Executive and Leadership Coaching
Can you think of a senior executive who could dramatically impact performance and morale where you work if only she or he would learn and grow? You're not alone if you answer yes. 88% of people polled in Fortune 1000 companies did so, too.
As the effectiveness of executives goes, so goes the effectiveness of the organization. Yet, many people are promoted into leadership positions not because they're good managers, but rather because they excel at some other skill. Not surprisingly, people who report to these leaders tell us:
"He needs to give up the one-man show and be a team player."
"She needs to change her personal style and quit rubbing people the wrong way."
"He needs to be more of a manager so we know what's expected of us."
"She needs to emphasize cooperation and build morale around here."
"He needs to quit talking and start listening."
And the list of needs–to's goes on for these sometimes isolated and reluctant leaders.
What is executive coaching?
According to the Executive Coaching Forum, executive coaching is an experiential and individualized leader development process that builds a leader’s capability to achieve short- and long-term organizational goals. It's conducted through one-on-one interactions, driven by data from multiple perspectives, and is based on mutual trust and respect. The organization, executive, and executive coach team up to maximize results.
Our executive coaching process
The endgame for executive coaching is clear-cut. We're there to collaborate with the executive and key stakeholders (peers, customers, supervisors, reports, HR/OD) to ensure the executive’s learning and growth advance organizational needs. This collaboration needs to be bound by clear ground rules, time frames, and measures of success.
We focus first on emphasizing an executive’s strengths, next on ensuring they're actually being used, and finally on building additional knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to achieve objectives. This requires a flexible process, so we use a variety of coaching and learning methods and tools including:
Dialogue • Collaborative problem solving & planning • Scenario planning • Team assessment • Role playing & rehearsal • Communication skills practice • Mirroring • Shadowing • Role clarification • Assumption testing • Priority setting • Recorded audio & video feedback • Learning plan development • Experiential learning • Management & leadership skills development • 360-degree feedback • Resource materials (books, articles, CDs, online tools, films)
Types of coaching we do
Executive coaching doesn't come in one flavor. So it's important to establish from the outset the particular kind of coaching that suits the client and organization's pressing needs. During most coaching engagements—typically three months to a year—there isn't time to do it all. So in the coaching agreement, we define the engagement in one or two of the following terms:
Communication skills coaching—helps individuals become aware of how they come across and learn new ways to communicate.
Emotional intelligence coaching—helps otherwise talented people become more aware of their impact on others and learn to relate in healthier ways.
Feedback debriefing or development coaching—helps executives interpret and establish professional development plans based on 360-degree feedback.
Group coaching—combines the benefits of individual coaching with the resources of groups, so people learn from one another and through group interaction.
High-potential coaching—develops the potential of individuals who are key to the organization’s future.
Legacy coaching—helps leaders who are retiring from a key role to decide on the legacy they want to leave behind and to transition out of the role.
Onboarding coaching—helps new leaders and executives assimilate, and then define, plan, and begin achieving business objectives.
Performance coaching—helps people better understand their job requirements, the competencies needed to fulfill them, gaps in performance, and improvement strategies.
Relationship coaching—helps two or more people improve their interaction for the good of a larger group.
Succession coaching—helps assess and prepare potential candidates for senior management positions in organizations expecting retirements or turnover.
Targeted behavioral coaching—helps individuals who are otherwise successful to change specific behaviors or habits that impede their effectiveness.
Team coaching—helps team leaders and members establish high-performance team basics.