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The Culturally Aware Coach
-Marilyn O'Hearne
The Culturally Aware Coach
Our
world is shrinking! Thanks to long distance
learning, ILCT has had 70 international students participate in training, with 16
currently enrolled. That is about 8% of our
total student population. And the
International Coach Federation has over 191 chapters in 36 countries. What can a coach do to make sure that their words,
behavior, and coaching approach are appropriate for and respectful of their clients' and
colleagues' cultures?
As I
review the ILCT manual and books prior to co-leading the Foundational classes, I am struck
by how the coaching concepts parallel the Intercultural model I have studied at the
Intercultural Communication Institute. I use
those models in my ILCT advanced training, my Intercultural Communication training for
organizations, and the International Business class I will be teaching in Malaysia and
Hong Kong next fall (SARS permitting.) We can
take most of the concepts and move them from the macro (culture, collective) to the micro
(individual, or coaching client) and vice versa.
Let us
start with a Definition of culture: The unique shared beliefs, values, communication and
behavior that differentiate one group from another.
The
Culturally Aware Coach...
- Is aware of
their culture and how that shapes their mindset and practices, including their approach to
coaching. A coach is self-aware and takes
their beliefs into account in their approach to coaching clients.
- Looks for and
celebrates the unique contributions of other cultures, and makes productive use of these
aspects. A coach uses a strengths based
approach by acknowledging and mirroring a client's strengths.
- Is curious,
seeks to learn about other cultures; just as coaches, in discovery, seek to learn about
our clients.
- Is humble,
not afraid to not know, asks questions, seeks understanding. (This is #2 of the ILCT 22
Essential Elements of the Coaching Alliance) Although be aware that in some cultures those
with status are expected to have the answers (see #5.)
- Is respectful
of the hierarchy of the culture: some cultures have clear teacher/student roles rather
than partnerships and the coach and client will refer to each other by title and last name
rather than first name. (Do not assume!)
Examples:
Some Asians do not believe it is appropriate to ask questions of a person in authority. I know of an American who was corrected for calling
a German by their first name. I understand that in Europe a
coach's credentials and degrees may have more weight in the hiring process than in the U.S.
- Realizes that
accepting differences does not mean agreement, but rather not judging. Recognizing there are differences is the first step
out of ethnocentrism, which, like Level I listening (Co-Active Coaching), filters
everything through our own lens or that of our culture.
- Is
knowledgeable of resources: telephone rates, different time zones, currency exchanges,
etc.
- Is empathic
(compassionate): able to consciously shift perspective, adding other cultural views, and
respond appropriately without fear of losing their own (cultural) identity.
- Evaluates and
interprets situations from those multicultural frames of reference, for example, different
approaches to time. This corresponds to Level
II listening.
Example:
The Latin cultures I have lived in and the Bahamas,
where I have traveled, have a different sense of time.
Your coaching client from another culture says they will complete their
fieldwork, action plan, or goal by a certain date and do not. You may want to check to see if that has more
to do with their cultural orientation to time or if something else is getting in the way.
- Is watchful
of their language! When in doubt, go more
formal and simple (short sentences). Know that slang and double meanings may not translate
well to different cultures.
- Is a Level
III listener: listening with intuition can transcend cultures.
Marilyn
O'Hearne, MSW, PCC, has lived in Spain, Brazil, and Texas and
is back in Kansas
City, Kansas, USA. A '99 graduate and a current faculty member of
ILCT, Marilyn co-led one of the sessions at the ICF Vancouver Conference on Coaching
Across Borders. Most of her
clients are in transition (including into coaching, and cultural) or are leaders.
İMarilyn O'Hearne 2003 All Rights Reserved
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Marilyn O'Hearne, MSW
Master Certified Coach, International Coach Federation
COACH, Trainer/Speaker, Writer
Breakthrough Executive/Life/Transition Coaching
Want MOre PEP?
(Performance, Effectiveness,
Profitability and/or Peace, Energy,
and Prosperity?)
Renewing Your Spirit Workbook Author
marilyn@marilynoh.com
7111 W. 151st Street
Suite 171
Shawnee Mission, Kansas USA 66223
913-327-0611
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Master
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