Myths about coaching for leaders

Is the Thai business environment really different?

As a regional executive coach based in Bangkok for the past several years, I've worked with clients of 20 different nationalities - including many Thai nationals. I am often asked, "Is coaching Thai nationals different from coaching executives of other nationalities?"

To help me prepare a full response to that question, and to supplement my own experiences, I interviewed two other Bangkok-based executive coaches, Gerrit Pelzer of Vivo Consulting and Asia Pacific Alliance of Coaches (APAC) president Woraphat Arthayukti. They confirmed five key myths and truths about coaching Thai nationals.

Myth 1: Thais think coaching is for people with problems.

Truth 1: Thais aren't sure what coaching is. Period.

Pelzer says that when he introduces himself to a Thai national as a coach, the most common response is, "Ah, you're a trainer!" Woraphat agrees that there is a lack of clarity about coaching, adding: "It's one of APAC's responsibilities to help educate the Thai public on what coaching is."

In my own practice, I offer potential clients a complimentary one-hour trial session, providing a direct experience of what coaching is - and what it isn't. Once Thais understand the process, they are generally very open to it.

Myth 2: Coaching in Thailand is in its infant stages.

Truth 2: Coaching in Thailand is still in the birthing process.

Pelzer conducted a study of the coaching business in Thailand and found that there was roughly one coach to every 2.2 million people in the country. This compares to 1 coach per 30,000 in Singapore and 1 per 29,000 in North America. Fewer than 20 coaches in Thailand are members of the International Coaching Federation (ICF); only five have ICF credentials and there is no local ICF chapter. Most of the country's coaches have limited experience and little or no formal training.

Pelzer says that Thais sometimes tell him they don't need an external coach because they have "internal coaches" at work - which usually means their bosses. However, due to the fairly hierarchical systems common within Thai companies, there is a strong tendency for bosses to simply "tell" their staff what to do, which is not consistent with what coaching really is.

Lee Guan Liu, a senior leader who worked for three years in Standard Chartered Bank's Thailand business unit, says he explained coaching to Thais as being like the Confucian "master-mentor" relationship, in which the master gives no direct solutions, but inspires an individual to find his or her own answers. A strong advocate of both external and internal coaching, Lee says this approach helped Thais understand the coaching concept better.

Myth 3: Thais aren't receptive to coaching.

Truth 3: It depends.

According to Woraphat, Thai nationals tend to fall into two categories when it comes to coaching: Thais who are more traditional and who have never been outside the country, and Thais who have studied abroad and tend to be more Western in their thinking. In his experience, the latter group is more receptive to coaching.

Does this have an influence on the type of companies that employ external coaches? My own Thailand-based coaching clients have been almost exclusively multinational companies, with only a few local Thai companies. Woraphat says this is also true for his practice, although some large Thai companies, such as Thai Oil, Kasikornbank and Siam City Cement, have begun to hire external coaches. These companies tend to prefer coaches who are fluent Thai speakers.

Myth 4: The Thai coaching market is destined to be small.

Truth 4: There is a market for coaching and tremendous growing interest in the subject.

Pelzer's study found that, while 52 per cent of Thai companies had not yet hired external coaches, 73 per cent of those that had were interested in hiring coaches again. Thirty-six per cent of that 73 per cent believed that the coaching industry in Thailand would continue to grow.

Another piece of evidence was a "Thailand Coaching Society" gathering that took place in June last year. Organised by four independent coaches, an estimated 100 people attended the first gathering, demonstrating a high level of interest and curiosity about coaching.

Myth 5: Culture isn't that important to being a successful coach in Thailand.

Truth 5: An in-depth understanding of local culture is critical to successful coaching in Thailand.

Most Thailand-based coaches I know have found that a deep understanding of Thai culture is fundamental to success in coaching both Thais and expat managers based in Thailand. This may be even more important in Thailand than in other countries, given the uniqueness of Thai culture.

For example, while Western-company cultures tend to be heavily achievement oriented, Thai companies also place significant importance on building relationships. It is difficult to thrive in business in Thailand if a leader or manager concentrates solely on results. Thais tend to do business with people they like and, in most cases, relationships are more important than outcomes. This means that bottom-line-focused Western managers can struggle - or even fail - if this is not recognised.

Avoiding losing face is also extremely important in Thailand. Pelzer points out that you can't walk into a meeting and ask everyone to put their cards on the table. The Thai "kreng jai" concept of avoiding conflict prevents Thais from speaking up and pushing back. With that in mind, coaches who are able to quickly build trust and rapport with their clients will experience the most success in Thailand.

Brenda Bence is a senior executive coach certified by the International Coaching Federation, with offices in both Bangkok and Singapore. She may be contacted at www.BrendaBence.com.