Your coaching goals clash with a senior leader's beliefs. How do you navigate this delicate situation?
When your coaching goals don't align with a senior leader's beliefs, it's crucial to find common ground without compromising your values. Here's how to tackle the situation:
- Engage in open dialogue. Approach the leader for a candid discussion about your respective visions and goals.
- Seek compromise. Identify areas where your coaching methods can support the leader's objectives.
- Build mutual respect. Demonstrate how your coaching approach can benefit the organization, gaining their trust over time.
How have you balanced your professional techniques with differing leadership views?
Your coaching goals clash with a senior leader's beliefs. How do you navigate this delicate situation?
When your coaching goals don't align with a senior leader's beliefs, it's crucial to find common ground without compromising your values. Here's how to tackle the situation:
- Engage in open dialogue. Approach the leader for a candid discussion about your respective visions and goals.
- Seek compromise. Identify areas where your coaching methods can support the leader's objectives.
- Build mutual respect. Demonstrate how your coaching approach can benefit the organization, gaining their trust over time.
How have you balanced your professional techniques with differing leadership views?
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When coaching goals clash with a senior leader’s beliefs, I approach it with curiosity and collaboration. I start by understanding their perspective—what’s driving their beliefs, and how do they see these goals fitting (or not) into their vision? Then, I align the conversation around shared objectives, framing the coaching goals as tools to support their priorities. Instead of pushing back, I focus on finding common ground, tweaking strategies if needed, while staying true to the coaching purpose. It’s less about proving a point and more about showing how the approach can complement their leadership style and create value. Collaboration always wins over conflict.
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As coaches, we don’t set the goals (though we can assist with defining them) – the client does . At the start of a coaching engagement, the goals are usually aligned with the sponsor, ensuring everyone is on the same page. However, it’s not uncommon for clients to gain new insights during coaching and realise their priorities have shifted. This is a natural part of the coaching process. In an ideal scenario, the client (not the coach, who is bound by confidentiality) will share any changes in priorities with the sponsor.
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Trabajé con un líder senior que creía que “liderar es controlar”. Le dije: “Entiendo tu perspectiva. ¿Qué resultados podrías lograr si empoderas más a tu equipo?”. Esa conversación nos permitió explorar nuevas posibilidades sin invalidar sus creencias. ¿Cómo manejar creencias opuestas? - Escucha primero: “¿Qué te llevó a desarrollar esta visión del liderazgo?” - Encuentra puntos en común: Identifica valores o metas compartidas como base de la conversación. - Propón experimentos pequeños: “¿Qué tal probar este enfoque en un proyecto y evaluar juntos los resultados?” El coaching no busca cambiar creencias de inmediato, sino abrir la puerta a nuevas perspectivas con respeto y empatía.
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Focus on shared goals and outcomes, aligning your approach with their priorities. Seek to understand their perspective deeply, using curiosity and respect to build trust. Frame coaching as a partnership, emphasising growth and mutual success. If disagreement persists, adapt without compromising core values, finding a middle ground that honors their beliefs while fostering progress.
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What are the beliefs, emotions, and life events of this Senior Leader, which may create such clash? How can you find leverage for change of their approach? I usually focus on achieving results in the present and future without delving into past therapy, so it is important your goals to be concise, efficient, focused and customized where necessary to meet the client's/leader's beliefs if this is what brings value to them and moves them authentically forward. And if you wish to communicate the value of coaching and the value of change you can use data, case studies, or examples to demonstrate how these goals can lead to positive outcomes for the leader and the organization!
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I will have open conversation and will be curious to understand leaders perspective. Listening without bias is important. Helping him to understand my values too. Creating a container where differences will transform .
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It is important that all the Stakeholders in the Coachee's success are aligned about the way Coaching works. Thus, before the engagement begins, a meeting is essential with the stakeholders to help them understand and appreciate the coaching process and how its success is enabled by the autonomy of the Coachee in choosing their goals. The goals are essentially the goals of the Coachee and not the Coach. Before the actual sessions commence, the Coachee may want to discuss their goals with the concerned senior leaders/stakeholders so as to align their goals with those of the organization and bring such goals into the Coaching sessions as per their own development needs. This process will ensure that everyone is on the same page.
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When coaching goals clash with a senior leader’s beliefs, it’s essential to approach the situation with respect and curiosity. Start by listening actively to understand their perspective and the values driving their beliefs. Acknowledge their viewpoint to build trust, then share how the coaching goals align with their broader objectives, such as improving team performance or achieving long-term success. Use evidence and examples to illustrate how the proposed strategies have worked for others in similar roles. Encourage open dialogue, focusing on collaboration rather than confrontation. By fostering mutual respect and tying the coaching goals to their priorities, you can bridge the gap and create a path forward.
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Navigating a clash between your coaching goals and a senior leader's beliefs is a delicate yet pivotal opportunity for growth—approach with genuine curiosity and empathy, aiming to understand their perspective while sharing yours. Frame the conversation around mutual objectives, emphasizing how alignment can enhance team success. Practice active listening to build trust, and be prepared to adapt your strategies without compromising your core values. This opening can foster deeper connections, inspire change, and lead to innovative solutions that resonate beyond immediate goals. It's important to remember that resilience and authenticity are your allies in these moments.
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I love this question! Our role as coaches is to hold the space for what is present - and what a gift-wrapped scenario this is; to uncover the culture of an organisation, let the belief system of a senior leader reveal itself and offer up the opportunity for the co-creation of a new and transformative path forward. As a result, I would not describe this as a 'delicate' situation, but more a mutually beneficial chance for both sides to learn from each other, to grow in their understanding of themselves and flourish in their willingness to venture beyond their respective comfort zones. In summary; a beautiful co-navigation with a potentially transformative outcome for both of them and most likely, the organisation as well.
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