A global firm offering coaching services to executives once carried out a poll to find out how much its customers had benefited from its training sessions. The respondents were executives from large (mostly
Fortune 1,000) companies who had participated in either “change-oriented” coaching, aimed at improving certain behaviours or skills, or “growth-oriented” coaching, designed to sharpen overall job performance.
Out of this, around 60% of the executives belonged to the 40-49 age group – considered a prime time for career retooling. Asked to give a conservative estimate of the monetary payoff they got from the coaching, the managers reported an average return of more than $100,000 – or about six times what the coaching had cost their companies.
In short, the main reason why companies are including executive coaching in their mix of talent retention, and talent amplification processes, is that it often delivers the desired results.
Why Coach?
Interestingly, the coaches of such training programmes are rarely as knowledgeable or competent as the C-officer in his or her specific job scope. What they understand really well – and what makes them an expert – is how people think about their thoughts, as this fundamentally frames their perceived reality, relationships and observable behaviours.
In this sense, the trainer focuses on tackling blocks, self-limiting beliefs and leveraging off the participant’s strengths. The fact that the coach is not consulting or “advising” an executive is a key element of the training. Often, the solutions are already within the executive. The coach simply facilitates greater options and clarity, and acts as a mirror to the participant.
During the middle of one such training session, a CEO of an Indian software company had asked me: “Tell me, David, what should I do?” I looked at him and calmly answered: “Should I stop coaching you now, and start consulting? Because that would be at another fee point.” He smiled a few minutes later, realising that he already had the solutions that he had been seeking all the time. I was just there to facilitate a few extra options he had not considered.
A coach’s role in such programmes is pretty invaluable, considering the fact that very little honest feedback might reach the C-officer on a regular basis, or that he might not even have an objective sounding board on a daily basis.
The framing of the relationship
Unless the payment of such service is from the executive’s own pocket, it is vital that a coaching agreement be drawn up, and there is mutual agreement of both the company and the executive concerned. In this, the company may put down its expectations and metrics as to what would be a successful outcome. This will also help the executive understand why the particular programme is of corporate and personal benefit.
Unfortunately, technical coaching skills alone cannot ensure success of such training. Unspoken elements, such as comparative age and professional background of the coach, can affect how a coach is perceived – even though they are not relevant to his ability to deliver the training.
In a nutshell, senior executives like to be coached by someone with whom they feel comfortable sharing their greatest dreams and fears. They expect the coach to ask the right questions so that they get to the point where they need to reach. It might also be a good idea to check what kind of formal training the coach has undergone, his client base, and so on.
Such coaching relationships are most likely to fail in cases where the executive has been forced to attend the programme, or where the metrics of success have not been clearly articulated.
What happens in a coaching session?
A typical executive coaching programme ranges between three and six months, with a mix of face-to-face or telephone coaching, within a span of every 10-14 days. Gaps longer than 14 days are discouraged since too much of momentum may be lost between sessions. Coaching programmes do not usually last long since the idea is not to create a co-dependent relationship. However, it is not uncommon for the coach to be deployed again in the near future to help an executive transition into another role or achieve a new goal.
Before the start of a training programme, a 360-degree tool is deployed to measure the executive’s leadership style and preferences. Inputs are taken from the person himself, his superiors and his direct reports. At each session, distractions, such as beepers and phone calls, are put on hold for the hour. An intense, but friendly, dialogue starts. Here, the coach is often skillfully steering, without over-controlling the flow of the dialogue, and calibrating the executive’s responses, pauses, and moments of clarity about an issue or challenge.
The progress is often highlighted when the executive has a “breakthrough” in terms of self-cognisance or renews energy with greater clarity in a strategic initiative. Both parties need to be bold and frank - the better a coach can handle the ego of a C-officer, the better the outcome will be. C-officers are known for trying to sidestep certain painful issues, and coaches are paid to look out for these and address them, where relevant.
Is it for your company?
Coaching can be a great boon for your company, only if you are clear about what you want out of such a programme, and who will benefit most from it. Ideally, such programmes are meant for executives who have the capacity to deliver the maximum impact out of their improved performance.
Do keep in mind that it takes, on average, three months of effort and coaching to stop a bad habit, or acquire a good one.
David Lim is an executive coach, best-selling author, and a two-time Mt Everest expedition leader. He has helped organisations such as Tata Steel, Maruti and DTZ in 41 cities and 20 countries to improve their teams and leaders through his leadership consultancy - Everest Motivation Team. Contact him at david@everestmotivation.com
Article© David Lim, 2009
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