Coaching is the process of working one-on-one with an executive to help solve problems and open up new possibilities for leaders and their organizations. The essence of executive coaching is helping leaders transition into a broader awareness of their effectiveness and assisting them in transferring their learning into benefits for their business. Coaching is distinctly different from consulting in that the role of the coach is to develop the leader's perspective, provide the leader with the tools to respond to change, and to initiate new actions as circumstances change. Unlike performance coaching, executive coaching does not focus on the day-to-day performance, but rather on a longer time frame with broader concerns.

To achieve their common goals, coaches typically:

• Share conceptual frameworks, images, and metaphors with leaders.
• Encourage rigor in the way leaders organize their thinking, visions, plans, and expectations.
• Build the leader's ability to deal with new and challenging situations.
• Endorse and sponsors others without having control over them.

Effective executive coaches come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but all successful coaches share the following four characteristics:

• A focus on achieving the leader's goals.
• Partnership with the leader.
• An ability to open the leader's perspectives.
• Links individual and team behaviors to goal accomplishment.

How it Works

The coaching relationship begins with the QuadLead 360 which is a unique 360 assessment that clearly evaluates a leader's skills in two key areas—Leadership Competence and Leadership Character. Twelve essential Leadership Disciplines are evaluated and ranked by each respondent group. The Leadership Disciplines are ranked in terms of priority by each evaluating group. For example, how do Direct Reports rank the need for Coaching compared to the Boss or Peers?

The focus is on your most important leadership issues. We refer to these issues as your High-Impact/ Low Performance areas—also known as your “Red Zone.” Based on the assessment, the coach prepares a program that responds to the leader's personal development goals and strengths. The process typically involves periodic sessions with the coach and the leader. The leader and the coach develop realistic goals that are specific and measurable.