As a manager, if I want to get help, should I see a coach, a therapist or a consultant?
And why not all three at the same time?
Sometimes, when faced with a problem, you can feel lost: you know you want to be supported to work on fundamental issues, but you have trouble making a choice and or choosing the right type of professional. There are so many offerings!
When managers come to me for support, I start by identifying and reframing the problem with them. They come with symptoms, and my job is to identify the root cause of the problem and tackle it.
Over the course of the support period, I can move from coach, to consultant, to therapist, depending on the person’s needs. In this way, our work together respects the person’s ecology and values, enabling us to move forward effectively.
- If the person already has the tools, coaching is there to help them find solutions using their own resources.
- If the person doesn’t have the tools, if they don’t know what to do, and are unable to find their own solutions, consulting provides methodological insight. I suggest tools and actions that can be implemented. The person learns to become autonomous and builds the capabilities they need to make their own decisions.
- If personal issues are holding you back, therapeutic support may be necessary. Most problems are not technical, and to do certain things, we may have to face up to our own limits.
So why choose if you can have them all?