Often times as coaches we are asked to provide additional services once an executive leadership engagement has begun. There’s nothing wrong with this, in fact it works well. Many executive leadership coaches are talented in a number of areas and more importantly many companies are infected with problems throughout their layers of management. So for example although coaching may start with providing 360s and individual coaching for mid-level management soon after the engagement begins it may be determined that consultation with the marketing department is required as well and an executive leadership coach may have those skillsets and provide that service as well.

In general this process is very mutually beneficial. The executive leadership coach is able to use his or her skills in a number of areas in which the company clearly needs these services and the company benefits from having the same person with an overall knowledge of the company’s goals, strategy, profitability, and history providing services at a higher level to drive successful outcomes.

However sometimes we’re asked to do jobs within a company which we’re really not trained for and at that point it’s critical for an executive leadership professional to find the limits of his or her competence and either refer in or have the company find additional personnel to provide those services. Moreover sometimes although an executive leadership professional may be qualified to provide additional service, providing that additional service may be conflictive with other services the executive leadership coach is already providing for the company and therefore, it’s a best practice and in the best interest of the company for the executive leadership coach to either refer someone in or have the company find an additional professional for that work.

Overall then it’s important to remember that as executive leadership coaches do their work well and provide high quality professional services there may be things they’re asked to do within a company that are best passed on to another professional.