Why is Coaching like a Spreadsheet?

In yesterday’s post I argued that coaching can either have a huge (100 to 1000x or more) tangible short-term payback, or a less tangible long-term payback, or no payback at all - depending on what kind of coach you go for, what intentions and goals you have, how you set up the relationship, etc.

The reason for this is that #coaching is just like a spreadsheet.

“Really???” I hear my fellow coaches thinking, eyebrows archly raised.

Yes, really. Coaching is just a tool, same as a spreadsheet is. And like a spreadsheet, it’s a tool that can be used to do simple or complex things. A tool that can help you to make money, or save money, or do things that have nothing to do with money at all.??

With minimal skills you can use a spreadsheet to plan your summer vacation or add up your monthly expenditures. You can also use a spreadsheet to value a multi-billion dollar acquisition or manage your risk as a trader?- but to do these things, you’ll need both deeper spreadsheet skills and relevant topical experience. You wouldn’t ask me to value your acquisition or manage your trading risk just because I know how to use a spreadsheet.?

Coaching is just the same. With little or no training, almost anyone can be effective at coaching you on fairly simple challenges: say, helping you to get up the courage to ask your boss for a raise when you know you deserve it.?But would they be the right person to coach you if you had to reduce your company’s headcount by 20% in the coming two months? Or figure out how to manage your way through a company merger??Probably not, because they would need deeper coaching skills and relevant topical experience.

It’s great that coaching has gained recognition as a valuable tool for business, but unfortunately not enough clients understand what coaching can be used for and how to get the most out of it. Most people have a general intuition that it’s “a good thing to invest in” but, without a clear understanding of the potential benefits, they naturally put it off when times are a bit tougher financially - as they are starting to become now.?This may be a mistake. Considering that a top coach will probably cost you less than your lowest paid employee, ask yourself if the issue is that it costs too much, or that you’re just not sure how to get the best value out of it.?

Happy to chat with anyone who’s trying to understand this space better.