Coaches today must provide a range of professional services
They also need to effectively "educate" their marketplace before providing their specialist coaching services. This is equally true for both
internal coaching staff, external coaches and consultants providing coaching services..

The Dilemma of the New External Coach
Today, new external coaches require total confidence not only in the resources they deliver, but also in their ability to sell solutions to
the decision makers. There is no room for timidity in the professional coaching business and you need to quickly show what you can
bring to the table.

Coaches initially cannot be very specific about key issues and returns and nor should they try to be. A coach can't profess to know the
best solutions so early in a new relationship.

The front-line gatekeeper/decision maker needs to hear compelling reasons to allow him/her to justify the investment. However, the
coach can usually only talk in vague generalities in the beginning of a relationship. The decision maker also needs to see the results
of any initial coaching engagement sooner rather than later. However, this is rarely possible at the beginning of a typical executive
coaching program. Hence the dilemma of the new coach.

The initial Proposal
Any initial services proposal should; ideally enhance what the client is already doing without challenging people, is immediately
cost-effective and has a verifiably track record of success. The sooner a coach can get the go-ahead to implement such an ideal
program, the sooner the decision maker will pass through that awkward early stage of "convince me or else". A general, educational
coaching program (such as Dr Skiffington's proven 'Manager as Coach' Program) has provided many of our graduates the ideal, "first-up"
program to quickly open the door of opportunity.

Any coach first needs time to understand the culture of the company, the people dynamics and the strengths and weaknesses of the
management team etc. Without this inside information/knowledge a coach is working in a small dark room. 

Gaining Support -necessary for both the Internal and External Coach
An educated client is one who understands the context and larger significance--the why as well as the what. Educating employees
about coaching has a dramatic effect on their receptiveness to it.

People can't support what they don't comprehend. At best, without a first-up education program you'll get blind acceptance, as opposed
to informed commitment. Merely getting people to engage in the process isn't the same as winning their full support. In any change
initiative, people need a deep appreciation of what's transpiring before they can help make it happen. Understanding also reduces the
element of any possible resistance. 

Education is different from, and complementary to, traditional training. Training emphasizes "how" the coaching works etc. Education
provides the "why"--the reasons for the coaching. Both are necessary, and neither is sufficient on its own.

Orientation to Coaching
-The first few weeks of an introductory-level engagement (such as with the 'Manager as Coach' Program licensed for use by
Master Coaches certified by Dr Skiffington) should be used as a discovery and networking process -allowing the coach to meet as many
Managers/Leaders as possible. In many cases some of these Managers become the sponsors and drivers of future coaching initiatives.
These first exploratory steps need to be taken before the coach can really prioritize the most critical issues and present a solid case for
follow-on specialist coaching services such as; executive/leadership/one-to-one or group coaching. This informed proposal can then
be submitted to either: a) the initial gatekeeper/decision maker who has now established a trusting, working relationship with the coach
or, b) one of the Managers/Leaders who has decided to become a sponsor and introduce coaching programs into their workplace.