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2010 Executive Tidbits
Price of denim jeans: 47% under $25, 37% $25-50, and 16% over $50. |
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Check out Keith's other site:
Virtual Writing Coach |
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The Executive Connection SM
a publication of The Virtual Executive Coach SM
"Vision + Accountability = Success!"
www.virtualexecutivecoach.com
May, 2008
In This Issue:
1. Preview
2. Executive Summary
3. Negative Coaching Outcomes
4. Helpful Hints
1. Preview
The Executive Connection explores the creative and analytical process of business development,
team-building, and executive development.
We are an interactive community of executives and small business owners who desire to network
with like-minded high-performance executives
to enhance our knowledge, skills, and aptitudes in the competitive business world.
Published monthly, the Newsletter offers coaching suggestions around the topics of: business development, financing, marketing, networking,
incorporations, mergers, human resources, governmental regulations, and tax laws.
Topics are presented from the perspective of Keith Barton and represent only his ideas on creating and running your business.
Because we are an interactive community of executives and business owners, other viewpoints are welcomed and may be printed in future monthly
newsletters with permission from Keith Barton.
2. Executive Summary
May, 2008
Dear Executive Connection Subscriber,
This month's newsletter features: Negative Coaching Outcomes
3. Negative Coaching Outcomes
According to Richard Kilburg in his chapter “Failure and Negative Outcomes,” in Executive Coaching by Catherine
Fitzgerald and Jennifer Berger, Davis Black Publishing, 2002, coaches do not like to discuss their mistakes with
executive clients for a number of reasons. In the client these can be due to:
- Serious psychological problems
- Serious interpersonal problems
- Lack of motivation
- Unrealistic expectations of the coach or the coaching process
- Lack of follow-through on homework or intervention suggestions
In the coach, factors impacting negative outcomes can be due to:
- Insufficient empathy for the client
- Lack of expertise or interest in the client’s problems or issues
- Underestimation of the severity of the client’s problems
- Overreaction to the client
- Unresolved disagreements with the client about coaching
- Poor technique
Let’s take these factors one by one to see how quickly a coaching intervention can be mired without intent or ineptitude.
Serious Psychological Problems
Coaching is NOT appropriate for clients who are in need of therapy. One of the first tenets of coaching is not to do
therapy which is indicated before any coaching can take place. Remember, coaching proposes an equal relationship
between client and coach, unlike therapy, where the client is seeking treatment for a cognitive or emotional block to
success on the job. The coach should immediately ask the client to seek therapy before continuing with coaching and
ask the client to sign a release of information for the coach and therapist to share information about the client’s
progress. The coach can also defer coaching until a certain level of client insight is gained via therapy.
Serious Interpersonal Problems
Some clients, although not clinically impaired may present unique personality differences that render them unable to
accept coaching suggestions. An extreme example would be the narcissistic boss who tries to impress the coach with
his/her knowledge and try to use the coach to advance their own agenda with their staff. When confronted with this
situation, the coach should respectfully ask the client to seek psychological help before proceeding with the coaching
relationship. Some executives can be mean, distrustful, vindictive, and argumentative with their staff and this behavior
transfers (bleeds over) into the coaching relationship. The astute coach will quickly recognize that the coaching
relationship is unequal in favor of the client and should quickly terminate the relationship.
Lack of Motivation
Some coaches are asked by superiors to coach a subordinate who is not producing or measuring up in their job. This is really
an HR function and should be handled internally by the company. Unless there is a confidentiality agreement with the
underachieving employee, the coach will be perceived as an agent of management and trust will be difficult to achieve with
the underperforming employee. Assuming skills sets are present, the lack of motivation could be due to a clinical depression,
inappropriate job match, life cycle issue, or interpersonal (e.g. shyness, introversion) characteristic.
Unrealistic Expectations of the Coaching Process
For some clients, coaching is viewed as a therapeutic or mentoring relationship where the client seeks answers from the
coach without much introspection or ownership in the coaching process. These clients see the coach as a consultant with
“off the shelf” answers to their particular problem in the work place. When the coach is unable to provide the answers,
the coaching client quickly loses interest and terminates the relationship.
Lack of Follow-Through on Homework
Unlike therapy, coaching is an active process whereby the client is given specific homework between sessions. Client
accountability is key to client success because the coaching client is empowered to assume responsibility for permanent
change. When the call focus forms begin to look the same between sessions the client is mired down or stuck, and a
rupture in the coaching relationship is imminent and the client will terminate the coaching prematurely to avoid taking
on any responsibility for change.
Next month, I will discuss the coaching pitfalls relevant to the coach that impact the success or failure of the coaching
relationship. Until then, look at your current clients and see if there is a correlation between lack of client progress
and those negative factors mentioned in this month’s newsletter.
Helpful Hints:
- Coaches, pick your worst client and see if any of the above negative client factors account for the lack of progress in achieving more positive client outcomes.
- Clients, ask yourselves if you really want to be coached. Were you asked to enter coaching by your boss, HR, or other third party?
- For those clients who are in therapy and coaching, what do you perceived as the main difference in both relationships?
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
The Executive Connection SM is a free publication. If you want to continue to receive this Newsletter, you can
SUBSCRIBE by clicking here or by sending a blank email message to
keith_barton@att.net
with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
To UNSUBSCRIBE click here or send a message to
keith_barton@att.net
with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
Be assured your name and email address are confidential. We do not sell, rent or share our mailing list with anyone.
Contact Information:
Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Voice: 281-583-5005
Fax: 281-583-5008
Web: http://www.virtualexecutivecoach.com
E-Mail:
keith_barton@att.net
(c) Copyright 2008, Virtual Executive Coach SM
and A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
All rights reserved.
Distribution Rights:
The Executive Connection SM is copyrighted, but you may retransmit or
distribute it to whomever you wish as long as not a single word is changed, added, or deleted, including the contact information. However, you may not copy
it to a web site.
Republication of The Executive Connection SM in paper media is encouraged and permitted by individuals, organizations and associations, as long
as the issue is reprinted in its entirety, without change, and includes the contact information.
With advance permission, we are happy to edit an issue to fit your space requirements. Republication also is encouraged under other circumstances.
However, the advance permission of
A. Keith Barton, Ph.D. must be obtained in the event that changes in the text are desired.
The Executive Connection SM Mission:
The Executive Connection SM is dedicated to helping first-time business owners and executives to recognize resistance to change, while they create
and manage their own businesses. My goal is to help you transform your vision into a successful business venture with the addition of accountability structures
and silent partner.
The Executive Connection SM is a publication of The Virtual Executive Coach SM and Keith Barton, Ph.D.
We would like The Executive Connection SM to be as interactive as possible. If you have feedback, comments, topics you would like addressed, or can
suggest additional resources to benefit us all, please email us at any time. Send your e-mail to
keith_barton@att.net
.
Please forward this issue to anyone you think would find The Executive Connection SM interesting and beneficial. Your recommendation helps us
keep growing, and ensures an excellent exchange of information and techniques.
Archives:
You can read previous issues of The Executive Connection SM in our archive section.
About Keith Barton, Ph.D
Dr. Barton received his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Texas at Austin and has been a practicing therapist for over thirty years. He is a graduate of
MentorCoach and is accepting new clients.
He has been an adjunct professor at the University of
South Carolina, consultant to Fortune 500 companies in
executive development, founded and managed Texas Community
Living Ventures, Inc., in 1986 for providing group home
services to persons with mental retardation. Keith founded
and has been running a clinical practice in Northwest Houston since 1990.
He writes part-time with the goal of completing one novel a year. His desire to coach others derives from his passionate interest in helping others become
attuned to their creative powers of storytelling.
Dr. Barton has training in coaching, cognitive and family therapy and health psychology. He has published articles, made presentations and conducted workshops about:
Small Business Development
Employee Wellness Programs
Anxiety and achievement
Stress management
Self-esteem
Communication skills
Leadership styles
Core values in the workplace
Executive Development
High-performance groups
Physician support groups
Writer support groups
© 2010
The Virtual Executive Coach SM
and Keith Barton.
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