CLIENT
Over a series of meetings the client, a small business entrepreneur, was considering their products, services and business. The coaching was therefore partially about plans, operations, ambitions, approaches and goals. However all entrepreneur's have a bit of themselves invested in their business. Something of their personality, traits, hope, fears, virtues and vices and coaching will very often touch upon personal issues, past experiences and future ambitions.
SESSIONS
The small business entrepreneur has a successful and growing business that may be described as social enterprise given the focus in helping people in crisis and addressing very sensitive issues. There was a blend of hard-nosed business focus to set and meet goals as well as an emotional understanding and empathy for the entrepreneur and the community that they are seeking to support.
The sessions explored products and markets, clients and consumers from a business perspective, but also as vulnerable people with needs for communication, support and understanding. Coaching talked about 'imperfect leadership' and the concept of having to help yourself before you can help others (Example putting on a mask or protective gear in order to better serve and support others.)
We discussed different ways of employing, engaging and remunerating people. And the different ways of licensing and product production. This looks at the short-term (kitchen table pick-and-pack) as well as warehouse and outsource. We also looked at what can quickly and easily be scaled. All the time reflecting back, how can this be done in a way that is consistent with the value and social purpose of the organisation.
The sessions explored the differences between clients (who sponsor or buy services), customers (who demand, need, want services) and consumers (who use, take-up, use-up services). The discussions reflected on their different needs and how best to communicate and serve them in a way that is supportive and sustainable. We explored a variety of products, tools, and pricing for each stakeholder group and how these ay be organised in a coherent way that can be funded and functional as a successful business providing a valued service.
Given the business aspect we talked about various models including LEAN-Canvas, MVP, Sprint, Agile, Prototyping. But we also touched upon the clients personal issues, past experiences and future ambitions which are the blueprint for the organisation and the meaning behind the artefacts.
REFLECTIONS
The sessions were a mix of coaching and mentoring. They explored the meaning and purpose of then business as well as the experience drive and ambition of the client. The sessions were conversational and active with provoking models, ideas and reflecting on what has been tried in the past and aimed for in the future.
This was business coaching, a mix of person, role and organisation and understanding how each has implications for the other. I found myself particularly drawn to the book Executive Coaching: Systems-Psychodynamic Perspective by Halina Brunning
In coaching it is important to understand the Person, Role and System
You should consider;
The clients personality;
The clients life story;
The clients skills, competencies, abilities and talents;
Their aspirations, progression and future aim;
Their workplace and environment in which they perform;
Their current organisational role.
Reference http://www.brunningonline.net/halina/coaching.html
I found the balance of business and personal exploration compelling,
and the person and business social enterprise interesting and rewarding
to explore. Perhaps because as a coach I too am a small business
entrepreneur seeking to change the world. It is therefore interesting to
consider transference, counter-transference and collusion in the client
and coaching relationship.
In a coaching context, transference
refers to redirection of a client's feelings for a person or situation
to the coach. Countertransference is defined as redirection of a
coach's feelings toward a client, or more generally, as a coach's
emotional engagement with a client or their pursuit.
Read more
Transference vs. Countertransference: What’s the big deal?
https://www.therapistdevelopmentcenter.com/blog/transference-vs-countertransference-whats-the-big-deal/
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/transference#takeaway
In
this case I am a coach / mentor and not a business advisor, colleague
or friend. Although I like the client and the business and their
combined purpose I am not overly invested or blinded in a way that would
undermine the client / coach relationship.
COACHING STYLE
There
are various coaching styles, four of which are as summarised in the
right side-bar [1] Person-centered coaching, [2] Psychodynamic coaching,
[3] Behavioral coaching [4] Existential coaching
My approach is
to use all of these in different measures to suit many clients with
diverging needs in a variety of circumstances. I see these as resources,
tools and approaches to be selected for the particular person, need or
task. As such my coaching can be very different and does not always
contain itself within one 'school' or approach.
I am not adverse
to offering resources, guides, reading, models, insights, homework,
questionnaires, assessments where these can help provoke awareness,
provide resources, create options or choice. These are are open to the
client to explore. They do not constitute advice, recommendations, or
prescriptions. Coaching is not magic and there should be no mystery. My
approach is always to offer the client whatever resources and support
may be useful to them. Sometimes that is just listening.
I have written about various styles here https://adaptcoaching.blogspot.com/
No1 Psychodynamic https://adaptcoaching.blogspot.com/2020/08/different-approaches-to-coaching-no1.html
No2 Cognitive https://adaptcoaching.blogspot.com/2020/08/different-approaches-to-coaching-no2.html
No3 Solution Focused https://adaptcoaching.blogspot.com/2020/08/different-approaches-to-coaching-no3.html
No4 Person Centered Approach https://adaptcoaching.blogspot.com/2020/08/different-approaches-to-coaching-no4.html
No5 Gestalt https://adaptcoaching.blogspot.com/2020/08/different-approaches-to-coaching-no5.html
No6 Existential Coaching https://adaptcoaching.blogspot.com/2020/08/different-approaches-to-coaching-no6.html
No7 Ontological Coaching https://adaptcoaching.blogspot.com/2020/08/different-approaches-to-coaching-no7.html
IMPORTANT NOTES
The
Coach engages in training and continuing education pursuing and/or
maintaining ICF (International Coach Federation) credentials. All
coaching conversations are confidential and the abbreviated case above
has been amended so as to protect the anonymity for the client whilst
providing evidence of coaching practice, reflection and learning, for
the purposes of ICF education, supervision, or oversight.
All
coaching engagements follow ICF Policies and Principles Resources, Terms
and Conditions
https://www.adaptconsultingcompany.com/coachingtoolkit/client.php
