FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Executive Coaching?
Executive coaching is a professional relationship where a qualified coach partners with an individual (often a senior leader) to clarify goals, enhance performance, develop leadership capability and work through challenging situations or issues.
Who is Executive Coaching for?
It is most often used by executives/leaders who have scope, responsibility and want to embrace how they lead, influence, transition roles or perform at a higher level. It is also used to prepare for recruitment, particularly by those seeking promotion, through assistance with applications, resumes and interview preparation and practise.
When is the right time to engage an Executive Coach?
Any time where you feel that your role requires extra work and/or reflective or lateral thinking. Coaching is particularly used when stepping into a new leadership role, leading or facing major change, wanting to accelerate growth, dealing with complex challenges or hitting a performance plateau. It can also assist people work through their approach after receiving performance feedback that is challenging or unexpected.
What topics/issues can executive coaching help with?
Any leadership issue in a workplace can be worked on with an Executive coach. Typically this includes: leadership presence, influence, strategic thinking, change management, team dynamics, decision-making, communication, managing ambiguity, critical transitions, career directions and progression and overall leadership approach and style.
How does the coaching process work?
Coaching comprises one on one sessions, usually each 60 minutes long and occurring in a series over a period of time. They are confidential, and conducted as a discussion that is focused on a goal set by the client. The coach leads the discussion to help the client reflect on how their goals can be met, this can include providing tools, questioning and examining the context from a range of perspectives. A Coach may encourage their client to take action, try new tools or new approaches between sessions.
How do I choose the right coach?
For a coaching relationship to be successful, rapport and chemistry is important; in fact, coaching style and fit is as important as coaching credentials/qualifications. It is also important that you trust in the Coach so you can be open and honest. It is also useful for the Coach to have experience at your level or in your context, so that they understand your situation and environment.
How long will it take/how many sessions are typical?
A typical coaching package is often 3, 5 or 6 sessions over a 6 to 12 month period and is usually determined by the client's needs and goals. Coaching may also be ad hoc or held as a more regular pattern (eg. every 3 months) where a senior leader/executive works with a coach with whom they have an established relationship. In these coaching relationships, a coach may be called on when a client has a particular goal or issue to work through or as a regular reflective session to consistently focus on their leadership performance.