Executive coaching

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Executive coaching: From the outside looking in

Welcome to Outside the Box, home of objective business guidance also known as executive coaching. But what exactly is executive coaching? Think of it this way: Employees look to their managers and bosses and work colleagues for guidance and support, but who do the managers and bosses, the people in leadership positions, turn to for advice? Thats where an executive coach comes in. The concept of executive coaching is for all of those CEOs, presidents and seniorlevel staff who dont have anyone higher up to seek advice from. Not only can coaches provide guidance for top company executives, but theyve got an outside objective perspective, too. So whether youre part of a team at a small business, mid-size company or large multinational corporation, executive coaches can help you help your company. You may be wondering what the utility of executive coaching is. The thought may even be a little intimidating. Do I need an executive coach? But, the question shouldnt be if you need an executive coach so much as could you benefit from one, which is what this Blue Paper explains. It is broken into two main parts, profiles of the coach and the coached. Who are they? What do they do? Why does one need the other? For added expertise, it also incorporates the advice of some pretty amazing folksnamely, esteemed executive coaches from around the country. Their thoughts and ideas are spattered throughout and seek to inspire in youteam member, manager or top-notch CEOthe desire to push your professional skills to the limit and put them to the proverbial test.

The coach: A profile

Who are executive coaches? What credentials should they have? Well, executive coaches are corporate veterans who have already been through the gamut of business experience. They have experience and expertise in strategy and development, structure and organization, communication and conflict, transition and success planningjust to mention a few. Sometimes youll find that they specialize within a specific industry, but thats not always the case. Industry expert isnt usually one of their credentials because their main job is to help others strengthen their leadership skills, oftentimes through positive behavior and more effective methods of communication.

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Executive coaches tend to have long resumes of experience and a strong sense of purpose to prove it. A quality executive coach holds a graduate-level degree in either business management or behavioral studies and complements their education with years of practical experience, especially with situations common to senior-level staff. They are also skilled individuals at applying and understanding analytical tools. Coaching develops leaders in the context of their current jobs without removing them from their day to day responsibilities. - Brian Underhill, Founding partner, CoachSource, Morgan Hill area, California The foundational basis of the relationship between executive coaches and the executives they coach is trust. In a survey of former coaches by the Alexcel Group, two-thirds noted that their engagements involved being a trusted advisor able to provide much needed objectivity.1 That said, even though executive coaches are respected practitioners, they are first and foremost trusted advisors with the knowledge, confidence, and authority to offer the outside perspective 2

What do executive coaches do?

Like you, executive coaches solve problems. By nature, coaches tend to be creative and innovative thinkers. Add to that a wealth of experience to draw from and youve got just the right mix for someone who is not only able to help you improve personal performance, but help you improve in areas you didnt even know you needed to. Think of executive coaches as a voice of reason amidst the chaos. As a business leader in the throngs of project management, deadlines, internal reviews and budget day in and day out, its hard to see how to improve your methods. Being inside the my business box for so long can sometimes skew vision, so that outside the box insight is where executive coaches can really help: Coaches provide that outside objective perspective into the box that is your company. You may be used to reviewing reports for indications of a problem when, really, the problem is something that numbers and analytics cant capture. Coaches can help you find the glitch in your reports, but they will ignore the numbers completely. In fact, they do their job by listening to you and learning about how you manage your team and your company. They take a long hard look at how you
1 Building Your Knowledge Base.Ohio Business Development Coalition - Building Your Knowledge Base | Inc. com. Inc.com, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.inc.com/obdc/vol6/2_building-your-knowledge-base.html>. 2 Do You Need an Executive Coach?Do You Need an Executive Coach? | Inc.com. Inc.com, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.inc.com/partners/cdw/cdw-executive-coaching.html>.
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operate as an individual and then, based on your needs, help you make a change or two by:3 Refining your leadership style Reorganizing your priorities Leading teams effectively Clarifying expectations Developing relationships Simplifying communication Most of us know what we dont do well. What we dont know is how to fix it. What coaches do well is help you fix it by identifying what behaviors are not working for you. - Margot Feldman Kaplan of Feldman Kaplan Consulting, Chicago area, Illinois In the end, you will have more skills to manage your team, especially in a time of crisis like an organizational transition, and you may even see an increase in team performance, too. Oftentimes, the lines of communication are not as open as they could be and executive coaches are experts at spotting ways to help you communicate more clearly with your team. Theyre there to challenge, stretch and develop the critical thinking and leadership ability of the CEO4 and, ultimately, help you grow as a person and a professional.

How do executive coaches coach?

You wont find executive coaches on the sidelines at an important meeting shouting instructions or tips or anything like that. Executive coaches are more personal, more private. They do a lot of listening first, and then they determine the best way forward. Some of them, thirty percent, prefer to follow an established method.5 Thats right. There are different methods to coach executives. Coaches that follow the more established methods, like co-active coaching and Sherpa, are more prevalent in large firms. Among them, 20 percent prefer co-active coaching and 20 percent prefer Sherpa coaching.6 Both methods
3 Blitzer, Roy J. Can Coaching Help Your Business?Can Coaching Help Your Business? - Executive Coaching | Entrepreneur.com. Entrepreneur.com, 11 Feb. 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/200032>. 4 N2Growth. Infographic: The Benefits Of A CEO Coach.Infographic: The Benefits Of A CEO Coach | CEO.com. CEO.com, 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ceo.com/leadership_and_management/infographic-the-benefits-of-a-ceo-coach/>. 5 [Infographic] Executive Coaching Processes.Executive Coaching Processes | Visual.ly. Visual.ly, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://visual.ly/executive-coaching-processes>. 6 Ibid.
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are explained in more detail below. Co-active coaching According to The Coaches Training Institute (CTI), a California-based executive coaching company, the co-active coaching model is founded on the importance of relationship intelligence and how it relates to success.7 It involves self-awareness, relational ability and courageous action. In this coaching model, coaches listen closely to expose and empower the skills a client already has. Karen and Henry Kimsey-House and Laura Whitworth combined forces to author Co-Active Coaching in 2007. They see the co-active coaching model as an [a]lliance between two equals [client and coach] for the purpose of meeting the clients needs.8 It is built on the following ideas: The client is already whole. They are naturally creative and resourceful. Co-active coaching should address the clients whole life. Agenda items stem from the client. From the executive coachs perspective, nothing is wrong or broken, there is no need to fix the clientthe coach does not have the answers; the coach has questions.9 One-on-one interaction with an objective third party can provide a focus that other forms of organizational support simply cannot. - Paul Michelman, Harvard Business Review Sherpa coaching The executive coaches of Sherpa Coaching in Cincinnati, Ohio, use the Sherpa metaphor to illustrate their method of executive coaching. Native Sherpas of the Himalayan mountain range in central Asia interpret weather conditions and looming storms. They know the rugged terrain and various paths; they possess the instincts and essential tools for the climb. Similarly, executive coaches use this method to enable, advise and assist their clients in difficult situations when options are limited.10 They focus on the problem at hand and work with their clients to overcome business obstacles.

7 What Is Co-Active?CTI: Why Coaches Training Institute?: What Is Co-Active?Coaches Training Institute (CTI), n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.thecoaches.com/why-coaches-training-institute/what-is-co-active/>. 8 Whitworth, Kimsey-House & Sandahl (2007): Co-Active Coaching: New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and Life in Ortiz, Armando. Co-Active Coaching Model.BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY EXECUTIVE COACHING GROUP: Co-Active Coaching Model. Bellevue University Executive Coaching Group, 9 May 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://bellevueexecutivecoaches.blogspot.com/2012/05/co-active-coaching-model.html>. 9 Ibid. 10 Sherpa Philosophy. Sherpa Coaching, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sherpacoaching.com/executive-coaching-philosophy.html>.
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The journey to the peak is not without challenges and hardship, immense effort and dedicated commitment. In the Himalayas, both Sherpa and climber ascend together. In the world of business, executive coach and client make the trip to the top together as well.

The coached: A profile

In case youre wondering just how prevalent executive coaches are, rest easy theyre very common. Business leaders from Meg Whitman at HP, Alan Mulally at Ford, Microsofts Bill Gates and Googles very own Larry Page have executive coaches. Perhaps a better question would be who doesnt have one?11 Countless CEOs have called upon the services of an executive coach and their successes, like those listed above, prove the utility of executive coaching. The concept of coaching is not solely meant for the executives, though. If you spot a particularly talented young team member that would make a great manager someday, let them know that they could benefit from spending a little time with an executive coach. Bear in mind that suggesting a coach may be perceived as negative, so keep these tips in mind to avoid any misunderstandings: Schedule a meeting to discuss the option in person and at length. Be as transparent as possible. Then, explain that you see a well of untapped leadership potential, something an executive coach would be well-suited to find and exploit. As businesses grow, so does the competition. Pressure to perform well is then compounded by any number of other problems from internal conflict and transitional change to the negative side effects of globalization and economic hardship. When the going gets tough, the tough get executive coaches. Good coaches I know do not pull punches with feedback they deliver. They seek to be honest brokers with ideas, opinions, and suggestions they gather from stakeholders. Coaches also listen and learn from what an executive says, and seek to share expertise in helpful ways, especially to challenge assumptions. - John Baldoni, Inc.com, Why You Need a Leadership Coach (2012)

11 N2Growth. Infographic: The Benefits Of A CEO Coach.Infographic: The Benefits Of A CEO Coach | CEO.com. CEO.com, 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ceo.com/leadership_and_management/infographic-the-benefits-of-a-ceo-coach/>.
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What are some of the benefits of working with an executive coach?

In a survey of like-minded executives by professional services giant PriceWaterhouseCoopers, coaching clients reported an average return on investment (ROI) of seven times their initial investment.12 A quarter of respondents, however, reported ROIs of 10 to 49 times their initial investment.13 In the business world, an ROI of 49 times the original investment is nearly unheard of. But theres more to coaching than the ROI which they can help you retrieve. Consider this scenario: You are a talented manager recently hired at a semi-successful mid-sized company that does business overseas. Over the years, the organization has suffered from the effects of the recession, but its bouncing back steadily. The board of directors recruited you and your talent to seal the deal. The problem is you dont know the board very well. And, youre counting on the board to help you better understand the companys direction. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to hire an executive coach. You find one to help you better understand the board of directors and, from the get-go, your new-found coach helps you foster a solid relationship. Between you, your coach and the board, you work together to identify areas of improvement and work towards verifiable changes over the course of your interaction. More specifically, executive coaches will: Assist you in adaptive personal communication skills like getting to know board members as individuals. There are big steps, like finding out what their agenda is, as well as smaller steps, like determining how they prefer to be contacted. Suggest streamlining your methods of communication so that youre able to tell the board what you envision for the company and more clearly comprehend how the board envisions getting there. Offer relational advice. As an example, an executive coach may suggest to their client not to ask board members about their colleagues and recommend that they let board members come to them with personal concerns and questions.

12 Symonds, Matt. Executive Coaching - Another Set of Clothes for the Emperor?Executive Coaching - Another Set of Clothes for the Emperor? - Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 21 Jan. 2011. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www. forbes.com/sites/mattsymonds/2011/01/21/executive-coaching-another-set-of-clothes-for-the-emperor/>. 13 Ibid.
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 Act as a facilitator between you and the board in an effort to drive collaboration. The idea is not to highlight what faults and weaknesses you have, but rather to identify your strengths and build upon them. Coaches use their experience and expertise to introduce long-lasting behavior-based changes that will improve your individual performance and your teams performance, as it relates to your business. Working with an executive coach is a developmental experience, one that will endow you with new ways to communicate, make decisions, delegate and manage conflict. In the end, your arsenal of professional skills will be tough to beat.

How do I find an executive coach?

You can see the need for an executive coach and you are interested in working with one, but where do you find one? Begin the search for an executive coach within your own personal and professional network. You never know who your friends and acquaintances may know. From there, check out a professional social media platform like LinkedIn to refine your search, or vette the recommendation your business contacts suggested. If you are located near a university, touch base with a business professor who may be able to help. Ask if they know any executive coaches in the area. If all else fails, try a quick Google search to see what the search results yield. Dont wait to hire one if you think you need one. Part of the secret to effective executive coaching is timing. Timing isas alwayseverything. Executives should seek coaching when they feel that a change in behavioreither for themselves or their team memberscan make a significant difference in the long-term success of the organization. - Marshall Goldsmith, executive coach and author of The Leader of the Future (1996) If you foresee any looming challenges on the horizon, start looking at executive coach candidates sooner rather than later. Get to know them and establish a working relationship before the hardship hits, and you are unprepared.14 Here are some other tips to finding a fitting executive coach: Look at many. Dont zero in on only one or two possible coaches. You may be limiting your options. Consider multiple candidates and weigh their credentials accordingly.
14 Do You Need an Executive Coach?Do You Need an Executive Coach? | Inc.com. Inc.com, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.inc.com/partners/cdw/cdw-executive-coaching.html>.
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 Look at the dynamic. Even though the principal objective of an executive coach is to push you beyond your professional comfort level, make sure you feel personally comfortable working with whomever you choose. Look to a specific goal. Have a clear goal in mind. In your interaction with potential executive coach candidates, use that goal as a frame of reference to determine which is best suited to help you achieve it. Look to the end. If youre considering an executive coaching experience, be thinking at least a year ahead. The average relationship with an executive coach lasts anywhere from six months to 18 months and beyond.15 Look to your leadership. Organization approval is often required before moving forward with an executive coach so ensure that you have permission from the appropriate people.16 Then, down the road, inquire with your superiors as to see if theyve noticed demonstrable improvements in your management skills.17 To further help you identify the right person for the job, orient possible interview questions around their personal coaching philosophy, process and style.18 How will they know how to help you? Also, just as you would ask about past examples of success when interviewing a potential company hire, ask the executive coaching candidate to elaborate on what they consider successful. Lastly, inquire about their metrics. In other words, how did they know it was successful? Have a candid conversation with them. Youll know youve found the right coach when the dialogue gives you a flash-bang moment of motivation.19 Working with an executive coach isnt easy. In fact, it takes a tremendous amount of dedication. An executive coach will challenge your long-held habits and prize ideas, and happily push the periphery of your professional comfort zone. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to embrace the challenge they present.

15 Do You Need an Executive Coach?Do You Need an Executive Coach? | Inc.com. Inc.com, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.inc.com/partners/cdw/cdw-executive-coaching.html>. 16 Michelman, Paul. What an Executive Coach Can Do for You.What an Executive Coach Can Do for You - HBS Working Knowledge. Harvard Business School Archive, 13 June 2005. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/4853.html>. 17 Coaching: The Fad That Wont Go Away.Coaching: The Fad That Wont Go Away | Fast Company. Fast Company, 10 Apr. 2006. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.fastcompany.com/919160/coaching-fad-won%E2%80%99t-go-away>. 18 Andrews, Grace. Leadership: Executive Coaching -- Fuel or Folly?Leadership: Executive Coaching -- Fuel or Folly? | Fast Company. Fast Company, 18 June 2007. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.fastcompany.com/660316/leadership-executive-coaching-fuel-or-folly>. 19 Do You Need an Executive Coach?Do You Need an Executive Coach? | Inc.com. Inc.com, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.inc.com/partners/cdw/cdw-executive-coaching.html>.
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As individuals advance to the executive level, development feedback becomes increasingly important, more infrequent, and more unreliable many executives plateau in critical interpersonal and leadership skills. - Anna Maravelas, executive coach and founder of TheraRising, St. Paul, Minnesota Meet with your coach weekly or monthly or as often as you need or want to. Be mindful of becoming too dependent on their advice. Do not lean too heavily on them because when your time together ends, as it inevitably will, the mission changes: You become the mission leader, a business professional with emboldened management skills fit for even the toughest scenarios the economy, globalization and regional competition might whip your way.

The future in numbers

Twenty years ago, executive coaching was a measure meant for the resident office problem child. That is no longer the case. Today, executive coaching is to develop highly-skilled and highly-valued leaders. Take a look at the numbers five years ago: In 2006, 43 percent of CEOs and 71 percent of senior executive team members had executive coaches.20 Ninety-two percent of coached leaders plan to use an executive coach again. And, most impressive: 63 percent of organizations were planning to increase use of executive coaching in the next five years. Now, six years later, the numbers are an indication that executive coaching is far more than just another passing trend. Forbes writer Matt Symonds writes that corporate titans are committing billions of dollars on executive coaching in the United States each year.21 MBA programs around the world are devoting staggering amounts of money to provide executive coaching for their students as they learn and grow. The Wharton School in Philadelphia recently committed to a two-year coaching experience as part of a program overhaul. Likewise, students at the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) in Berlin, Germany, are spending 5-8 times as much time learning from executive coaches than any other business

20 Coaching: The Fad That Wont Go Away.Coaching: The Fad That Wont Go Away | Fast Company. Fast Company, 10 Apr. 2006. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.fastcompany.com/919160/coaching-fad-won%E2%80%99t-go-away>. 21 Symonds, Matt. Executive Coaching - Another Set of Clothes for the Emperor?Executive Coaching - Another Set of Clothes for the Emperor? - Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 21 Jan. 2011. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www. forbes.com/sites/mattsymonds/2011/01/21/executive-coaching-another-set-of-clothes-for-the-emperor/>.
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school on the continent.22 All of this in an effort to further develop a new breed of extremely self-aware, extremely sharp and extremely talented communicators to lead enterprises of the future. There is a great demand in the workplace for immediate results, and coaching can provide that. - Michael Goldsberg, President of Building Blocks Consulting, Manalapan, New Jersey Oh, yes. The Outside the Box objective perspective is here to stay.

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22 Ibid.
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