Approach

Our coaching services are focused on guiding individuals towards developing personal insight into leading and serving from an optimal state of being. We help individuals understand how to leverage the power of awareness in order to gain clarity, wisdom, and understanding of their behavior, performance and potential.


Outcomes

  • Insight into patterns of behavior that are effective and ineffective in contributing to success
  • Develop optimal ways of thinking
  • Understand strengths and weaknesses and how they impact performance and work relationships
  • Identify techniques to improve development areas and leverage strengths to achieve success
  • Recognize opportunities for personal growth and development
  • Develop a roadmap to realize your personal leadership vision


Benefits of Executive Coaching1

  • Individual Level- Significantly improves skills and performance (e.g., self-awareness, self-efficacy, mindfulness, confidence, communications skills, teamwork, job satisfaction, problem solving, relationships, stress levels)
  • Organization Level- Meaningful impact on business results (e.g., productivity, business deliverables, customer service, profitability, retention, cost reduction)

1 Feldman, D.C., & Lankau, M.J. (2005). Executive coaching: A review and agenda for future research. Journal of Management, 31(6), 829-848; McGovern, J., Lindemann, M., Vergara, M., Murphy, S., Barker., L & Warrenfeltz, R. (2001). Maximizing the impact of executive coaching: Behavioral change, organizational outcomes, and return on investment. The Manchester Review, 6, 1-9; Smither, J.W., London, M., Flaut, R., Vargas, Y., & Kucine, I. (2005). Can working with an executive coach improve multisource feedback ratings over time? A quasi-experimental field study. Personnel Psychology, 56 (1), 23-44; Luthans, F., & Peterson, S.J. (2003) 360-degree feedback with systematic coaching: Empirical analysis suggests a winning combination. Human Resource Management, 42 (3) 243-256; Laske, O.E. (2004). Can evidence based coaching increase ROI? International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 2(2), 41-53; Orensetin, R.L. (2006). Measuring executive coaching efficacy? The answer was right here all the time. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 58 (2), 106-116; Wasylyshyn, K. M., Gronsky B., & Haas J.W. (2006). Tigers, strips and behavior change: Survey results of a commissioned coaching program. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 58, 65-81. Jarvis, J. (2004). Coaching and buying coaching services: A guide. London: CIPD http://www.cipd.co.uk/guides; Olivero, G., Bane, K. D., & Kopelman, R. E. (1997). Executive coaching as a transfer of training tool: Effects on productivity in a public agency. Public Personnel Management, 26 (4), 461-469.


Choosing An Executive Coach

"Anyone can call themselves an executive coach and purport to have the necessary qualifications and competencies needed to provide executive coaching. Only recently (within the last 5-10 years) have groups of executive coaching professionals begun to organize themselves into professionally administered organizations. Yet, although groups now exist that have agreed upon standards for executive coaching education and training, no group is officially recognized by any state or national legal authority. Presently, it is a 'buyers beware' market." - A Work Behavior Analysis of Executive Coaches published in the International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring (2011)

An effective executive coach should have advanced knowledge of human behavior and in-depth experience and understanding of business environments.

Psychologist are the most uniquely qualified to define what is required to be an executive coach when behavior change is the desired outcome1. They are better prepared to establish safety in the coaching relationship, confront the individual on the reality of his or her behavior, and leverage test data2. However, a psychological background alone is not enough. Experience in an organizational setting and understanding of business and management is also necessary to be effective3. Industrial/Organizational (I-O) psychologists in particular have in-depth practical and relevant experience in organizational settings such as assessment, measurement and evaluation, change management, adult learning and development, leadership development, performance management, organizational behavior, and team dynamics4.

1 Brotman, L.E., Liberi, W.P., & Wasylyshyn, K.M. (1998). Executive coaching: The need for standards of competence. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 50, 40-46; Kilburg, R.R. (1996) Toward a conceptual understanding and definition of executive coaching. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 48, 134-144; Sperry, L., (1993) Working with executives: Consulting, counseling, and coaching. Individual Psychology, 49 (2), 257-266; Sperry, L., (1996) Corporate Therapy and Consultation, New York: Brunner/Mazel. In Kampa-Kokesch, S., & Anderson, M. (2001) Executive coaching: A comprehensive review of the literature, Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 53, 205- 228;

2 Brotman, L.E., Liberi, W.P., & Wasylyshyn, K.M. (1998). Executive coaching: The need for standards of competence. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 50, 40-46.

3 Kilburg, R.R. (2000). Executive Coaching: Developing Managerial Wisdom in a World of Chaos. Washington D.C., American Psychological Association; Wasylyshyn, K. M. (2003). Executive coaching: An outcome study. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice & Research, 55 (2), 94-106.

4 Selecting a Coach: What Industrial/Organizational Psychologists Bring to the Table Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology http://www.siop.org/workplace/coaching/selecting_a_coach.aspx

Questions To Ask a Prospective Coach

  • What is your coaching philosophy?
  • What can I expect out of the coaching relationship?
  • How do you build rapport in a coaching relationship?
  • What is your coaching process?
  • How do you assess strengths and development areas?
  • How long is an average coaching assignment and how do you measure success?
  • What industries have you coached in and at what levels in the organization?
  • How is confidentiality managed?
  • What is your knowledge and experience in the following areas?
    • Individual Assessment
    • Measurement and evaluation
    • Performance evaluation
    • Change management
    • Training and development
    • Organizational behavior
    • Team dynamics
  • What are your limitations in terms of the people and organizations with whom you work?
    • What kinds of people would you NOT work with?

"It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself."