When coaching we strive to be “charge-neutral”. What does “charge-neutral” mean? Ruth-Ann Harnisch sums it up as “the opposite of a drama queen”. She goes on to explain:
Charge-neutral is a tone, an attitude, a way of being. It’s the opposite of a drama queen. It’s the non-judgmental way to approach a client.
Clients don’t need the coach’s approval or disapproval – the coach’s opinion should be kept out of the coaching relationship. The coach is not there to impose judgment or emotion – the coach is there to support the client. It’s not about the coach’s feelings – it’s about the client’s feelings.
My first coach showed me why this is so important…by judging me. I made a statement about an issue I was facing. The coach received this information and responded with a simple “Oh?” Imagine that word loaded with OPINION. In that moment, I knew the coach was not relating to me AT ALL
… friends, colleagues, proteges, others are welcome to my opinion, but my clients don’t need my judgment.
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Great example Ruth-Ann – I’m guessing you didn’t stay with that coach much longer. The value of charge-neutral is that we can say almost anything that needs to be said in a coaching session and the client is likely to be open to it. But judge the client and they will shut down. You no longer have permission to coach strongly, which is sometimes needed for real progress to be made. And there’s a good chance you’ll lose that client, too.