156 50 TOPEXECUTIVECOACHES
implementation, for example. No matter what level the change initiative is
being driven from, there’s a wide gap between the strategy and the organi-
zation’s capacity to get up and running. Frequently, the people within the or-
ganization find it difficult to perceive the true nature of their situation and
the real barriers to change. An outsider with the right expertise can quickly
size up those conditions and encapsulate them for others to be able to grasp.
The coach provides the blueprint for that journey by defining current reali-
ties, laying out the desired future, identifying critical barriers, and plotting
the way for ward. The coach gets the leaders to face up to reality, identify the
challenges that exist, and build attack plans for getting beyond the barriers.
The coach is there to create momentum, while keeping the organization
motivated and energized toward the end game. To accomplish that objective,
the coach creates alliances with passionate champions to spread the word
from the vantage of key leverage points in the change process. The success of
the intervention is measured not by the credit or recognition heaped on the
coach, but by the achievements of the team or organization as a whole.
Credibility, Trust, and Click
Understandably, the organizational change coach must be able to develop rap-
port with a wide cast ofcharacters. Different job roles, responsibilities, per-
sonalit y types, communication styles, and competence levels will be found
among the key people. Although it may be impossible to be all things to all
people, the organizational change coach must be f lexible and f luid enough to
create click within these situations. The background and skill set of the coach
are critical in this regard.
First of all, the coach must have technical credibility. He or she needs a
solid understanding of the overall business model as well as knowledge of
what each part of the organization is doing. If the change initiative is occur-
ring in a manufacturing environment, for example, the coach who has no ex-
perience in that business may find it difficult to gain traction. Similarly, for
the organization that has just purchased an enterprise resource planning or
supply chain solution, the coach who lacks an understanding of knowledge
and workf low will be challenged to empathize with the difficulties that are
being encountered.
The ideal organizational coach has worked in a functional organization,
preferably one that has mass, meaning that he or she has experience with
the complexities of var ious functions, roles, and responsibilities. In addi-
tion, the coach has studied organizations widely and understands intricacies