In addition to coaching CEOs and other senior leaders one-on-one, I also conduct pair coaching engagements, typically with co-founders or with a CEO and another C-level officer. There's no single best approach to pair coaching, but there are several common arrangements. Here are the configurations I'm most familiar with, and below is more information about the approach I employ in my practice:
1. A pair working together with the same coach as a trio to directly address issues in the pair relationship or other shared challenges. This arrangement may also include occasional one-on-one sessions, but most sessions are held jointly.
2. A pair working with the same coach in parallel one-on-one engagements. Issues in the relationship may be addressed, but that's not the primary focus. This arrangement may also include occasional joint sessions, but most sessions are held separately.
3. A pair working one-on-one with two different coaches. The coaches may confer with each other on how best to support the pair, and all four parties may occasionally meet jointly.
4. A pair working one-on-one with two with different coaches, while also engaging a third coach to work with them as a trio to address issues in the pair relationship or other shared challenges.
Most of the pair coaching I conduct follows the first and second models above. I've worked in trios with co-founders as well as with CEOs and one of their direct reports. I've also worked with co-founders in parallel one-on-one engagements, and on occasion we met as a trio. Similarly, I've worked simultaneously in one-on-one engagements with spouses, but our work focused on their respective professional lives, not their personal relationship.
Beyond a formal pair coaching engagement, I've also met on an ad hoc basis with an individual client's co-founder or another colleague, such as a Board member, although such meetings generally occur infrequently. And I've worked with two (or more) people who were colleagues in the same organization but who had few overlapping duties. In these cases it's preferable that all parties are aware that they're working with me--being transparent about the relationship while maintaining confidentiality around the issues being discussed helps to ensure high levels of trust.
If you and another person are looking to work with me in one of these capacities, I'm happy to talk with you both about that possibility. If you haven't yet seen these other pages on my site, they'll help you get started:
More on my approach to coaching
Availability, cadence, and fees
Photo by Paul Keller.
