5 ways to get stakeholders on board with business coaching

For anyone who’s contemplating executive-level coaching, whether on an individual or team basis, the likelihood is that they’ve identified a need for change. If this is resonating with you, it may be that you’ve done your research and that you have a plan in mind. You may even have identified a particular programme and coach that you’d like to work with in order to effect change.

Now this may all sound very straightforward, but in reality, you may find that there are certain hurdles that you’ll have to overcome - one of those hurdles being that, when it comes to driving your vision forward, stakeholder support is rarely a given.?

So just how do you get the support that you need from the people you need it from? How can you demonstrate to your stakeholders that having some ‘skin in the game’ will pay dividends in the long run?

Who are your stakeholders?

In the first instance, it’s important to do a full appraisal of who your stakeholders are - those who will not only be involved in your plans for change but who will also be affected by them. Stakeholders can be anyone - for example your peers, fellow leaders, shareholders, investors, as well as your team members.?

Stakeholders can be very different in the way they behave and react to any proposals for change that you have. Some will be your biggest cheerleaders, supporting you and your decisions at every step, whilst others you’ll find at the other end of the spectrum, pushing back against your agenda.

Then there are the stakeholders who are quietly sceptical - not in active opposition, but clear in their concerns and reservations. And some will say nothing at all; passive stakeholders who are often indifferent about the ideas you have and why they’re needed.?

The one thing they all have in common? You need each and every one of them to be invested, and to understand why coaching is the right path.?

What objections to coaching might your stakeholders have?

Before seeking stakeholder buy-in, it’s worthwhile getting your ducks in a row when it comes to some of the objections that you might encounter.?

There’ll always be the obvious contenders - the cost to the business in terms of both time and money perhaps being at the top of the list. In truth, these are valid concerns. Any coaching, whatever form it takes, has cost implications and requires an investment in terms of time. A part of leadership is helping your stakeholders look beyond their concerns and instead focus on the benefits that the investment in coaching will bring for them.?

Another very common pushback is that people often think they’re doing just fine without the intervention or support of a coach. They see no value in what a coach can bring to the table, and consider the process to be change for the sake of change.

As a leader, it’s important that you reframe this pushback. It's a truism that we can only take others as far as we have been ourselves, so working with a coach who not only understands the changes you want to make but also 'how' to achieve them will be a catalyst for change and progress.

So just how do you do that?

Don’t procrastinate?

When you know there’s a need for change, when you know there are weaknesses to be challenged and talents to be strengthened, it’s important that any pushback you encounter doesn’t prevent you from taking action.?

Leadership requires you to step out of your comfort zone and encourage others out of theirs too. Ultimately, leadership demands that you recognise when action needs to be taken and that you have the confidence to take it.

Be clear about what the benefits will be for your stakeholders?

To do this, you’ll need to be clear in your own mind about what your aims are, what you want to achieve, and what your stakeholders need from you.

Even when done on a one-to-one basis, executive-level coaching isn’t usually solely about the individual; it’s about the wider benefits that it can bring at a team and organisational level.

Acknowledge concerns and objections from your stakeholders

To overlook the concerns and objections I’ve discussed above would be, being completely honest, a mistake. Any objections from your stakeholders are a window into what matters to them, and once you look through, you’ll have the clarity you need to counter and move ahead.?

Be honest about the line of progress

Coaching is many things, but it’s important to remember that there is no silver bullet. Any kind of change, behavioural or otherwise, takes time. Your stakeholders need to understand that this is a journey they’ll go on together with you at the helm, and that there may well be risks and setbacks along the way.??

Effecting real change through coaching means playing the long game. Helping your stakeholders align their perception of change with the change itself will be an important part of your strategy when seeking buy-in.?

Tailor your approach

If you’re dealing with pushback from your stakeholders, you may find that you need to tailor your approach.?

Think back to who your stakeholders are. What will your approach with each of them be? Whilst some will need tangible stats such as a reduction in risk or an increase in profit, others may need to see that other stakeholders are 'all in', or that there’s a clear path towards their own personal advancement. For many stakeholders, it will come down to values: What do they stand for and what matters to them?

Here at Triumpha, we know that strategy is everything. Demanding change will get you nowhere, but strategically planning change and being able to communicate the ‘why’ behind it is the key to success. To learn more about the services we offer, or simply to have a chat, all you need to do is get in touch.