Organisations (more correctly, individuals who work for organisations) commission coaching for a reason. And the reasons for which they commission coaching are many and varied. One manager sees the potential in a young executive and wants to nurture it. Another leader wants to support their highly skilled technician (lawyer, IT specialist, accountant, actuary) in developing the non-technical attributes needed to progress to a leadership role. Another manager wants to keep the person whose job has disappeared and sees coaching as a way of supporting that individual in making a decision – to stay or not to stay?

Sometimes there are hidden reasons for commissioning coaching and these unfold over time. Perhaps the brittle warmth between the manager commissiong coaching and the person for whom coaching is sponsored (barely) conceals the near total breakdown of their relationship. Perhaps the commissioning manager cannot bring him or herself directly to address the glaring mismatch between the person to whom they are offering coaching and the job they are in. Perhaps the best salesman (or woman) on the patch is at risk of alienating their colleagues or of burnout, or…, or…, or…

Sometimes clients come directly, funding coaching from their corporate budgets or setting aside time and money of their own to address an agenda that requires skills or time that are not otherwise available. The early achiever wonders, now that I’ve fulfilled my aspirations, why am I not happy? The midlife career professional wants to find a way of balancing a successful career with home and family and maybe even having some kind of life. The CEO seeks out a place where he (or she) can ask for challenge as well as support.

And always, quite quickly, two people find themselves alone in a room at the beginning of a relationship that will develop in ways that neither can predict and to do work together whose outcomes are as yet unknown. No matter that the agenda is, on the surface, cut, dried and impersonal. The reality is infinitely personal because, when it comes to making changes in our lives, we cannot change the others, we can only change ourselves.

The hidden depths of coaching are such that clients often want to shout their successes from the rooftops and yet, to do so anonymously. For the coaches, too, who watch miracles unfold and know they have played a role in the unfolding, there can be a wish to shout their celebrations from the rooftops even whilst knowing that such shouting needs to take place within the strict confines of a confidentiality agreement.

I ponder this today as I begin to explore with clients who might be willing to share what with readers of this blog so that, over time, I can say to potential clients: “if you want to know what coaching does for my clients, take a look at my blog”. In this way, client testimonials become a gift to an unknown future – to people as yet unknown, whose reasons for seeking the support of a professional coach have not yet been identified.

And if you are interested to read them, watch this space.