EXECUTIVE COACHING

The executive coach is qualified professional, working with top-tier managers and supporting towards self-awarenes s, clarifying goals, achieving professional growth and unlocking potential. He/she is not a consultant or therapist and usually doesn’t provide advice or solve the client’s problems. Instead the coach poses questions to help managers to solve their problems themselves. 

The executive coach gives confidential support to his/her clients. Asks questions, challenges opinions, helps clarify cases, offers various resources and sometimes, but only with the client’s permission, gives advice. The coach often helps in understanding the results of 360-degree feedback and assists the client in deriving an accurate self-assessment and in building a development plan.

In the past, companies hired coaches to work with “burnt out” managers. Today most companies hire executive coaches to support the development of the potential of management. For some, using the services of a coach becomes a symbol of prestige.

Sometimes business owners or CEOs hire a coach themselves, but most often one is recommended by the HR as part of a development program. The manager may have been promoted recently (transitional coaching), face challenges (for example in the relationship with the team) or be prepared for a higher role. Of course, coaches are still hired to correct behavioral problems and interpersonal conflicts.

Although coaching interventions vary from case to case, the typical coaching process involves a series of phases starting with intake, evaluation, goal setting. Continues with building a plan of development and regular inspection of its implementation. The process ends with the implementation of development goals, most often with a time span of 6 – 12 months.

Conversations between a coach and a client are completely confidential. If the coaching is organized by a company, then the coach could only provide information about the progress, but always with the consent of the client.

Personal facts and details are confidential.

It is recommended live, as much of the communication is non-verbal. Of course, part of the sessions can also be done online with video chat. Personal facts and details are confidential.

Managers should not hire a coach if:

• They do not believe they need coaching, they do not care about feedback and they do not want to change nothing in themselves.
• They need business advice or consultation, i.e. from someone to solve a business problem instead of them.
• Intervention is an attempt to save the career of someone for whom it is already decided to be removed.
• The manager uses coaching as a means to simply transfer his own challenges to someone else.