What is Executive Coaching anyway?

Executive Coaching is increasingly being used by a variety of organizations and individuals in a range of sectors.  As I have recently discovered, however, there are many who don't really understand what executive coaching is, where and how it can be applied, and how to get the greatest benefit from its use - both from an individual and organizational perspective.

As a management consultant, executive coaching is one of my key service offerings.  Throughout my health care administration career, I've had the opportunity to be a coach for a number of individuals in my workplace and through my involvement with my professional associations.  I've also had the benefit of having my own executive coach.  Invariably, at the outset of any coaching process, a key theme emerges even though it might be framed in a number of ways - "What is Executive Coaching?"  Most people who are about to be coached don't really understand what they are getting themselves into, how to prepare, or what to expect. 

The challenge with putting a solid definition to executive coaching primarily relates to the reality that there are simply a multitude of circumstances in which it can be applied.  A CEO is going to have very different coaching requirements than a newly minted supervisor.  Ultimately, however, regardless of circumstance I believe that coaching really is about helping an individual develop personal insights, channel effort and energy into growth and opportunity, and develop and support acquisition and application of new knowledge and skill. 

Each coaching situation is unique - as unique as the individual being coached.  This is a critical point.  As the individual pursuing a coaching engagement you are in charge of - or should be in charge of - selecting your coach.  There has to be a fit between who you are, what you are looking for and what your prospective coach can deliver.  Above all there must be the ability to establish a relationship with your coach.  To be as effective as possible you must be able to develop a great deal of trust and confidence in your coach's ability, be comfortable sharing your challenges with them, and be prepared to receive tough feedback from them when necessary.  It should be a very engaging partnership focused on YOU!

So in deciding to use the services of an Executive Coach there is some work for you to do up front.  Be clear about why you - or your organization - wish to engage the services of an executive coach.  Is it to develop your skills in your current role?  Is it to prepare you for future roles in the organization?  Once you settle on the base goal of the engagement next be ready to undertake some form of self-assessment.  Ideally this takes the form of a 360 assessment from a wide variety of your stakeholders - supervisor, subordinates, peers, external contacts - anybody that can help you evaluate your skills and abilities.  It's that assessment and the discussion around its results that forms the basis for developing your personal action plan and ongoing engagement with your coach.  At this point, your coach continues to work with you, provides you constructive feedback, helps you identify options and tactics to develop your skill sets, helps you to question your assumptions, and otherwise works with you to meet your goals. 

You can start to appreciate how critical the selection of a coach is when you consider the nature of the work they will be doing with you as described above.  In addition, this is a relationship that should continue for a period of months if not longer.  Your personal change and development is not achieved after one or two meetings.  So take the same care in selecting your executive coach as you would in making one of your most critical hiring decisions.  You must have trust and confidence in your coach's ability to support and challenge you.  You have to believe that they can help you generate options and solutions to your current and future challenges.  One final note on selecting a coach - I strongly believe that a coach should come from outside of your organization.  This provides greater assurance of objectivity and confidentiality to your personal journey and development.  You may be able to find a mentor within your organization, but you should engage a coach from outside. 

I've focused exclusively on the benefits of executive coaching for the individual.  But organizations often are the ones initiating and supporting the coaching engagement.  To get the maximum results out of this effort, it is clear to me that coaching needs to be intimately tied to overall organizational and human resource strategy.  Otherwise its a nice thing to do but doesn't necessarily leverage all the potential of the coaching resource to the benefit of the organization.  Other human resource initiatives, programs and resources should be tied in with executive coaching so that efforts can be mutually supporting.

Finally, I believe excellent Executive Coaching takes into account not only work objectives but also places work life within the context of the individuals total life.  We all have a broader range of experiences and realities than the time we spend at work.  I believe that in order to be as successful as possible - by our own personal definition - we must balance all aspects of our lives in accordance with our own personal vision and values.  You bring your whole self to work and you take your whole self home at night.  I believe your coach needs to understand the entirety of YOU in order to most effectively support your growth and development as a leader.  Make it so!
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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
TEC Canada Chair/Executive Coach/Senior Consultant
hadubiak@wmc.ca

Helping leaders realize their strengths and enabling organizations to achieve their potential through the application of my leadership experience and coaching skills. I act as a point of leverage for my clients. I AM their Force Multiplier.