August 7, 2012 26 Comments

What do Coaches Do?

Michael Bungay Stanier

I had a chance to talk with author and coach, Michael Bungay Stanier about what coaches do, and maybe what they shouldn’t. This came from a conversation I’d had with folks who receive my free newsletter about what they’d want out of a coaching experience. Michael had some thoughts he wanted to share with me. This is an interesting interview both for someone who might want to get into coaching, but also for someone who wants to learn more about what coaching could do for your life.

Can’t see the video? Click Here.

What do you think? Do you pay for any coaching right now? Do you like it? What works and what doesn’t for you?

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  • OBVAVirtualAssistant

    Thanks Chris the video is interesting. At present I am not paying for any coaching.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      What would have to happen to compel you to do it?

  • Andra

    Chris, I’ve never commented here before, but I just had to tell you that this was one of the most value-packed, no fluff interviews I’ve heard in a really long time. Thanks!

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      So happy to hear it. Thanks for breaking the silence. Don’t be a stranger. :)

    • http://www.matthewreedcoaching.com/ Matthew Reed

      here here!

  • http://www.karenwrightcoaching.com/ Karen Wright

    Michael is always provocative – excellent interview, Chris! I totally agree – coaching is often overcomplicated and burdened with unfortunate cumbersome baggage. However, I’d like to offer one small distinction for your readers. Coaching as a “how” or a way of interacting is indeed a form of conversation that is not or does not have to be “appointment-based,” and particularly in the workplace I do believe that reconfiguring our conversations can be incredibly simple and extraordinarily effective. That said, I wouldn’t want your readers to take away from this interview that becoming a professional coach can be distilled into just the simple principles outlined here. Make no mistake – Michael knows his stuff and what he suggests regarding those key principles can and should absolutely hold true for professional coaches as well as people managers. Coaches are, in general, tragically guilty of overcomplicating what can and should be incredibly simple, and the profession would be well-served by better focus and use of pragmatism rather than Oz-like smoke and mirrors. But being a full-time professional coach and engaging in a trust-based ongoing relationship with a client does carry with it an expectation of a broader array of skills and a commitment of time and attention beyond the laser-focused principles Michael outlines. I believe that once you’ve got the full suite of skills AND have built a strong relationship – it’s THEN that you have the option and opportunity of choosing which approach will serve the client best in any given situation. Thanks, as always, for offering a thought-provoking start to the day!

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      Very great feedback. Thank you for this. :)

  • http://twitter.com/rajkhera rajkhera

    Chris, I’ve paid for professional coaching through an organization called Vistage for nearly 7 years and I can say without question that it is the best investment I have made in myself and therefore in my company. Seeing one’s thoughts reflected through someone else’s eyes helps identify gaps in reasoning that even experienced business executives have. Every professional should have a mentor and a coach. Thanks for sharing.

    • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

      I know Vistage! I’m so glad you like it. I’ve done some work with them in the past. I intend to revisit them in the near future. So glad to hear you had a great experience.

      • http://twitter.com/rajkhera rajkhera

        Let me know if you need a connection at Vistage. I’m happy to help.

        • http://ClimbingEveryMountain.com Mary E. Ulrich

          What is Vistage?

          • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

            Oh, vistage . com would help. A peer advisory group. : )

        • http://chrisbrogan.com/ Chris Brogan

          I’m all set on that front, but thanks. : )

  • http://www.bernixiong.com/ Berni Xiong (sh-UNG)

    That was a great interview with Michael, Chris. I really appreciated that you had someone in the profession of coaching representing something I’m so passionate about. Michael does a very good job of teaching through analogies and metaphors, which–like you often teach–helps to “dumb” it down for audiences by keeping it simple. I echo many of the things Michael shared in your talk.

    The one thing I’d like to add that is very crucial to this discussion of what coaches do is that coaches must “ask for permission to engage.”

    Michael had implicitly expressed something similar to this, but I wanted to make sure that I highlighted how important this is. Even coaches can make the grave mistake of wanting to help everyone–with good intention–but then pissing some people off by coming off a little intrusive.

    Don’t get me wrong, coaching techniques can be facilitated at random times in impromptu situations to give people bite-sized support. The most powerful reason to have a coach, however, is to strategize a plan of attack positioned for long-term success holding that person’s agenda first. A successful coaching experience is one that is transformational because it facilitates a shift in our thoughts and, even greater, in our actions.

    But no matter what, the person must know they are going to be coached–whether or not you call it that–because they must give you permission to go there. I had to learn this lesson the hard way early on in my career–and I may again because I’m human–but like I wrote in a blog post several months ago, it’s always better to try to court the people who already like us and want our help than feed our ego by thinking we need to “save” those who are not interested. It’s about meeting people where they’re at. (Yes I ended that sentence with a preposition.)

    Thanks again for another awesome interview. I dig it, Cousin Chris.

  • http://alidavies.com/ Ali Davies

    I have hired coaches and mentors on and off for 11 years now. I tend to hire coaches who specialise in specific topics to help me with specific projects at specific times to achieve my personal and business goals. The benefits have been massive on so many different levels. Working with coaches and mentors, as and when appropriate, is part of my ongoing strategy.

    I have been a coach myself since escaping the corporate world 11 years ago – agree with the comments being made here about keeping it practical, real and focused on tangible outcomes. Great to hear different coaches perspectives and approaches – thanks for sharing your conversation.

  • http://ClimbingEveryMountain.com Mary E. Ulrich

    Great ideas about coaching. Especially liked the “awe”

  • http://www.matthewreedcoaching.com/ Matthew Reed

    I have paid for a personal/professional coach. It was/is a totally transformative experience.
    It led me to transition from my previous career actually into a career in coaching. I realized through the powerful process of being coached “THIS” is what I want to be involved in. “THIS” is how I want to help people!

    Michael nailed it when he said coaching is way more about listening and asking questions than it is giving opinion.
    Like you Chris, I like to talk, so I have had to develop a calloused tip of my tongue since becoming a coach due to biting it.

  • Jack Lynady

    This guy really nailed it. It’s not just asking the right questions but also how u ask them as well. I bet he is a great coach. going to check him out. thx Chris

  • Jackie Cameron

    Very interesting interview Chris and Michael – thank you! I am a coach – and I use coaching questions in non coaching situations. Part of this comes from my natural curiosity ( it’s sometimes called being nosy here!). I love being coached too….and I gravitate towards people who ask good questions for that. Sometimes it is a 5 minute conversation -sometimes longer. Personally I don’t approach a coach to tell me what to do. The kid in us all I think rejects that even though we might say that’s what we want. Michael’s suggestion of asking’what else’ is great. I have tried that with interesting results.

    I will share this video with my coaching colleagues and hopefully this will spark some interesting conversations amongst us.

  • http://www.bernixiong.com/ Berni Xiong (sh-UNG)

    I’m sorry I’ve been trying to read other people’s comments and may have inadvertently “down-voted” some comments earlier on my iPhone because I thought the arrow meant “expand comment.” I’m SO sorry!! =S

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  • OBVAVirtualAssistant

    Hmmm..I really dont know but as Jackie said the kid in us all I think rejects a coach that even though we might say that’s what we want.

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  • stephanie rollinson

    Interesting!! I’m paying for coaching at the moment…a very different style!!

  • venajensen

    I have found a coach to be helpful for gaining insight into challenging areas that I vaguely recognize but don’t fully understand. We all have blind spots when it comes to ourselves and especially our managing style. A coach can help you build on your strengths, identify your areas of weakness and help you form strategies for addressing the areas in your business – and in your life – in which you want to improve. As far as resisting being told what to do, a good coach will use inquiry to help you learn things on your own, not “tell” you what to do or not. It’s always up to you to decide your course of action.

  • http://twitter.com/DerekSasser Derek Sasser

    My real estate investment coach was of great value and really put me ahead of the learning curve.