Executive Coaching

The International Coach Federation defines coaching as “an on-going professional relationship that helps people produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers, businesses or organisations. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life.”

Executive coaching enables business leaders and high-potential managers to develop their personal effectiveness and thereby enhance their individual performance and organisational impact. Coaching supports the advancement toward more senior career positions as executives build leadership and management competence; and is valuable in the following situations:

First 90 days: when a leader has just been promoted or taken on a new role, to enable him or her to establish credibility with subordinates and other colleagues, and quickly deliver tangible results that also lead to longer-term success.

Personal impact: in complex organisations where success depends on those who do not report to you, to develop confidence, build strong internal relationships through personal credibility and the ability to influence, and establish from colleagues commitment to your own goals.

Organisational change: when leading change in culture, people, processes or systems, to develop leadership presence, gain the proactive support of diverse groups within the firm, and overcome passive resistance.

Cross-cultural engagement: when leading in an international organisation, to develop the capacity to communicate with and engage groups and individuals from diverse national cultures; also applies to situations involving different organisational cultures, such as when a leader is dependent upon successful interaction with both business and technology colleagues.

Expatriate performance: on an international assignment, to deal with the effects of culture shock, maintain high performance in leading colleagues of diverse backgrounds, and manage the conflicting demands of regional versus global priorities.

We adopt a systematic, flexible approach that encourages sustainable personal development alongside the achievement of career and organisational goals. Individuals first examine what motivates them, what their strengths are, and what might hold them back. This understanding then informs a programme geared toward attaining (and demonstrating) performance improvements through the development of self-awareness and a commitment to new behaviours. For change that lasts, we coach individuals to coach themselves.

A one-to-one coaching programme, customised to the individual leader’s development needs and career goals, typically lasts from six to twelve months and may include face-to-face sessions with e-mail and telephone support between meetings. Coaching may be enhanced by, for example, a confidential 360 performance review, to understand what goals and development needs are to be prioritised.