Does coaching work only in Egalitarian societies?
This question emerged from discussion around cultural differences in social structures of societies. In the USA and the Netherlands, for example, inequality is viewed as not good and they strive to eliminate it to be more egalitarian. Whereas in many Asian and Middle East cultures inequality is expected and not a problem.
Coaching is sometimes described as a "partnership" of the coach and coachee "learning together." The meaning of these terms are very different depending on your cultural view of equality in social structures.
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3 comments:
My observations exactly. As I coached a young man in Asia recently, I was stuck many times with his obvious discomfort in me not giving him the answers and was getting frustrated in not wanting to tell his "teacher" the "right" answer. Perhaps our coaching was tainted by a transition out of the mentoring role into coaching, but I believe the observation that the "master/disciple" roles of much of Asia were interfering. I will remember to try to supply much more encouragement and reinforcement in my future attempts at coaching there and perhaps even here in the US in the Asian-American context.
In all cultures where there is high power distance (not only Asia -- Germany for instance in Europe, and most of Latin America) our best approach is not to counter that ("please call me by my first name!"), but to accept the respect and build the relationship on that from the first meeting. Our accepting (rather than contesting) their way of relating will more quickly allow the relationship to deepen and lay the foundation for effective coaching.
John & Les, your observations and solutions are helpful.
When I moved to Indonesia a friend gave me lessons on how to be a godly patron. Lesson one: you are a patron. Accept it. Lesson two: Be a godly patron.
Those of us from egalitarian cultures don't believe social status is real. It is. For them. When we refuse to act according to our status we confuse things and break trust. My practice is to accept and use the status for their benefit.
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