Defining Crisis Coaching:
Bringing in an outsider might not be your first thought when faced with a personal or organisational crisis, but it is worth taking time to reflect upon the possible benefits. The sort of challenge that risks becoming a crisis is one involving the possibility of high level scrutiny from other stakeholders.
Their initial interest will probably be around how the original issue came about and who might be to blame. Their focus may then turn to the immediate response and then the steps to be taken to reduce the likelihood of any recurrence. The definition of stakeholders will depend upon the issues being managed. It may be restricted to a specific group of staff, which might also include board members or trustees, or it might spread into the wider community and local or national media.
The recent scandals that shook the charity sector are clear evidence of the level of scrutiny that senior staff may have to manage and how this might continue over a long period of time. These events can dominate the lives of all involved and can have a significant impact on them and their ability to respond effectively.
Having a Coach on your team will help in understanding the wider implications of any incident. They will bring the perspective of the outsider while also appreciating the pressures being experienced by the individuals within the organisation. An independent Coach can help maintain perspective by challenging the defensiveness that is a natural response to any external threat. Through helping to quantify the scale and scope of the issues involved, the Coach can support the process of developing a response that is comprehensive and proportionate. Operating outside of the crisis, the Coach has the emotional detachment to assess progress in resolving the crisis in a way that truly meets the needs of all concerned.
Finally the Coach will be on hand to provide personal support throughout the period, in particular avoiding the pitfalls that may result from the tired exasperation from a long campaign.
Their initial interest will probably be around how the original issue came about and who might be to blame. Their focus may then turn to the immediate response and then the steps to be taken to reduce the likelihood of any recurrence. The definition of stakeholders will depend upon the issues being managed. It may be restricted to a specific group of staff, which might also include board members or trustees, or it might spread into the wider community and local or national media.
The recent scandals that shook the charity sector are clear evidence of the level of scrutiny that senior staff may have to manage and how this might continue over a long period of time. These events can dominate the lives of all involved and can have a significant impact on them and their ability to respond effectively.
Having a Coach on your team will help in understanding the wider implications of any incident. They will bring the perspective of the outsider while also appreciating the pressures being experienced by the individuals within the organisation. An independent Coach can help maintain perspective by challenging the defensiveness that is a natural response to any external threat. Through helping to quantify the scale and scope of the issues involved, the Coach can support the process of developing a response that is comprehensive and proportionate. Operating outside of the crisis, the Coach has the emotional detachment to assess progress in resolving the crisis in a way that truly meets the needs of all concerned.
Finally the Coach will be on hand to provide personal support throughout the period, in particular avoiding the pitfalls that may result from the tired exasperation from a long campaign.