promote that perception.
The pitfall of this situation is that the participant can become more focused on the symbolic status that comes with coaching rather than on the goals and desired outcomes of the process. It’s important to periodically remind participants of the underlying business reasons for executive coaching so they don’t fall into the trap of thinking they are somehow better or more worthy than others in the organization.
