LEADERS IN EXECUTIVE COACHING

How has executive coaching developed in South Africa?

The sector has expanded dramatically in recent years, but there are still only a handful of quality players. That’s why Praesta’s brand values are so attractive over here; clients are reassured by our track record and our adherence to rigorous standards.

It’s as if business is anxious to make up for lost time. South Africa achieved political freedom in 1994 and its evolution is continuing through its drive to bring previously excluded black people back into the business world. The Government has introduced a framework of legislation, supported by voluntary industry charters, aimed at righting the wrongs of the past. Known as ‘Black Economic Empowerment’, the initial objective was to increase the level of black business ownership. This approach has since widened to include management development and training. But it’s not simply a case of getting more black South Africans into the boardroom. There has to be greater emphasis on all aspects of talent management – recruitment, selection, development, retention and remuneration.

The South African business community has recognised that coaching has a major role to play in accelerating change in these areas. Aside from helping clients of all colours to improve their leadership skills, coaching also has a particular role in providing a confidential sounding board to increase black managers’ confidence in their ability to operate at the top level in what has previously been an almost exclusively white, male preserve.

One of the most pernicious effects of apartheid was the way it denied talented black people the chance to participate in business or quality education, thus depriving them of the opportunity to reach their potential. This, in turn, fostered feelings of inadequacy that can be hard to shake off. Coaching can help people of colour rediscover their innate strengths. An indirect spin off is that this can prompt the coachee’s colleagues to raise their game: it’s a case of “if he can get into the senior management team, so can we.”

Are there any coaching issues specific to South Africa?

Yes, apartheid may be over but its legacy will be with us for years to come. I’m using techniques common to the Praesta partnership, but I’m also addressing management issues unique to South African business.

For example, a common dilemma for talented black managers is that they’re in great demand and, consequently, they’re being fast tracked into senior management positions. But the danger is that they job hop and fail to build up a solid foundation of skills and experience. Then the Peter Principle kicks in and they start getting promoted beyond their level of competence. They may have all the right qualifications, but effective leadership isn’t just about getting an MBA; you need to have practical knowledge of how businesses work and how people interact within them. One coachee put it this way: “You help me access more of my own wisdom.”

And, unsurprisingly, there are also cultural and language differences. The South African white male business culture is all about directness – people saying what they think and expecting an immediate response. By contrast, black people often prefer to take a more conversational approach that maintains mutual respect and avoids possible confrontation. That danger is that, in a boardroom setting, this consensual style could be seen as a lack of assertiveness. The key is to combine the best of both styles – retaining the African emphasis on dialogue but bringing this closer to a style appropriate for more urgent decision-making.

Is South African business receptive to new ideas?

It depends who you’re talking to. Most of my clients come from multinationals or major South African businesses with international interests and I’ve been very encouraged by their enthusiasm for learning and their positive response to change.

Take, for example, the issue of women’s career progression, particularly at the top level. South African business leadership, like the UK, remains largely a male preserve, but this macho, autocratic approach to management is gradually eroding. I’ve just staged (working with Mairi Eastwood) a series of talks based on the highly regarded, Praesta-originated ‘A Woman’s Place is in the Boardroom’. We presented to over 600 executives from some of the country’s major companies and it was evident that there was genuine commitment to the adoption of more female-friendly policies in the workplace.

This is just one instance of a definite move within South Africa to celebrate and promote diversity and talent in all its forms.