Are You Secure Enough to Ask for Help?
Are you ready to bring a coach in from the outside? External coaches brought into companies to rectify particular shortcomings, or teach new skills, are increasingly working alongside internal coaches these days. That is, coaches themselves are going outside their own companies and looking for specialist help. Even the best coaches sometimes find themselves confronted with particular problems that are beyond their expertise, or, perhaps, they don't have the time to address.
There are only so many hours in a day and so many days in a week. And depending on the size of the staff and the results that are expected, even a coach may, on occasion, need a helping hand. A supplementary coach from the outside world — an expert at a task desperately needed — might be just what the doctor ordered.
As a manager and coach, you may be a bit hesitant in bringing in help from an outside source. This is understandable. It's human nature for managers to desire control of their staffs and their job responsibilities. Managers — even those wearing the coveted “coaching” label — are, after all, judged by the results their employees deliver, just as all other managers.
External coaches charge their corporate clients $200 to $300 per hour for their services. Some charge as much as $500 per hour! There are some business coaches earning more than psychologists and psychiatrists. In other words, coaching is a highly valued service. And good coaches are worth their weight in gold.
Well, fear not, coaches! There are a few things that you can do to make this arrangement work like a charm. First, the more self-assured you become in your managerial odyssey, the less trepidation you'll feel about bringing in an outsider to assist you in getting the most out of your employees' abilities. The only thing you have to fear is fear itself.
