Scary as this may sound, it is relatively easy to avoid if you are aware of the risk and take a few simple precautions. It is also possible to take steps to protect yourself if the worst does happen.Unlike many forms of coaching, this particular danger awaits the unwary. It is extremely easy to fall into. It may not get as extreme as being sued, but it easily could do.
Influence Coaching Trap #1:
Becoming your client’s political adviser.
If you get into this position, you are basically telling your client what to do. Political scenarios and power struggles are dangerous places to be. You cannot possibly know everything you need to know to give accurate (and safe) advice. Even if you could, the outcome is almost always reliant on the skills of your client. Since you have been asked to coach them on influence, these skills many not be very good.
If you give advice, they take it, and then they lose their job, you could well be next in the firing line. This is especially true if you have sent your advice on an email!
Here are some suggestions to help you avoid or minimise this risk:
- Regularly reaffirm your role as coach and that you can’t tell them what to do.
- Stay alert for the client shifting responsibility to you and tactfully hand it back.
- Do your job exceptionally well. Make full use of the toolkit of processes here to help your client think situations through carefully.
- Encourage them to seek counsel elsewhere too. Perhaps from internal mentors who will frequently share intimate intelligence with their protégés.
- Make references to your role in written communication with occasional reminders: “Recall, my role here is to help you …. etc.”
- Maybe this is going too far, but consider covering this in your terms of business.
- Finally, make sure your Professional Indemnity Insurance is renewed.
Apart from all of the above, as you will no doubt remember from your coach training, the client should always retain responsibility — that’s how coaching delivers sustainable performance improvement.