to step down, and work out the details of what
is and is not confidential from your time with the
team if that happens.
When it comes to coaching an individual who is
in Joan’s chain of command but isn’t her direct
report (e.g., a communications specialist who
reports to Dominic), the likelihood of a conflict
seems less, and yet it might not be. What happens
if you learn through Joan that the company is
being restructured and the communications
specialist is going to be let go or moved? If you
are in a coaching relationship with that person,
what then? It is important to consider all potential
conflicts so that you can be transparent as a
coach and so that your client feels safe and free
to be candid. What does the client need to know
to make a truly informed decision about working
with you? If you do reach an agreement that you
will coach this person, be sure that the details of
your agreement and the potential conflicts are
outlined in your contract with the company and
reviewed by the client. As with a team coaching
engagement, be sure to include a provision
dictating what will happen if you must leave the
coaching relationship mid-engagement.
Even the decision to coach an individual outside
of Joan’s department can be fraught with
complications. Sometimes there are conflicts
or more-subtle “issues” among departments or
divisions within a company, so begin by asking
yourself what information you need and from
whom in order to understand what the potential
conflicts might be. Once you have done your
homework, you might have conversations with
both Joan and the prospective client to outline
any potential conflicts and the possibility that
you might need to withdraw from this new
client as coach. Then, as with all organizational
coaching engagements, get everything in writing
and review it with your client to be sure everyone
understands the risks and what will happen if a
conflict arises.
*All names have been changed.
Innovation is essential
for success in
modern workplaces.
With that in mind, connect the dots.
What you create is up to you.
Effective leaders see the potential in everything.
At Royal Roads University, we’re looking
for people like you for our Professional
and Executive Development courses.
Learn more at royalroads.ca/execed
Do you have a coaching ethics question that
you’d like answered in the pages of CW?
Email our editor, Abby Tripp Heverin, at abby.heverin@
coachfederation.org, and she’ll share your question with Jane.
Coaching World 17