You will find that when engaged in a coaching conversation that sometimes there may be a need to introduce another role other than the "purist coach" (only asking questions to facilitate the coachee's own thinking and performance). It's also important to note that sometimes the coachee is viewing you, appropriately or not, as a role different than "coach" and it's important to be able to recognise when this is happening.

This five-part series addresses these different roles:

• Coach / Authority
• Coach / Consultant
• Coach / Mentor
• Coach / Trainer
• Coach / Counsellor

This is the second part of this series and the focus is Coach / Consultant.

When YOU choose this role:

• When you need to demonstrate and/or leverage your expertise in either the coaching process or specific topic in terms of conducting a proper "scope of work" with the coachee or the client organisation, from which point you can then co-create/design the coaching programme to best meet the needs of all stakeholders and objectives.
• When you could be providing useful and relevant value and support to the coachee in a session by utilising your problem-solving skills. You need to have permission before doing this though.

Benefits / Pros

• Guiding the client organisation or the coachee individually at the pre-coaching interview level where you're designing how coaching will work, but you haven't as yet commenced coaching.
• Raising the coachee's awareness about useful and relevant problem-solving components such as identifying root causes, brainstorming solutions and project planning the implementation of solutions.
• Both of the above require that you negotiate and set these permissions up front before commencing any consulting or coaching.

Risks / Cons

• It is entirely ethical to "consult" to an organisation/coachee prior to commencing any coaching, so no risks identified here other than if you don't feel qualified or competent in this process. If that's the case, get the knowledge, skills and/or behaviours required further developed.
• When "consulting" with your problem solving skills, you could be limiting the coachee's ability to analyse and solve their own problems if you don't first negotiate with the coachee any boundaries about your role in the process. Set agreements about how you'll use your experience in the field to raise the coachee's awareness about their own situation; what you'll state and question and what you won't do.

When the COACHEE identifies you in this role:

• When they want / need you to be telling them what the solution to their "problem" is.
• When they want / need you to be making recommendations.
• When they want / need you to be implementing the solution for them.

Benefits / Pros

• You can negotiate expectations up front about how the coachee would like you to support them by sharing your topic-related or problem-solving expertise but where you're not specifically telling them what to do, but more aligned with helping the coachee identify options.
• If you feel you have an idea about a solution, you can seek permission to "put it on the table for discussion". Ultimately, it is still the coachee's responsibility to make their own decisions, which might or might not have been inspired by your suggestion.
• Sometimes coachee's have no idea at all about a next step or an option to explore and realistically they might need us to start the process off by sharing an idea based on our experience with the topic or even sharing an idea used by another coachee/client in a similar situation. Sharing the idea sparks new thinking and creativity.

Risks / Cons

• Unless you clarify when you're in the consultant role and have permission to do so and reach an agreement with the client about this, it is unethical to give directions and/or require the coachee to follow your suggestions.

The next issue of "Coach the Coach" will continue this series on understanding the five different roles a coach can perform in addition to being the "purist" coach. Next time: Coach / Mentor.

If there are any topics you'd like me to cover in this column, please feel invited to email me directly with your requests through my website (see link in bio).

Noel Posus is a master coach with 20+ years experience as a professional educator, coach and author. He won the prestigious inaugural "Coach of the Year" award (2008/2009), Finalist in the Coaching Business of the Year (2010) and is an ambassador/leader for the coaching industry. www.noelposus.com