If you’re a coach, you’ll need to be able to describe your style to HR and to the exec in interviews. Or perhaps in writing. For example, one company asked its new coaches to prepare 100-word style summaries for HR to use in matching coaches to execs.

Do we all speak the same language when we talk about style? What is HR or an executive trying to learn with the question “What’s your coaching style?”

If, as a coach, you say your style is non-directive, what are you saying? What does HR or the exec hear when you say non-directive? How do you know what they will “hear?”

Coaching is facing the same scale dilemma: how to expand access to coaching (reach) while providing a rich coaching experience? Since most companies are loath to provide the “full package” (e.g., a focused coaching engagement of, say, 12-18 hours of coaching) to large numbers of executives, we run into a cost wall per user experience that dot comers did not.

Is coaching scaleable? How?

What approaches have you seen or considered that improve reach, preserve richness and are affordable for employers?

What’s one thing you’d like to try‚Äö√Ѭ∂but haven’t come forth with yet?

In some large companies, there is an official Coaching Practice Manager. My fav title for this role, used in a voice mail greeting, was: Hi, this is XYZ….Global Focal Point for Coaching.

Although I enjoyed the voice mail greeting, Focal Point in the job title tells us something about what coaching needs inside a company or non profit. A point that considers how coaching from end to end, from strategy to process to implementation.

The South African proverb also seems to fit: “It takes a village.” Who else lives in the village, supporting the work of the coach and the exec? Specialists in, e.g., Learning and Development, Leadership Development or OD; HR in the business units or departments; and the exec’s manager. Finance and Procurement are in the game too, looking after supplier agreements.

What’s the best “coaching village” you’ve been in? (Apart from the Coaching Commons, of course!) What made it the best?

Whoever thought we would have so much quality that we would have to control quality? Have Quality managers?

You get what’s next…whoever thought we’d have so much coaching that we would be discussing Managing Coaching?

Whether you do mostly life coaching with private, individual clients; look after coaching in a large company; are on the preferred list of coaches for a company; fascinated by what’s happening in the coaching market….from whereever you sit…

What is there to manage?

And please do tell us where you sit. Thanks!