Barriers to Coaching

A – Z Coaching and Mentoring

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Bb

Barriers to coaching can exist on a personal level or across an organisation. Here are a few examples:

Personal barriers:

• Fear of failure
• Previous experience – low or high, good or bad
• Fear of change
• Lack of motivation
• Lack of confidence
• Not enough time
• Lack of trust

Organisational barriers:

• Culture of poor or limited staff development
• Coaching not seen as a priority for time or budget allocation
• Low level of coaching skills
• Low level of resources and budgets
• Lack of time or time pressures
• Limited understanding of its value
• Resistance from senior management
• Transactional rather than transformational culture
• Lack of psychological safety
• Lack of integration and a hit and miss approach
• A focus on poor performance rather than an ‘excellence’ focus
• Coaching seen as a referral route for remedial support
• A blurring of the boundaries between coaching and mentoring
• Lack of measurement of impact and ROI / ROE evidence
• Previous coaching initiatives which fizzled out or failed
• Reliance on a couple of enthusiasts and / or experts – hen they leave, coaching goes with them

Operational barriers:

• Shift patterns
• Multiple site working and remote working
• Standardisation of models, recording and reporting – not enough or too much.

Coaching should be introduced gradually in order for it to be truly successful and sustainable. Remove barriers at a rate slow enough to win hearts and minds rather than at a speed which causes fear, is over-evangelical or gives the impression that coaching is a ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ fad.

Taken from the A-Z Coaching Handbook by Clare Smale where you will find a comprehensive A-Z, plus a full list of references.