As I reflect on 2024, I feel fortunate to have coached executives and managers from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Israel, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Every single person is unique and at the same time there are specifics to each culture. I often wonder: Does the effectiveness of executive coaching depend on culture? and How can my own cultural biases help or hinder the coaching process? The answer to the first question is a resounding yes - the power of culture, both organisational and national, plays a central role in shaping coaching dynamics and outcomes. But the reasons are more complex than simply recognising cultural differences. Whether it's how feedback is given, how trust is fostered, how decisions are made or the preferred leadership style, understanding the influence of culture can enhance the success of executive coaching.
The Cultural Context of Coaching: Why It Matters
Culture is a system of invisible forces that shape how individuals and organisations perceive, experience, think and behave. It determines how leaders communicate, resolve conflict, and build trust. So, it's no surprise that the culture of an organisation, as well as the broader national culture, can significantly influence the outcome and effectiveness of coaching.
1. Organizational Culture: The Internal Ecosystem
Every organisation has a unique culture. Its key dimensions are a set of shared vision, values, strategies, behaviours and norms. Culture translates into what to focus on, governance, leadership, ways of doing business and, more generally, how people interact with each other, the customer and all stakeholders. Culture creates the environment in which executive coaching takes place and often determines how receptive leaders are to coaching interventions and what they expect from them.
For example, in organisations with a hierarchical culture, leaders may expect a more directive coaching approach, focused on strengthening authority and control. They may also see the coach as an expert, a figure of authority, and seek their expert view, solutions and advice.
Let's note that this dynamic has more to do with consulting or mentoring. It is different from the "classic" coaching dynamic, which derives its power from guiding the coachee through questions, so that they can find the best answers for themselves and their environment. It is even fair to say that the two dynamics, coaching and expert advice, although complementary, obey opposing dynamics.
In contrast, companies with a collaborative, team-oriented culture may prefer a more facilitative coaching style that emphasises emotional intelligence, teamwork and transparency. The coaching dynamic then aims to increase the coachee's level of autonomy and ability to foster creative group dynamics. In a parallel process, the dynamic between coach and coachee will not only support the coachee's leadership development, but also inspire them to empower their teams.
When a coach's approach is aligned with the organisation's culture, coaching becomes a natural extension of the leader's development journey. However, when there is a mismatch, coaching efforts may be met with resistance or disengagement.
Misalignment can also put the coachee at risk in their own system. Imagine a manager who succeeds in shifting his or her leadership style from hierarchical to "manager coach" in a company where most top managers value a "command & control" leadership style. The more the coachee succeeds and achieves results in their own way, the more they may become a danger to their boss or peers, which in turn may jeopardise the coachee's future in the organisation.
Therefore, understanding the organisational culture is critical to ensuring that the coaching process is relevant, resonant and effective.
2. National Culture: Broader Implications for Leadership Development
Beyond organisational norms, the influence of national or societal culture is equally important. Geert Hofstede's founding theory of cultural dimensions was the first to provide a framework for understanding how different cultures prioritise dimensions such as power distance, individualism versus collectivism or uncertainty avoidance - all of which influence leadership styles. Since then, many researchers have contributed to the field. Erin Meyer's work brought new understanding to dimensions such as how to build trust, the level of confrontation, the directness or indirectness of feedback, the focus on task versus relationships.
Leaders from high power distance cultures, such as many in Asia or Latin America, tend to expect clear instructions and respect for authority. A coach from a similar culture will intuitively understand these dynamics and may lean towards a more structured, top-down coaching style. On the other hand, leaders from low power distance cultures, such as those found in Scandinavia or the US, may prefer a more collaborative coaching style that emphasises autonomy and individual responsibility.
Attitudes to feedback can also vary dramatically between cultures. In high-context cultures, direct feedback may be avoided to maintain harmony and respect, whereas in low-context cultures, leaders may expect frank and open discussions.
A coach who is attuned to these cultural preferences can navigate sensitive conversations more effectively, fostering a deeper connection with the coachee.
Defense mechanisms and sabotage strategies are also influenced by culture. As Paul Watzlawick, the famous researcher from the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, put it in his book Principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution, "persistence and change must be considered together, in spite of their apparently opposite nature".
It is not uncommon for coachees to have a paradoxical relationship with change. They may want to change without changing themselves. To this end, they may develop - usually unwillingly and often unconsciously - sophisticated strategies to thwart the coaching dynamic.
There are many ways to sabotage the coaching process. Depending on the culture, some may be more common than others.
For example, in cultures that combine a high-power distance with an emphasis on honor, the leader needs to appear strong, knowledgeable and wise at all times. During coaching sessions, they may want to prove to the coach that they are a great leader and turn any coaching question that addresses their challenges into an opportunity to boast about their actions. This particular sabotage strategy is all the more likely if the coach has been pre-selected by the company's HR department. The coachee may then see the coach not only as an expert, but also as a member of the company's power circles.
In cultures where power distance is low and personal gain is high, there is a risk that the coachee will move quickly through the coaching process, coming up with solutions to their challenges that look great, but systematically resist addressing deeper issues or systemic impacts.
Although sabotage strategies do not necessarily occur and are not necessarily culture related, developing a refined cultural awareness will certainly help the coach to anticipate and defuse such strategies.
The Powerful Benefits of Cross-Cultural Coaching
While understanding cultural differences is critical, there's another layer to the equation: the impact of having a coach from a different culture. At first glance, having a coach from a different culture may seem like an obstacle, but in reality, it can offer tremendous benefits. Here's how:
1. Broadening perspectives and challenging assumptions
Any corporate or national culture will tend to promote the very people who best demonstrate what is most valued in that culture. This process often results in leaders who over-express the leadership style valued in their culture. At the same time, it often numbs other talents and can even lead to blind spots. Leaders who have spent years in one cultural context - be it national or organisational - can fall into the trap of thinking that their way of doing things is the only way.
One of the greatest benefits of cross-cultural coaching is the enhanced ability to broaden a coachee's perspective. A coach from a different cultural background can help the coachee see his or her challenges, leadership style and organisational dynamics through a new lens. The coach will help the coachee understand how his or her cultural norms influence his or her behaviour, leadership style and decision-making.
This shift in perspective, which is at the heart of most coaching processes, can stimulate self-reflection and help leaders to identify assumptions or biases they may never have questioned before. By introducing different perspectives, a cross-cultural coach encourages growth and flexibility, ultimately helping leaders to become more adaptable in their decision-making and leadership approaches.
For example, a coachee from a more authoritative, top-down culture might benefit from considering how to lead in a more 'backstage', catalyst style. Similarly, a leader accustomed to individualistic decision-making might benefit from considering how to foster collaboration and shared decision-making by working with a coach from a more collegial culture.
This exposure to different leadership paradigms allows the coachee to become a more flexible, well-rounded leader, able to adapt his or her style depending on the stakes, the needs of the team or the context.
The power of multicultural coaching
Let's zoom in on a technical point. Any given coaching tool or process comes with a set of embedded assumptions, mindsets and values. When coaching across cultures, I make sure to use processes that are transferable and adaptable to the coachee's culture. Where relevant and productive, I will also give the coachee a brief overview of the background to the tools, theories or processes I am using. I will highlight the assumptions involved and then work with the coachee to identify their own assumptions before considering how to transfer and adapt the exogenous process to their own culture and environment.
In this way they will benefit from a dual coaching process. For example, coaching at the identity level of leadership, a question that requires an answer starting with "I want to be ..." might not work in a collectivist culture. It could easily be replaced with "Imagine you are the spokesperson of your leadership team, who do you want to be as a leadership team" and the answer could start with "We want to be...". Having the coachee work with two or more cultural variations of the same process is a great way of enriching the process and getting the coachee to open up to a wider and richer understanding.
Coaching Across Cultures: Mastering the Art of Cultural Adaptability
To maximise the benefits of cross-cultural coaching, it's essential for the coach to be culturally adaptable. A coach who is culturally competent can navigate the complexities of cultural differences, adjust his or her approach as needed, and create a coaching experience that resonates deeply with the coachee.
Cultural adaptability is not only about understanding differences, but also about recognising how one's own cultural background might influence the coaching process. Effective coaches continually examine their own biases and ensure that their methods are flexible enough to meet the unique needs of each coachee, regardless of cultural context.
Unlocking Leadership Potential Through Cross-Cultural Coaching
In summary, the effectiveness of executive coaching is strongly influenced by both organisational and national cultures. When the coaching process is aligned with these cultural contexts, it can lead to profound changes in leadership. However, the real power of cultural diversity in coaching lies in the opportunity to challenge assumptions, broaden perspectives and develop a broader range of leadership skills.
For the coachee, working with a coach from another culture offers the opportunity to grow in ways that go beyond technical skills, increasing self-awareness, cultural intelligence and adaptability. In addition, in a global business world, cross-cultural coaching is becoming an essential tool for developing the next generation of leaders. Ultimately, the most successful coaching engagements for leaders whose organisations face global markets and challenges are those that recognise the influence of culture and use it to develop more adaptable, globally minded leaders. The next time you embark on an executive coaching journey, consider how cross-cultural coaching could be the key to unlocking your full potential.
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