STRATEGYCOACHING 197
become very important for companies to understand knowledge, not only in
academics but also as it exists in companies on the leading edge. If I work
with five companies in technology and entertainment, the sixth company
gets the benefit of what I know from working with the other five. This is not
a competitive issue; the strategic insight may, in fact, be better coming from
another industry. Consider the competition between Encyclopedia Britan-
nica and Funk and Wagnall’s. Both had the same business model, and studied
each other ’s moves closely. Neither saw the advent of the CD-ROM or the
Internet as paradigm-shifting developments that would transform their in-
dustry. One of the strengths a strategy coach brings is world-class practices
from other industries. Over time, the coach collects more and more of that
knowledge.
Fourth, it is very difficult for a CEO to have an open, candid, and free
conversation about strategy. For one thing, it’s difficult for a subordinate to
disagree with a CEO, for fear that the CEO may keep it in mind. The CEO
in turn will wonder if that person has an axe to grind. That’s why CEOs like
to develop a kitchen cabinet that includes people from outside the company
to talk about strategy. If I disagree with the CEO, that’s the only reason I
disagree. I have nothing personal to gain and no axe to grind, and I am cer-
tainly not hesitant to contradict. As a result, the CEO feels comfortable talk-
ing with me about those issues.
A strategy coach must have the ability to ask the right questions as well as
tremendous listening skills. The coach is trying to piece together many dif-
ferent points of view and bring them for ward. She must have a broad base of
knowledge to bring to bear on the challenges the organization is facing and a
distinct point of view about strategy. The coach is thought of as a thought
leader because of this point of view and the knowledge he or she has about
best practices from inside and outside the organization’s industry.
Strategy issues are far too complex for any one person to solve. CEOs need
a multidisciplinary kind of team to manage them. One of the skills that a
strategy coach brings is facilitation across the top management team. It’s very
difficult for members of that team to talk candidly. When two people are dis-
agreeing, the coach’s role is to try to make sense out of that and creatively
solve those tensions.
What I don’t do is solve their problems. I don’t know their business as well
as they do. There’s no way I can tell them what their strategy should be. I can
inform them about the best thinking on strategy today and provide them with
frameworks they should be using to ask the right questions. I can facilitate an
open and candid conversation with the top team. I can push them and prod