Leadership Coaching Overview

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Although coaching was once viewed as a tool to help correct ‘problem performers’, today coaching is much more widely used in supporting top performers and high potentials. In fact, in a 2004 survey by Right Management Consultants (Philadelphia), 86 percent of companies said they used coaching to sharpen the skills of individuals who have been identified as future organizational leaders.

One-on-one dialogue with an objective third party can provide awareness and a focus that can’t usually be found inside the organization. Complete honesty may even be difficult with an internal mentor, especially if a sensitive issue needs to be worked out. A coach isn’t tied to the company and doesn’t have to be concerned about political consequences of giving very honest feedback or a perspective that is outside the realm of ‘group-think’. The coach is a truth-teller, and can often provide feedback that can guide important changes in behavior. These changes can catapult a manager or leader over hurdles and lead them to further success.

Coaching can provide feedback and guidance real-time; this is one of its greatest values. Working within the context of one’s current position is a very effective way to use coaching to excel. The workplace becomes a living laboratory to test new ways of behaving, communicating, developing others and establishing a leadership brand. Often new behaviors will have a significant and positive impact in a very short period of time. Other changes will be more challenging and take more time.

All managers and leaders can use more feedback. As people assume more and more responsibility within an organization, they tend to get less and less feedback. If they do get feedback it is often unreliable because of the risk involved. Many leaders also plateau in critical interpersonal communication and relationship skills – a coach can add tremendous value in getting at the nuances of human behavior.

Corporate Sponsored Coaching

The idea to engage a coach can come from either an HR leader within the organization or from the executive accountable for developing the person involved. All parties must be committed to the coaching process for it to be successful. Confidentiality and trust become key factors, and although the organization is making the financial investment for leadership development, it is very important that these sponsors are comfortable in releasing some of the control of the process. To enhance the probability of success, detailed reporting of the exchanges between coach and client are not given and meetings with sponsoring parties are transparent to the client.

Three – six months is the typical timeframe for an initial coaching engagement. Many clients, after realizing the value and seeing concrete results, opt to continue for longer periods of time with extended intervals.

Individually Initiated Coaching

It is becoming more and more common for professionals to be proactive and seek out leadership coaching on their own to enhance their career. The value of this process is becoming widely accepted and sought out by leaders and executives of all levels.

Certainly, one has to be open to feedback, open-minded and capable of shifting paradigms of thinking. Coaching can be particularly effective in times of change. Promotions, stretch assignments, and difficult relationships are common challenges. While one may be confident in his/her abilities to take on new roles, he/she may feel find that an independent sounding board and external ally are extremely valuable.

If experiencing high frustration or burn out—a coach could also be the outside expert to help one get to the root cause and make fundamental changes."

Coaching Techniques

Our most powerful technique is the use of truthful and direct conversation. Each person is different, and we base our process on the client’s personality and preference of processing information. However, as part of the discovery process, other techniques may be utilized, if appropriate. These will be discussed with each individual client.

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