Our experience has taught us that effective coaching should:
- Be part of a comprehensive strategy designed to increase organizational capability.
- Be done within the context of business performance objectives.
- Be a three-way partnership between the company, the person being coached, and the person providing the coaching.
- Contain quality standards yet follow a flexible framework in order to obtain the best possible results.
- Be tailored to address the performance and individual goals of the person being coached.
- Use mutually agreed upon metrics to determine success.
One on one coaching for key executives focuses on identifying and building the new skills and perspectives required to succeed. Examples of conditions in which coaching can be useful are:
- A highly technical or entrepreneurial CEO moving from product development and sales to building an executive team and organization
- A functional executive moving into a general manager or executive staff role that requires an overall business perspective
- A newly promoted VP needing to cultivate more strategic thinking and empowerment skills
- Managing fast growth or large-scale changes that occur through M&A activity, an IPO, or major shifts in business strategy
- Preparing high potential leaders for their next role
- Key executives with performance issues
The coaching process has several typical steps:
- 360 Assessment – Interviews are conducted with direct reports, key stakeholders and boss to determine strengths, weaknesses and any opportunities to improve effectiveness of relationships and results.
- Goal Setting and Development Plan – Specific goals and timeframes for improvement are determined based on the assessment results, and agreements are made about how the development will occur.
- Coaching Sessions – These may include a combination of 1:1 sessions, design and support of executive team strategic planning and team building sessions, and facilitating conversations with key stakeholders and the executive’s manager.
Review and Evaluation of results – Periodic review of progress against goals and
