Why Does the Client Want an External Coach?

For large organisations, both in the private and public sectors, the question of whether to use internal staff, suitably trained or external consultants for coaching services looms large.  Ultimately the answer will involve procurement issues and will thus be complex and based on a number of often competing priorities.  It is important for a coach to be aware of, and understand these issues when bidding for work.

Generally speaking large organisations instinctively lean towards external providers for those services not seen as core to the mission of the organisation.  My experience over 30 years of dealing with the selection, engagement and management of consultants supports this proposition.  Organisations employ consultants for many reasons, some obvious, others less so.  These reasons can include one or more of the following:

• The organisation lacks the resources or capacity to carry out the assignment, although they may have the skills internally.  They need someone to do the work.
• The organisation does not have the capability to do the work themselves. They need somone who knows how.
• The organisation wishes to skill its own staff by learning from consultants.  They need knowledge transfer.
• The organisation wants a new World View or a change in paradigm within the organisation which they believe only consultants can provide. They want a new way.
• The organisation wishes to justify its decision or course of action: “We asked Bloggs and Doe, the finest in the land, to coach our staff an approach that has been highly successful despite initial scepticism”.  They want legitimacy.
• The organisation wants a scapegoat if something goes wrong: “We asked Bloggs and Doe to coach our staff but unfortunately they weren’t up to it”.  They want absolution.

Thus external consultants are often seen as expensive, more highly qualified, more globally aware, politically advantageous and expendable whereas  organisational staff are seen as cheap, available, commandable, house trained and culturally aware.  External coaches need to understand this and deduce which of the reasons cited above is likely to be driving the assignment and hence what the implications for them might be.