The Directive Bias

Definition

Coaches have an invisible magnetic pull toward directive coaching—giving advice and suggesting solutions—even when they believe they practice non-directive methods. This bias is not a deliberate choice but an unconscious habit reinforced by relationship dynamics, the need to show progress, and deep patterns of wanting to rescue others from difficulty.

In the Book

Dunbar documents in Chapter Three how coaches often believe they are "mainly facilitative" when they actually adopt a more consultative approach. She draws on her own experience supervising coaches and reviewing recordings: most drift toward the authoritative end of the spectrum despite describing themselves as non-directive.

The book identifies four mechanisms that create this bias: (1) Habit and relationship dynamics — when a coachee appears stuck or distressed, the coach feels pressure to move things forward and begins offering models and answers; (2) Making assumptions — coaches use the Theory of Mind to imagine what others think and feel, then act as though their assumptions are known reality, subtly steering exploration toward their own pre-formed hypothesis; (3) Putting words into people's minds — even small suggestions, tentative models, or paraphrasing can contaminate a coachee's thinking (Dunbar references Loftus's research showing how word choice in questions alters perception); and (4) Unconscious Rescuer drives — coaches may fall into Karpman's Drama Triangle, unconsciously taking on the Rescuer role, which paradoxically keeps the coachee helpless.

Dunbar emphasizes that this bias traps even experienced coaches and is hardest to see in the "middle ground" of coaching, where a coach believes they are being non-directive but is actually leading the coachee toward a pre-determined solution.

Why It Matters

Understanding this bias shifts how coaches approach their work. Instead of trusting that good intentions prevent influence, coaches must actively design their language and session structure to counteract the pull. This creates space for coachees to generate their own insights and solutions, which research shows are far more likely to be adopted than external advice. The directive bias also reveals why coaching often fails: coachees are not actually discovering their own answers; they are being guided toward the coach's answers disguised as exploration.