There are lots of opinions out there about therapists and psychiatrists, everything from mocking laying on Freud’s couch to praising the ground they walk on. But the fact is therapy helps people. Many people really benefit from the opportunity to talk with someone who has studied psychology, who can help treat root causes and not just symptoms.
In the past, there have been similar stigmas about business coaching. Before, if you heard the word coaching, you’d probably assume there was a problem. With a culture shift, though, coaching has become almost a status symbol, an indication that of considering one and one’s company worth the investment. Moreover, people are more willing to admit they need help. They need the help of professionals to understand themselves and to grow and develop in their working environment.
Personal Vs. Professional Lives
“There is no man living who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can do.” – Henry Ford
Many in business think it isn’t professional to bring our personal lives into work and to an extent that is absolutely true. However, it is almost impossible for us not to bring our backgrounds and previous life experiences with us into the workplace. Those are what have shaped us into who we are today with regards to attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
Personal issues do and will affect our work. It is that simple. Our previous experiences and current experiences have an impact on us and our behavior whether we like it or not.
On top of “personal” issues, people also can have emotional issues connected to their professional lives, such as anxiety, depression, exhaustion, hyperactivity, or narcissism. Check out this article for more examples.
Not to mention the problems of starting and running a business. Starting a company can be all-consuming and isolating. Startups can grow rapidly, and founders aren’t always ready for the highs and lows and the massive workload involved.
Psychology in Coaching
“If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.” – Henry Ford
Some people who would shun a “therapist” would gladly schedule regular visits with a “coach.” Coaching seems to be easier to accept, even if it sometimes functions the same.
While it’s great that coaching might make more people willing to try therapy, it’s too general a category. There aren’t the same regulations for coaching or “coach confidentiality” as there are for therapy.
Define Boundaries
Transparency is key. Coach’s need to be upfront about their training and experience.
A business or executive coach probably shouldn’t treat addiction, diagnose mental health disorders, or work with clients on resolving trauma or abuse. Those are issues that are probably better dealt with under the authority and legality of an actual therapist.
On the other hand, a business coach can still be a sounding board. It would probably be helpful for a coach to know if a client is going through a divorce, for instance. Knowing that a coach can help guide their clients on strategies for how to remain productive at work while experiencing those issues.
Coaching “The Whole Person”
“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” Albert Einstein
So, what does all this mean? It means that many times it’s important for a business/executive coach to have some psychological training. Coaches should be able to recognize when the “problem behaviors” are actually symptoms of deep-seated psychological difficulties. With training, coaches should be able to understand the difference between a “problem executive” who can be trained to function effectively and an “executive with a problem” who can best be helped by psychotherapy.
With this psychological training and understanding, a business/executive coach can work on helping individuals, not just fixing problems. As they say, when all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail. Instead, an expanded toolkit can help a business/executive coach focus on the “whole person”, not just the problems.
Our Approach
Coach Keith Weaver has education in psychology and experience as a business leader. He works hard to create personalized coaching plans that help the “whole” client.
We want to focus on helping clients develop self-awareness by reflecting deeply on their current performance and mindset. With the help of Predictive Index, we work to create have a structured, data-based foundation of introspection.
From there, we want to help clients work on significant behavioral and mindset changes. With that introspection and foundation, we work with clients to create concrete plans and focused goals. Ultimately, we want to help clients accelerate their success, enhance their effectiveness, and maximize results.
