“The training sessions were a very rigorous, but very positive experience. Jim Kimberly is extremely thorough, organized and professional, and he also presents information in way that is enjoyable.”
– Nancy Fleming
Senior HR Director
IONA Technologies
What is Executive Coaching?
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 is conducted through one-on-one interactions, driven by data from multiple perspectives, and based on mutual trust and respect. The organization, an executive, and the executive coach work in partnership to achieve maximum impact.
What Is a Coaching Partnership?
• The executive, the coach, and other key stakeholders in the organization collaborate to create a partnership to ensure that the executive's learning advances the organization's needs and critical business mandates.
• It is based on agreed-upon ground rules, time frames, and specific goals and measures of success.
• The coaching partnership uses tailored goals and approaches, including:
- creation of a development plan
- skill building
- performance improvement
- development for future assignments
- exploration, definition, and implementation of the executive's leadership and the organization's business objectives.
• It follows a process that includes:
- pre-coaching needs analysis and planning
- contracting
- data gathering
- goal setting and development of a coaching plan
- implementation of the coaching plan
- measuring and reporting results
- transitioning to long-term development.
• The coach applies several of the following practices, among others:
- problem solving and planning
- rehearsal (role play) and on-the-job practice
- feedback
- dialogue
- clarification of roles, assumptions, and priorities
- teaching and applying a variety of management and leadership tools
- referral to other developmental resources.
• The focus of the partnership is on using the executive's strengths and building the key competencies needed to achieve strategic business objectives
• The partnership involves key stakeholders ("other partners") in the coaching process including:
- the executive's manager
- Human Resources
- Organizational Development or Effectiveness
- Executive Development
- peers, including strategic business partners from other organizations
- direct reports
- other key people in the executive's life.
• Executive coaching is typically paid for by the organization that employs the executive.
• A successful coaching partnership is guided by clear personal values, ethical guidelines, and experiences that establish the credibility of the coaching process and maintain the welfare of the executive and his coworkers
Overarching Principles for Executive Coaching
Overarching principles are the values or inspirational goals that guide the coaching process. These principles provide a compass that the coach, the executive, and other members of the executive's organization will use to set, maintain, and correct their course of action.
1. Systems Perspective
Executive coaching is one of many approaches or types of interventions that can be used to promote organizational and leadership development. The goal of developing a single leader must always be pursued within the larger objective of organizational success. Since executive coaching should be conducted as one of the components of an overall plan for organizational development, executive and coach must both be aware of the larger objectives.
The coach must have enough expertise in organizational dynamics and business management to conduct the coaching with awareness and understanding of the systems issues. Approaching executive coaching from a systems perspective requires the coach to recognize and appreciate the complex organizational dynamics in which the executive operates. The coach ensures a systemic approach through continual awareness of the impact of the coaching process on everyone in the system. Accordingly, the coach encourages a shift in the executive's viewpoint, from seeing himself as separate to recognizing his interdependence with other people and processes in the organization. This approach encourages respect for the complexity of organizational life and an ability to penetrate beyond this complexity to the underlying structures. In effect, the coach helps the executive to see both "the forest and the trees."
Coaching from a systems perspective helps both the coach and the executive assess development needs. By thinking in terms of the big picture and core issues, both partners will understand long- and short-term strategies and how all the pieces of the organization fit together into a whole. A system thinking perspective also encourages both partners in the coaching process to appreciate the impact of the executive's behavioral change on other facets of the organization.
2. Results Orientation
Executive coaching is planned and executed with a focus on specific, desired results. The executive, his coach, and the organization begin by deciding the ultimate goals of the coaching. Then they agree on specific results for each goal. Key members of the coaching partnership sign off on a written coaching plan that specifies expected deadlines for accomplishing each goal. Appropriate measurements are applied to each goal, including follow-up and feedback reports. Actual activities, during and in between the coaching sessions, focus specifically on achieving the agreed-upon goals for the executive and his/her organization.
3. Business Focus
Executive coaching is primarily concerned with the development of the executive in the context of organizational needs. The objective of the executive and his coach is to maximize the executive's effectiveness and contribution to the organization. The coach develops an understanding of the broader business context in which the executive operates, with particular emphasis on key business initiatives directly relevant to the executive. Executive and coach then agree upon specific results that best reflect the business objectives of the organization. Successful executive coaching links a business focus with human processes by closely aligning the executive's development with critical business needs.
4. Partnership
Although executive coaching focuses primarily on individual work with an executive, it is ultimately an organizational intervention. The executive and his coach are obviously at the center of the process, but other stakeholders are also involved. They may include the executive's manager, his direct reports, the Human Resources business partner or generalist, the individual responsible for executive development, training, or organizational development, and other executives or consultants. The time commitment and level of involvement will vary for each stakeholder. However, for the coaching outcome to be of the greatest benefit for the organization as a whole, all stakeholders must see themselves as partners in the coaching process.
5. Competence
Executive coaching requires the use of highly skilled and experienced professional coaches. These coaches maintain high standards of competence and exercise careful judgment in determining how best to serve their clients' needs, choosing the most appropriate methods from their range of expertise.
We believe that competence of an executive coach is not determined by any arbitrary academic degree or coaching certification (although many such degrees or certifications may represent completion of education, training, and objective evaluation on some of the following relevant topics and capabilities). Rather, effective executive coaches are knowledgeable and competent in applying the following areas of expertise: Individual and leadership assessment; adult learning; organizational systems and development; change management; leadership development; business knowledge and expertise (e.g. strategic planning, finance, sales, marketing, the executive's industry and business environment, etc.); and other special areas of expertise demanded by the needs and coaching goals of the executive they coach (e.g. career development, board relations, team building, organizational structure, conflict management, other specific business functions and specialties). They fully understand and adhere to the principles and guidelines in this Handbook. And finally, competent executive coaches are perceived by the executives they coach as capable, independent, practical, and interested in the executive and his/her business, flexible, and able to serve as a good role model.
Executive coaches recognize the limitations of their expertise and provide only those services for which they are qualified by education, training, or experience. They constantly strive to increase their competence through client interactions, staying up to date with best practices in coaching, and continuing education.
6. Integrity
Upon entering into an executive coaching relationship, the executive is placing significant trust in the coach and the organization. He is allowing himself to be vulnerable and open. To ensure that the executive remains receptive to feedback, new ideas, and learning, the organization, coach, and other stakeholders must establish and maintain a psychologically safe and respectful environment.
The relationship between the executive and his coach is sensitive and often private. To maintain this relationship, all stakeholders must be clear in their presentation of issues, organizational information, coaching goals, coaching activities, and ground rules for confidentiality. All partners must adhere to clearly articulated guidelines and rules of engagement. Breaches of trust or actions that run counter to agreements and guidelines are extremely serious, especially if the executive suffers negative consequences such as a loss of reputation, income, or relationship. All parties must therefore function at the highest levels of integrity and candor when engaging in or supporting executive coaching activities.
7. Judgment
Executive coaching is a balance of science, art, and expert improvisation. No matter how many guidelines are developed and followed, successful coaching takes continual stepping back, evaluating the situation, weighing the options, and applying good judgment for well-balanced decisions. An executive's influence is determined not only by his attributes and skills, but also by how others perceive his, plus his match to the needs, circumstances, and culture of the organization. All coaching partners offer different perspectives, which, combined with good judgment, provide the executive with a dynamic learning experience.
There is no recipe for the perfect coaching experience. Along the way, unpredictable challenges, conflicts, and opportunities arise. Whether these situations help or hinder the executive's development depends upon the judgment stakeholders' exercise in an ever-changing work environment.
The original version of this Handbook was developed and copyrighted by The Executive Coaching Forum (TECF). It has been revised significantly from its original form by Jim Kimberly of Sapphire Consulting in the following ways: selected excerpts. TECF endorses the original version of the Handbook only. The revisions are supported by, and are the responsibility of, those people/entities that have made them. To download a full copy of the Handbook, please visit http://www.theexecutivecoachingforum.com/index.htm
Sapphire Consulting, LLC.
P.O. Box 850 Amherst, NH 03031
603-889-1099
© Sapphire Consulting, LLC 2011
