ABSTRACT

If you are a manager who has developed a relationship of mutual respect with your team, individuals will likely look to you for advice and support for making progress in their careers. This is a special application of the coaching skills we have discussed so far. To offer useful career coaching, you need to explore issues that go beyond the workplace and take into account the whole person, his or her stage in life, family issues, and lifestyle. The first part of this chapter presents a career development model that provides a road map in coaching leaders at critical junctures in their careers; it is what I call the “puzzle of career development.” After discussing the model, we apply it to two coaching situations that you may frequently encounter: first, with high-potential junior people on the first few rungs of their management career, and second, with seasoned senior leaders at mid-career crossroads.