Chapter Summaries: Moral, M. and Abbott, G. (2009)The Routledge Companion to International Business Coaching
INTRODUCTION: A New Paradigm for Coaching in the Global Business Environment; Michel C Moral, Geoffrey N Abbott and Daniele Darmouni
CHAPTER 1: Considerations on the Emergence of Organizational Coaching: International Perspectives, Michel C Moral and Sabine Henrichfreise
After individual coaching and team coaching, a new concept emerges: organizational coaching where a team of coaches helps an organization to change. In the past, different approaches have been invented to force a collective change of behavior or a modification of the corporate culture. This chapter examines change processes through shifts from traditional organizational structures, to matrix, and finally to ‘cyborg’ organizations which are characterized by fluidity, constant change and uncertainty. Organizational coaching is presented as an ideal intervention to energize change processes within the new dynamic organizational environments of international business.
CHAPTER 2: Integral Coaching: Cultivating a Cultural Sensibility Through Executive Coaching; Hilary Armstrong
There has been much written about the value of coaching in the development of personal insight. This chapter proposes that insight is not enough, especially when working in global environments. What is also required is ‘outsight’ encompassing a cultural sensibility. A cultural sensibility is the mental and emotional understanding of, and response to, the influence of the tacit, essential ethical frames of meaning constructed by a culture that are expressed through social roles, race, class and gender differences. This chapter uses practice narratives to draw out aspects of a cultural sensibility and how it can be enhanced by integral executive coaching.
CHAPTER 3: Coaching to Hidden Frames: Facilitating Transformational Change in Complex Environments; L Michael Hall, Michel Duvall and Omar Shalom
While we all know that culture is a human construct, the specific ways that we so construct it in our minds, live in it, and carry it with us as we move in and out of other cultures are still somewhat of a mystery. The chapter describes the theory and practice of ‘meta-coaching’ which has a primary focus on coaching the processes, structures, and contexts of a person’s thinking and understanding – the meta-levels. From a cultural perspective, the authors use the concept of ‘hidden frames’ to encourage coaches to work beneath the surface to examine deeply embedded cultural influences on thinking and behavior. The models help to de-mystify culture so that it is not seen and felt as a ‘thing’, but as a process that we all engage in and can reconstruct to increase effectiveness and reduce conflict.
CHAPTER 4: Identity, Liminality, and Development: An intrapersonal view of intercultural sensitivity; David B Drake
This chapter draws on Milton Bennett’s (1986, 1993) six-stage model of intercultural sensitivity as a frame for the author’s contention that the key dynamics which play out when people relate to other cultures in the external world also play out as people navigate the cultures they have been internalized as narratives in their inner world. The chapter draws on the author’s research on rites of passage to explore some of the liminal tensions clients experience as they develop and adapt their responses to these cultural demands. A case study outlines the ways in which Bennett’s model can be applied at an intrapersonal level in coaching and how a narrative approach can assist in using the model to assess and foster development in coaches. Narrative skills enable coaches to be more effective in helping clients to face increasingly complex cultural demands while maintaining a coherent narrative and sense of identity in the process.
CHAPTER 5: Ontological Coaching: Intercultural coaching and trust; Julio Olalla and the Newfield Network
This chapter applies the foundations of Ontological Coaching™ to the field of international business coaching. Ontological Coaching™ is a powerful, integral and interdisciplinary model for working with others to transform their capacity for effective, meaningful action. Ontological Coaching™ is based on the understanding that human beings are essentially linguistic beings and as such language is indispensable to knowing and learning. Language and culture are viewed as inseparable. The approach integrates transactional and transformational coaching and applies both to professional and personal contexts. The construct of trust and how it operates as an essential element for successful cross-cultural interactions in the coaching context are explored.
CHAPTER 6: Coaching for Emotional Intelligence in International Business Environments; Geetu Bharwaney and Ari Jokilaakso
Emotional Intelligence appeared more than a decade ago in the psychology literature across the applications of counselling, psychiatry, coaching and leadership development. This chapter explores the opportunities and challenges for coaches using Emotional Intelligence tools and frameworks in an international business environment. Some implications for practice are highlighted. Emotional Intelligence is useful for peeling the layers of cultures, a person’s own culture, working culture and ultimately national culture. Emotional Intelligence development as a subset of coaching can provide coaches with tools applicable in a cross-cultural context for deepening self-awareness, promoting greater personal clarity and achieving client progress more rapidly.
CHAPTER 7: Coaching International Leaders to Succeed to Collectively: The Re-genesis of collective intelligence, our genuine capacity for collectively creating our future; Sabine Henrichfreise
The author introduces the concept of collective intelligence as a valuable concept to assist in the development and implementation of coaching programs in international business contexts. Collective intelligence is defined as the genuine capacity of a group to think, learn and create collectively. To be effectively mobilized in organizations, the author proposes that collective intelligence needs a vehicle which she terms ‘collective leading’. The chapter addresses four crucial questions:
- What is the business context generating the need for promoting collective intelligence?
- How can we define collective intelligence?
- How can we nurture the emergence of collective intelligence?
- What do we have to change in the way we coach?
The latter question is given particular attention in the case study, which demonstrates how coaches might apply collective intelligence in the way they work.
CHAPTER 8: The Heart of Cross-Cultural Creation; Daniele Darmouni and Margaret Krighaum
This chapter gives attention to the heart and spirit of coaching. In our current vernacular, the term cross-cultural is used frequently to define a desired business end. While much time is spent discussing how to be cross-cultural and why that is good for the business, little time is spent discussing why real cross-culturalism works or what it does for the people in a corporation. Without understanding the heart and spirit, any cross-cultural initiative will eventually crack at its foundation. The authors illustrate this principle through the building of an international coaching multicultural assessment team.
CHAPTER 9: Stimulating Adversarial Growth in Cultural Uncertainty; Eddie Lievrouw
The author is a military survival instructor – and an executive coach: in this chapter, he links the two. Based upon research in worldwide real life survival situations it appears that only 20 per cent of people are able to assess appropriately the traumatic situation they are experiencing. The rest have their reasoning significantly impaired. Similar dysfunctions occur in the turbulent and diverse world of international business. This chapter examines the transposition of disaster survival theory and practice to complex international business situations (both the dramatic and the mundane). The main point is that coaches armed with knowledge of survival techniques that work can assist their executive clients to cope and thrive in situations, which, while on the surface are not life-threatening, in reality and over time can be just that.
CHAPTER 10: Fostering Individual and Collective Development using the Cultural Orientations Framework (COF) Assessment; Philippe Rosinski
Multidisciplinary research has found that there are differences between people based on their cultural backgrounds. These differences can be measured using various scales, including those based on the work of Geert Hofstede, Fon Trompenaars and others. These tools are widely used in cross-cultural management and are of increasing interest in global coaching. This chapter examines how differences between people can be leveraged for advantage in the international business context. The chapter provides a tool – the Cultural Orientations Framework – and explains how it can be used to leverage differences and unleash client potential. The case study provides evidence of the efficacy of the tool in coach-training and in dealing with diversity generally.
CHAPTER 11: Intercultural Coaching Tools; Monika Verhulst and Rebecca Sprengel
Most of the tools used by executive coaches have been designed in Esalen or Palo Alto in the
USA and carry many assumptions of Western culture and business. The global coach who is working across cultures has to make judgments about which tool to use in which context, or how to customize tools to meet client needs. Adopting a constructivist approach in the selection of specific coaching tools, the coach and the clients alike are led to examine their own underlying assumptions about their own and other cultures. It is this understanding of an individual process of reality construction that helps internationally active professionals to effectively deal with very different cultural contexts. This chapter examines some of the major constructivist tools that are available and what choices might be open to the global coach in applying them.
CHAPTER 12: Coaching Expatriate Executives; Geoffrey N Abbott and Bruce W Stening
The chapter gives some attention to how extensive research on different aspects of the expatriate manager experience can be applied to design and enhance coaching interventions for sojourners and their families. The authors stress the importance of coaches working interactively with their clients across the cognitive, emotional and behavioral dimensions, while paying attention to cultural and situational factors. They refer to some of the major research on cultural dimensions by Geert Hofstede and others, at the same time noting the need for caution in applying such research findings in the coaching situation, particularly the need to avoid cultural stereotyping. Guidance is provided to coaches on different phases of the expatriate experience and how they might maximize impact.
CHAPTER 13: Couples Coaching for Expatriate Couples; Andrew L Miser and Martha F Miser
The high cost of failed expatriate assignments and the role that spousal and family adjustment problems have in those failures are well documented. In addition to the services already offered to expatriates and their families, the authors propose that multinationals could benefit greatly from offering couples coaching as an available support service. A coaching relationship, if made available to and requested by the expatriate, can focus on the satisfactory adjustment and fulfilment of the expatriate couple and their family, areas that traditionally have been outside the control of the company. Ultimately, coaching for expatriate couples represents a sound investment for international businesses.
CHAPTER 14: Coaching Women Managers in Multinational Companies; Katrina Burrus
Executive success in multinationals relies on leadership skill, expatriate experience, and intercultural competence. Yet, despite strong numbers of women ready for key international posts, few women are chosen for overseas assignments. Both global and indigenous prejudices and misunderstandings about women in international roles might be responsible. This chapter explores the myths, paradoxes, and realities of women as expatriates in multinational companies; outlines the specific issues they face; and details keys to coaching women in multinational companies.
CHAPTER 15: Coaching Managers in Multinational Companies; Katrina Burrus
Various types of multinational executive are defined, including the expatriate, the immigrant, and the global nomadic leader. Executive nomadic leaders are described: those internationally mobile executives who have been exposed to multiple cultures while growing up and have a multicultural ‘third culture’ reference. The author suggests that the qualities and experiences of global nomadic leaders position them well for high-impact leadership roles in global businesses. The characteristics, multicultural talents, and challenges of the global nomadic leader are detailed. Scenarios and tips for coaching the global nomad are discussed.
CHAPTER 16: When Far East Meets West: Seeking cultural synthesis through coaching; Ho Law, Leon Laulusa and Grace Cheng
Many models of coaching come from Western cultural frameworks. The authors propose that other models are required for non-Western business contexts, and where possible alternative models should be synthesized to generate high-impact coaching interventions. For Westerners applying coaching models in the Eastern cultures, it is crucial for them to understand their cultures and be sensitive about their values and how these values manifest in their behaviors and interactions. For example, the value ‘respect’ is translated in Chinese language as to ‘save face’. In behavioral terms, this may mean one does not openly criticize others in public. The cultural learning and synthesis process is two-way with many opportunities for cultural differences to be combined to make a superior third way.
CHAPTER 17: Executive Team Coaching in Multinational Companies; Michel C Moral
Team coaching is becoming increasingly common in organizations. The addition of group dynamics to the coaching relationship offers new challenges and possibilities. In an international context, team coaching takes on other dimensions as culture and distance add greater degrees of complexity. This chapter provides some guidance of how to navigate the territory and discusses some of the central challenges for coaches and executives who undertake team coaching projects with international frameworks.
CHAPTER 18: Coaching with Global Virtual Teams: An Action Learning Perspective; Geoffrey N Abbott
Virtual business is a hot topic in management literature. In particular, global virtual teams (GVTs) are getting attention. This virtual world of work is complex, uncertain and ambiguous. All the challenges of locally bound work are there – and then some. Leading such teams has added complexity but also the possibility of great reward. In the pace and pressure, there is a risk of individuals and teams becoming alienated and disconnected from each other and also their organizations and even societies. By taking GVTs through solution-focused discussion and action planning exercises related to the themes discussed above, leaders and coaches may be able to set the stage for a new GVT, or lift engagement levels and add cohesion in environments where the virtual teaming exercise may be struggling. A case study and powerful model are provided from a successful GVT action learning coaching intervention in Orange telecommunications.
CHAPTER 19: Interactive Coaching with Corporate Ventures; Jean-Marc Loeser and Katrina Burrus
Mergers and acquisitions are strong catalysts of cultural change: coaching the ‘corporate venturers’ who lead such operations in a global environment implies facilitating the cultural and human processes by which the required aptitudes for the new venture can emerge. The author cautions that these emerging skills are also vulnerable to the inertia of the pre-existing structures on the very momentum they have created. The chapter suggests strategies for corporate venturers and their coaches for maintaining momentum and for maximizing value to the host organization. Advice is that in today’s matrix-shaped and multicultural international organizations, the leaders of these new ventures need to rely on building strong alliances rather than on traditional managerial coordination.
CHAPTER 20: Executive Coaching through Cross Border Mergers and Acquisitions: A Powerful Yet Underutilized Intervention; Geoffrey N Abbott
There is an international trend towards consolidation in virtually all industries – airlines, steel, computing, etc. The consequences are that mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are becoming the norm rather than the exception. Also, new players are entering the market – from India, China, Brazil, etc. The cultural frameworks involved in the consolidation of companies are therefore becoming more complex. Many M&As do not meet pre-deal expectations. This chapter suggests that coaches can add value at various points. The authors explore the reality of how coaches might best approach assignments in the sometimes (but not always) hostile and difficult environments of organizational mergers across boundaries, noting the potential for coaches to add value at the often-neglected integration phase. A case study is provided of an Australian– Chinese alliance that went wrong. The example is provided in the style of a business school case study, along with suggested activities for coaches and managers who may be engaged in the volatile M&A field.
CHAPTER 21: International Coaching: A Global Human Resources Perspective; Marie-Brigette Bissen, Judith Chapman, Paul-Michael Shonenberg and Rita Knott.
This chapter provides to both human resources (HR) professionals and coaches some ideas and feedback from experience in order to better ‘bridge the worlds’ and meet in a true common area of interest. It will assist executive coaches to better understand the variety of HR realities within international organizations. It will then provide tools and techniques to HR professionals in order to select professional coaches who can make a difference and several perspectives which will help them use coaching in the most efficient and effective way. A four-frame model is provided that encourages HR professionals and coaches to examine structural, political, psycho-social, and cultural factors – and their interrelationships – as they design and implement coaching programs in international organizations.
CHAPTER 22: Choosing coaches for international business leaders: Qualities and Characteristics; Geoffrey Abbott and Chip McFarlane
Recent research has suggested that successful global leaders and senior executives require intellectual grunt, energy and resilience, cultural adaptation skills, emotional intelligence, and an inquisitiveness to explore. The authors propose that if coaches are to have an impact with global executives, it is reasonable to ask that they have similar characteristics – and more. This chapter examines the characteristics of a global coach, giving particular attention to the fact that different cultural business contexts are likely to require different qualities in a coach. The chapter includes guidance on how companies might go about choosing a global coach in the form of a set of suggested interview questions.