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Do you ever want to give up coaching someone? The answer is no. Often times, we want to
believe that we can eventually make a difference. Sometimes it’s our own ego that drives our
persistence and determination.
At CMOE, we advise coaches to follow up and be persistent a little longer than expected.
Coaching takes patience—a lot of patience! But don’t be unreasonable. Allow some time
for the right decisions and actions to kick in. When dealing with policy, ethics, values,
safety, or legal issues, explain the timeline to the coachee. That’s not an ultimatum;
just an explanation of the time sensitivity and an opportunity to create a time boundary.
Remember to check in frequently with your coachees to see how they are doing and remind
them of the timeframe. If there is insufficient responsiveness or progress, this may indicate
indifference or a lack of judgment, character, or integrity.
When these signals arise, do a quick reality-check: Have you correctly diagnosed the situation?
Have you tried all of the coaching skills? Have you involved others in an appropriate
way? If you answer “yes” to these questions, then you need to look at your next best option
to a coaching solution. Some alternatives to coaching include:
• Discuss the issue with the coachee and ask for their recommendation or solution possibly
redefining roles and responsibilities. • Consult with your own manager and/or your
HR department • Administer and institute the appropriate
consequences, both positive and negative. • Look at different assignments for the
coachee with a different leader, making sure to inform the new leader of the situation
from your perspective. • Explore with the coachee whether he/she
is a good fit for the organization.
Coaching takes time, energy, and patience. The bottom line is that you can’t let coaching
challenges pull you down. Remember that it takes two to tango, and “influence” does
have its limits.