Advanced Coaching – Expectations and Challenges

January 7, 2025|Accountants, Kim's Blog, Lawyers, Management Skills|

In December, the Coaching Skills Academy | Managing Partners’ Forum (a joint venture between Managing Partners’ Forum |and Home – PM Forum) presented the first “Advanced Coaching” training workshop. Delegates were equally split between senior marketing and business development (MBD) professionals and those in people/human resources (HR) roles although one delegate held a broader practice lead role. Several subjects were discussed but a key topic of interest was Advanced Coaching – Expectations and Challenges. Exploring: What do people expect from coaching? What are the biggest coaching challenges? How can we make coaching more effective? What are the ethical issues in coaching? Delegate aims, polls and takeaways are shown at the end.

Advanced Coaching session outline

The session was organised into three modules:

Coaching in professional services
- Coaching definitions, perceptions and expectations
- Coaching processes
- Coaching skills

Coaching challenges
- Achieve engagement and trust
- Adapt to difference and understand the learning process
- Uncover limiting assumptions using Socratic questioning
- Manage emotions, vulnerability, inner critic and poor mental health
- Create bite-sized action plans, maintain momentum and overcome resistance

Advanced coaching skills
- Use assessments to support learning and change
- Observe and be the mirror – Gestalt focus on the “here and now”
- Reflect, raise awareness and challenge (sharing difficult feedback)
- Navigate comfort zones (transactional vs transformational change)

What do people expect from coaching?

Whilst coaches understand the differences between coaching, mentoring and training – fee-earners might not. So fee-earners may approach coaching with unrealistic expectations and possibly some fear.

We considered several definitions of coaching – many of which described it as a “helping conversation”. Two popular definitions included:

Facilitative or helping relationship with the purpose of achieving some type of change, learning or new level of individual or organisational performance Helping people change: Coaching with compassion (kimtasso.com)

Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential ICF, the Gold Standard in Coaching | Read About ICF. (coachingfederation.org)

Some people wrongly believe coaching is remedial. And that by being coached they are perceived as having underperformed or failed in some way. Coaching is often targeted at those who are already performing at a high standard. We considered business leaders, elite sportspeople and celebrities who all had coaches. In a 2013 TED talk Bill Gates said “Everybody needs a coach”.

Some people may be frustrated during coaching as the coach does not act as an expert and provide the desired answers or plot the necessary future path. Coaches will ask questions and use other techniques to guide the person being coached through a process so that they develop their own solutions. Coaches are not directive – they facilitate and collaborate. A mentor is more likely to be able to offer advice, answers and solutions.

Coaching supports and accelerates the learning process. Some people being coached may be impatient. They may not realise that it can take time and effort to learn, practice and achieve the desired changes.

We explored how other professional service firms use coaching. And we explored different firms’ approaches to implementing business development coaching Business Development Coaching Insights – Kim Tasso

Ultimately, people need to know what can be achieved with coaching – for individuals and for the organisation. We looked at several research reports showing the results of coaching for individuals and organisations. Setting clear goals and timescales for expected coaching outcomes – both for the organisation and individuals – at the outset will help manage expectations. And allow for the measurement of coaching success.

What are the biggest coaching challenges?

Adapt – Everyone is different. Our fee-earners reflect different backgrounds, generations, training, cultures, faiths, personalities and learning styles. Coaches must quickly recognise the differences in each of the people that they coach and adapt and flex their approach accordingly.

Ask don’t tell – It is tempting to offer advice or tell people what to do. But the coach’s role is to help people develop their own ideas. So, once a coach has developed a strong working relationship with the person they are coaching, their role is to ask questions to guide the thinking, discovery and learning process.

Be sensitive – Coaches should raise the self-awareness of the people being coached. Coaching should increase the confidence of those being coached. So the coach must provide feedback and challenge views in a sensitive way. The art of giving feedback – top tips

Engage – The person being coached must form a relationship with the coach. They will need to respect and trust their coach. The person being coached must actively engage in the process. They must be honest when communicating and prepared to put in the effort and motivated between coaching sessions.

Fear of failure – People being coached may be reluctant to learn or try new things. They may experience learning anxiety. Whilst outwardly fee-earners often convey confidence they may not feel confident. Understanding their fear of failure is key Confidence to overcome a fear of failure – Kim Tasso

Focus on strengths – Whilst it is tempting to help those being coached to work on their weaknesses, some coaching approaches concentrate on building on their strengths. Helping people change: Coaching with compassion

Identify and refer mental health issues – Professional service firms are demanding and often high-pressure environments. Coaches may encounter people who are suffering with poor mental health. Some firms provide Mental Health First Aid training Mental health training online and face to face · MHFA England) so people can identify mental health issues more easily. Whilst it is tempting for coaches to try to help people with mental health issues, it is beyond the professional boundaries of coaching. These people should be referred to the firm’s HR team or its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or to a qualified therapist. It may be necessary to postpone coaching until the person has received help with their mental health. This book is helpful at understanding the impact of law firm culture (in the USA) on mental health Book review: The Thriving Lawyer by Traci Cipriano (resilience)

Motivate – People being coached may engage in the coaching process but time constraints and their motivation may limit their ability to implement the identified changes and plans. Coaches need to help those they coach to be motivated to take the agreed actions. Self-Motivation – Ten top tips (Video) from Kim Tasso

How can we make coaching more effective?

The effectiveness of coaching can be enhanced if it takes place in a supportive organisational environment. We talked about the importance of culture, psychological safety and appreciative environments.

People need to know the value (and limitations) of coaching. This requires education and internal communication. And they must be prepared to engage in the process. And to take responsibility for developing, assessing and implementing their plans.

Coaches need to be properly trained, supported by senior management and with access to the relevant learning resources. The relevant systems and processes need to be in place.

Coaching needs to be an integral part of the firm’s overall learning and development process – with clear links to business plans, training programmes, mentors Meaningful Mentoring with Andy Lopata – Kim Tasso, team leaders and action learning groups. How to coach teams with Jamie Butler – Kim Tasso

One-to-one coaching can be expensive – whether with internal or external coaches. We can support group learning by making respected and senior fee-earners available to others. We talked about learning discussions where senior people can be “interrogated” (I mentioned the use of intuitive modelling) by others to find out what they did and how they did it.

Senior people should be strong role models by behaving in a way that is consistent with what people being coached learn and do. Ideally, senior people should participate in coaching programmes.

What are the ethical issues in coaching?

There are many ethical issues in coaching. We considered ICF Code of Ethics – International Coaching Federation and discussed:

Client first – The coach’s primary responsibility is to the person being coached.

Confidentiality – The coach must treat information from those being coached as confidential. And explain any legal conditions where confidentiality might need to be broken.

Conflicts of interest – Sometimes there might be pressure from line managers and others to share information obtained during coaching sessions. Sometimes others will wish to impose their agenda on others’ coaching sessions. Similar conflict issues arise when people ask the coach how they perceive progress amongst those they are coaching.

Contracting – Usually, the coach will explain the basis on which the coaching will be undertaken. And how and when it may be terminated. This creates boundaries around the coaching relationship and manages expectations. However, sometimes coaching takes place in an informal way – where there is no contracting process. For example, during a follow up conversation after a training session or meeting.

Accessibility and discrimination – Ensure that coaching is available, accessible and delivered in a way that is fair to all persons. And that everyone is treated with respect and integrity.

Training – Coaches need to be trained appropriately. And adhere to any ongoing training requirements (i.e. CPD). And they should receive regular supervision to maintain standards.

Feedback on the session was positive although some delegates felt there was too much content and not enough time to discuss and practice ideas with colleagues in the breakout sessions. So we will adjust this for the next time the course is presented. Future dates are shown below:

Coaching Skills Academy | Managing Partners’ Forum

Coaching Skills Academy – PM Forum

PM Forum – PM Forum

Delegate aims, polls and takeaways

Delegate aims

Keen to make the organisation better, for everyone
Not had coaching training, but been a mentor and delivered training
Obtain a coaching toolkit
Help develop fee earners
Hone my coaching skills
Navigate the world of law firms
Refresh my coaching knowledge and skills
Consider coaching approaches in a structure way

Delegate takeaway and actions

Use Socratic questions What is Socratic questioning? (Questioning skills)
Improve listening skills You’re not listening – What you’re missing
Confirm the will to act Soft skills: Introduction to coaching – Three frameworks
Internal positioning of coaching
Look at setting out different approaches (There’s a list at the end of this article: Business Development Coaching Insights – Kim Tasso)
Look at coaching approaches in more detail
Adopt some new coaching models
The WOOP model Building Resilience – Regulation, Reframing, Relationships
Consider emotional intelligence model
Emotional intelligence assessment An introduction to emotional intelligence (EQ) and empathy (Video)
5:1 ratio to create appreciative environment How to facilitate groups – 2 (Herding cats in professional services)
Use more coaching structure for specific groups
Move some training into group coaching sessions

Delegate poll results

How much coaching experience do you have? (On a scale of 1 low to 10 high)

3 20%

4 20%

5 20%

6 40%

Which area of the coaching process presents the biggest challenge?

Establish the coaching relationship

20% Identify challenges, vision and goals

Explore the situation

40% Develop strategies and options

20% Agree short and medium term plans

Signpost relevant learning resources

Promote motivation and ability to undertake activities

20% Assess and support progress

Which coaching process appeals most or is already in use? (multiple choice)

40% GROW

40% ACHIEVE

20% OSKAR

20% WOOP

20% SOAP

FUEL

CLEAR
ICT Helping people change: Coaching with compassion

Are you focused on providing coaching yourself or coaching for your firm?

Both 100%

Which do you think is the MOST important coaching skill?

20% Building a strong relationship

20% Curiosity, questions and listening

20% Adaptability

20% Motivating

20% Something else (It’s sort of curiosity but I think challenging the person is the most important)

Goal setting

Providing feedback

Problem solving and idea/option generation

Guiding and teaching

Book Review: The Coaching Manual by Julie Starr – Kim Tasso

Book review: Coaching skills: A handbook by Jenny Rogers

What is the most challenging individual difference to work with when coaching?

40% Mindset

20% Personality Creativity and personality profiling

20% Emotional maturity “Adult children of emotionally immature parents – how to heal

20% Learning style Improve learning effectiveness – Using Kolb’s learning styles

Seniority

Background and culture

Generation

How would you assess psychological safety in your firm? fixed views and closed to new ideas (dealing with stubbornness)

50% Good

50% OK

Which assessment tools do you use?

50% None

50% Myers-Briggs/DISC

25% Hogan Development

25% Colour Insights

Five Factor (eg OCEAN, NEO)

FIRO B

Emotional Intelligence/EQ

Herrman Brain Dominance

Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI)

To what extent have you identified ways in which to improve your coaching competence and/o your firm’s coaching capability?

75% I’ve noticed some specific actions for change

25% We are just starting to introduce coaching

Coaching and Mentoring Posts

Coaching and mentoring books

Introductory coaching and mentoring books

Book Review: The Coaching Manual by Julie Starr – Kim Tasso July 2024

A complete guide to effective mentoring (kimtasso.com) September 2024

Book review: Coaching skills: A handbook by Jenny Rogers (kimtasso.com) June 2022

More advanced coaching and mentoring books:

The Fertile Void – Gestalt coaching at work by John Leary-Joyce (kimtasso.com) August 2024

Transformational Mentoring – creating developmental alliances (kimtasso.com) July 2024

Neuroscience for learning and development by Stella Collins (kimtasso.com) September 2023

Helping people change: Coaching with compassion (kimtasso.com) October 2019

Coaching models – book review of Stephen Gribben’s book (kimtasso.com) August 2017

Other books and some coaching qualifications are listed here: Coaching and consulting skills for M&BD workshop (November 2021) (kimtasso.com)

Organisational and cultural change books:

Book review: The Thriving Lawyer by Traci Cipriano (resilience) (kimtasso.com) June 2024

Neuroscience for learning and development by Stella Collins (kimtasso.com) September 2023

Book review: Neuroscience for organizational change by Hilary Scarlett (kimtasso.com) May 2020

Change management – Change Catalyst book review by Kim Tasso September 2018

change management and organisational change (kimtasso.com) January 2017 “Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organisational change” by Esther Cameron and Mike Green

Classic management book reviews – The McKinsey way, Good to great (kimtasso.com)