Executive coaching - you either love it, hate it, or aren't aware of it.
If you aren't aware of this industry as an HR pro, your lifetime impression of executive coaches is probably contingent on the first executive coach you're exposed to. That's why I'm breaking down the executive coaching industry in a column over at Workforce with scenarios like this one:
"Division head: “Man, we need to get Mike a coach to see if someone can help him work through his issues with developing team-based relationships. Dave, didn’t you tell me you had a coach three or four years back?”
Dave:(Startled that the boss would disclose this in front of the rest of the team) “Umm … yeah, my boss at the time put me in touch with a guy named Dr. Bob.”
Division head: “Who’s he with?”
Dave: “No one. Runs his own coaching shop. Dr. Bob Inc.”
Division head: “How’d that work out for you?”
Dave: “Not so well. We had weekly calls and he tried to coach me up, but I kept being passive-aggressive and berating my direct reports via e-mail. I guess it went about as well as could be expected.”
Division head:“Hmm. Sounds like he did what he could. So let’s get Dr. Bob in to help Mike.”
With scenarios like that happening in your company today, what could go wrong?
You say executive coach, I say new age life coach. I'm picturing Yanni as I write that, by the way. Check out the rest of the column for more riffs on executive coaching.
Working in corporate America I have seen both sides of the executive coaching model. Those that are granola crunching, yoga-loving hippy types and those that are corporate results driven business professionals. Oddly I have seen both do wonders and both totally bomb.
In my experience, (assuming the exec is willing to be coached) the chemistry between the coachee and coacher is most important. Even the best coach won't work if they can not build a good relationship with your exec.
Posted by: Michelle | October 01, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Unless the 'coach' has direct responsibility for ensuring improvement in the employee, the term coach is misplaced. The term should be counselor in situations where the person providing advice has no ramifications if the advice does not cause behavior changes.
I also believe that either coaching or counseling cannot be properly enacted just by obtaining a degree or certificate alone. As I reach the half century mark of life, I'm finally finding that the book and anecdotal knowledge I have had for a long time has solidified such that I could offer 'executive' type insight, but still at a limited level. While I’ve had past confidence in my abilities to understand what the issues are in being a leader for a long time, I no longer find that I'm thrown for a loop anymore when it comes to issues that arise when running the entirety of an organization.
Age begets wisdom. Only when one’s foundation has solidified in terms of leadership should one undertake, and be called, executive leash-holder.
Posted by: twitter.com/Cognizonic | October 01, 2009 at 11:43 AM