Executive Coaching is a form of one-to-one learning which allows people to talk issues over with their coach and discuss the topics and skills they would like to develop. As educators, mentors, guides, confidants, and challengers, executive coaches engage with people in customized ways that acknowledge and honour their individuality to bring about holistic development. The coaching process offers both a stimulating and a reflective environment that encourages the coachees to know themselves better. As they devote themselves to the process, they tend to dig deeper to know their strengths, weaknesses and personal style to live more consciously and contribute more richly. The essentially human nature of the coaching method is what makes it work.

The areas which Executive Coaching can help to develop –

• Leadership and Management Skills
• Client Management
• Business Development 
• Time Management
• Presentation skills
• Career Advancement
• Decision making
• Improving Interpersonal Skills
• Delegation Skills
• Overcoming Fears
• Assertiveness
• Optimizing Personal Growth
• Moving from workaholic to calm, balanced leader

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the process work?

Step One: Analyze

Coaching is a two-way communication process that requires the coach and coachee to be fully engaged and motivated. First, the performance gaps of the coachee are identified through series of in-depth interactions. The purpose of this time is to build a foundation of trust and rapport with each other. And, The objective is to drill into the root cause of the behaviour behind each gap. During the session, the coach tends to be curious and ask penetrating questions. The ability to turn over rocks and discover what lies beneath is critical because general conversations often omit essential issues.

Step Two: Conduct

The next step in the coaching relationship is helping the client create a Core Purpose Statement. This statement captures the essence of the person and the leader the client wants to become, which qualities they must develop to do so, what they want to accomplish, and the contributions they want to make. Specific, measurable goals based on clearly defined intentions about achieving the desired transformation are set. Together, they decide upon subsequent steps in terms of the actions and timing of coaching sessions.

The Coach then obtains coachee’s commitment and assurance of effort to accomplish the predetermined activities within the set time while transferring the knowledge and skills the coachee needs to sustain ongoing development.

Step Three: Feedback and Follow up

At the heart of any effective coaching intervention lies a relationship of trust and honest, helpful feedback between the coach and executive. Coaches provide executives with the feedback they may not get from those they work with. Coaching should assist people in discovering and embracing the truth about themselves, the good and the bad so that they can change and grow. Too many people stay stuck and static in their personal and professional lives, repeating the same old patterns and mistakes because they have a distorted idea of who they are and how they perform. Unless people have a realistic view of themselves, especially their strengths and weaknesses, they can not move to a new place and truly realize their potential.

The above process continues until the coveted outcome is achieved. 

Coaching is a systematic set of actions, not a one-time evaluation. Coaching takes time, skill and planning, and the measure of a coaching session’s success lies in its results: If it does not lead to change in the desired behaviours, it hasn’t been effective.

What are the three common reasons for one to consider Executive Coaching?

• You have reached a plateau in your current role. You want to reignite your passion for striving for the next level.

A career plateau is a point where you find your chances at vertical advancement either low or nonexistent. If you suspect you are experiencing a career plateau, or you think one will occur shortly, the best thing you can do is to break out of your slump. When you find yourself on a plateau, ask yourself whether your career goals are the same as when you first entered your profession. Regardless of the answer, determine if the path you are on will help you achieve these goals. During your analysis, you might find your dreams shifted at some point, necessitating a switch in careers. However, if you feel that your ambitions have not changed and you do not feel a pull to switch careers, try finding an Executive Coach. An experienced guide can help you to identify the values you have and discover career avenues that will allow you to contribute at your highest capability level. An executive coach may highlight angles that you have not fully considered yet. Sometimes, just talking ideas through can bring new insights. Having someone on your side who will give you an honest and unbiased opinion is indeed helpful. Coaching can also sharpen your communication and people skills and become a better leader.

• You believe that you simply are not getting the best out of your people and that your team as a whole is not as effective as it could and should be.

Leadership is not quite the same thing as management. People follow leaders because they WANT to, and they obey managers because they must. Exploring the elements of leadership that one needs to build upon to motivate a team’s performance is imperative and should be a continuous process. Striking a balance between professional aloofness and intimacy with your team significantly impacts the respect you attract as a leader.

• The results that you achieve do not seem to justify your efforts.

If you want to continue doing what you have always done, it should come as no surprise that you will get the same results. As you progress in your career, you should keep challenging their status quo with an open mind. Taking necessary action, focusing on the fundamentals enables individuals to unlock and unleash their full potential.

“It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. You only have to be right once, and then everyone can tell you that you are an overnight success” – Mark Cuban

What is the difference between Coaching and Therapy?

Coaching cannot ameliorate deep-seated psychological problems, such as chronic depression. These issues are usually beyond the scope of the coaching assignment and the coach’s qualifications. In such cases, the coach advises the executive to engage with professional therapists having appropriate qualifications. The focus in psychotherapy is more on healing from the past, while Coaching is more on getting you to where you wish to be next.