COACHING AND MENTORING
Trust me – I’m a consultant
Sara Hope and Emily Cosgrove reflect on what it means to be external consultants in the field of coaching and mentoring
H
undreds of thousands of pounds are spent by organisations every year on external consultants. They are often bought for their specific expertise and experience.
They are valued for their ability to challenge and sometimes they are bought because of the perception created by the amount of money that exchanges hands.
In this article we will explore the world of external consultancy from our own perspectives of working in this capacity over the last 20 years. We will highlight the benefits that using external consultancy in the world of coaching/mentoring and change offers organisations as well as some of the challenges of working in this way.
Consultant as ‘expert’ – does it fit with coaching and mentoring?
Historically external consultants were brought in for their expertise as professionals in a specific field, and for their ability to create change for a specific business problem. They brought knowledge and significant experience of their
“My role is a hybrid between many
disciplines, and there is value to others in me sharing my experiences and stories”
28 September 2015
www.trainingjournal.com
subject matter, and usually for a hefty price tag. Very similar to a classic doctor/patient model
where we consult with our doctor, tell them our ailments, listen to the prescribed solutions, take some pills, and hopefully get better; traditional consultancy has been used in much the same way. However, in today’s world people now feel able to become their own experts and have a growing hunger for instant answers. Using the same medical analogy, many doctors now describe their patients arriving, having used their smartphone to Google their symptoms, possible medications, find out about any side effects and have quickly become ‘experts’ about their illness. We describe ourselves as ‘experts’ on internal
coaching and mentoring. So why would any L&D, HR or OD director wanting to, for example, run an internal mentoring programme turn to us rather than turning to Google? For us, the experience of being a full time, internal coach in an organisation for over eight years, as well as working with numerous and wide- ranging organisations from the private, public and third sector for over 15 years is what makes the difference. So how does this notion of ‘expertise’ play out in
a world of coaching and mentoring consultancy? A world where we grow to be curious, ask questions, help our clients to think for themselves and find their own solution. Certainly not a world where we rock up and tell someone what to do. It’s something Sara describes as a never ending challenge:
“I spent years strengthening my muscle to ask questions as a coach and to gently quieten my opinions. Since becoming an external consultant however, I have learnt that my role is a hybrid between many disciplines, and that there is value to others in me
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