The Critical Distinction Between Coaching Readiness and Coachability

Have you ever started coaching even though your instincts were signaling that this might not be the best fit?  Do you ever feel as though you are working harder than the person you’re coaching?  Do you wish they would step up to the metaphorical plate of deeper thinking?

It can be frustrating, and even unfulfilling, when coaching clients don’t play their part in extracting maximum value from coaching. It can hook you into trying even harder to create that value on their behalf.

Your job as a coach is not to create value. Your job is to be a catalyst for the creation of value.

As coaching professionals, we often encounter situations where our potential clients arrive without an understanding of the coaching process or the role they play in making it a success. They’re simply there because someone suggested coaching might be beneficial. This scenario raises an important question: Is coaching truly the right intervention for this individual at this time?

In my exploration of coaching effectiveness, I have been investigating a fundamental distinction that can dramatically impact coaching outcomes: the difference between coaching readiness and coachability.

Beyond Traditional Definitions of Coachability

While many coaching experts have written extensively about coachability — typically focusing on individual attributes like openness to feedback, willingness to change, and capacity for self-reflection — remarkably few have explored the distinct concept of coaching readiness. 

Scholars like Marshall Goldsmith, who co-authored Becoming Coachable: Unleashing the Power of Executive Coaching to Transform Your Leadership and Life (2023) have discussed coachability primarily as an individual trait. They emphasize characteristics such as humility, curiosity, willingness to be vulnerable, and commitment to growth — all valuable insights but focused exclusively on the individual being coached.

While the individual’s mindset, receptiveness, and commitment are undoubtedly important, they represent only one piece of a much larger puzzle.

Why Coaching Readiness Matters

Coaching readiness, by contrast, acknowledges that successful coaching depends on a complex ecosystem of readiness factors that extend beyond the individual. It recognizes that even the most “coachable” person will struggle to benefit from coaching if the broader system isn’t ready to support their development journey. Equally important, it acknowledges that even the most skilled and experienced coach cannot compensate for a system or individual that is not ready for coaching.

This shift in perspective — from an individual-focused view of coachability to a systemic understanding of coaching readiness — represents a change in how we approach coaching effectiveness. It moves us from asking “Is this person coachable?” to the upfront questions of:

• Is coaching the best-fit intervention for the presenting needs?
• Is this the right time for the individual and for the organization?
• How will the whole system support the individual in their quest for change?
• Is the individual prepared to do the hard work of thinking, feeling, sensing, and changing?

Organizational vs. Private Coaching Contexts

This systemic view of coaching readiness is particularly relevant in organizationally sponsored coaching arrangements. In these contexts, the organizational culture, stakeholder involvement, and strategic alignment are formal components that directly impact coaching outcomes.

When an organization invests in coaching, the success of that investment depends not just on individual coachability but on the organization’s readiness to support the coaching process and integrate its outcomes.  And this is where the coaching custodian (the person responsible for the success of coaching in an organization) needs to step up to manage coaching strategically, rather than leaving these crucial elements to the coach.

In private coaching arrangements — where individuals seek coaching independently — these systemic elements still exist, but the coach will assess coaching readiness of the individual rather than the system.

Why This Distinction Between Coaching Readiness and Coachability Matters

The concept of coaching readiness represents a paradigm shift in how we approach coaching effectiveness. While traditional perspectives have placed the burden of success primarily on the individual’s coachability alongside the coach’s ability to coach, my experience reveals this view to be incomplete. This is underpinned by Nicky Terblanche’s and Frederik Kruger’s 2024 research, which examines factors that can impede coaching effectiveness. Their investigation into the causes of unsuccessful workplace coaching aligns with my focus on systemic readiness, reinforcing the need to look beyond individual coachability when evaluating the potential success of coaching interventions.

By distinguishing between individual coachability and systemic readiness, we can see why many coaching interventions fail. And assuming they are well-trained, it’s usually not because of the coach!

Practical Applications

For coaching professionals and organizations seeking to enhance coaching effectiveness, here are some practical recommendations:

What Coaching Custodians Should Do:

1. Assess coaching readiness systematically before launching coaching initiatives, using the checklists presented in Cultivating Coachability (2024).
2. Invest in preparation by clarifying coaching objectives, ensuring stakeholder alignment, and establishing supporting structures.
3. Create transparency around the purpose and process of coaching for all parties involved.
4. Build coaching literacy within the organization so that coaching is understood and valued appropriately.
5. Evaluate compatibility thoughtfully rather than assigning coaches based solely on availability or arbitrary matching.

The Path Forward

My colleague Dr. Sam Humphrey and I are currently conducting research to further validate and refine our coaching readiness framework. By systematically testing each component with coaches and coaching custodians, we aim to provide an even more robust framework for assessing and enhancing coaching readiness.

Our goal is simple: to ensure that coaching interventions deliver maximum value for individuals, coaches, and organizations alike. By distinguishing between coaching readiness and coachability — and addressing both intentionally — we can significantly enhance the effectiveness and impact of coaching engagements.

In today’s complex and rapidly changing organizational environments, coaching has never been more valuable. Ensuring that it’s deployed with appropriate attention to readiness and coachability will help realize its full potential as a transformative intervention.

References

Goldsmith, M., et al. (2023). Becoming Coachable: Unleashing the Power of Executive Coaching to Transform Your Leadership and Life. 100 Coaches Publishing: An Imprint of Amplify Publishing Group.

Kruger, F. & Terblanche, N.  (2024). The Coaching Flipside: Factors underlying unsuccessful workplace coaching interventions and the implication for human resource development, Human Resource Development Quarterly. 1-17

Norman, C. (with contributions from Humphrey, S.) (2024). Cultivating Coachability: How to leverage coaching readiness so thinkers can optimise value – Trusted Coach Directory. Right Book Press.

Norman, C., & Humphrey, S. (2024). Cracking the Coaching Code: The Equation to Measure Coaching Readiness. Coaching at Work. Vol 20, Issue 2, 50-51