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- 1.
How to optimise the outcome of executive leadership coaching
Copyright © 2014 Viventé Australia
Page 1
How to optimise the outcome of
Executive Leadership Coaching
Executive leadership coaching has proven
itself an effective investment in the
development of an organisation’s talent pool
of existing and emerging leaders. That’s why
today so many businesses seek some form of
executive coaching to support their
leadership.
Because effective executive leadership
coaching addresses ‘professional’ and
‘personal’ aspects that influence an
executive’s behaviour and performance, it’s
easy to become confused by the myriad of
coaching options that are available.
Choosing the right kind of support is essential
to a positive outcome. When a coaching
engagement does not result in the desired
and expected outcomes, the business loses
more than the cost of the engagement. Not
infrequently, the lost opportunity costs are
more than anyone feels comfortable
assessing.
Sorting out your executive coaching options
More than a few unhappy experiences start
with the choice of the coach. The truth is that
the executive coaching business has few
barriers to entry. As executive coaching has
proven its effectiveness, the executive
leadership coaches with the strongest track
record have begun to earn a premium – and
many business and personal life coaches are
eager to join their ranks.
That’s why it’s important to understand a
coach’s background. What kind of coach are
you looking at and what methodology do they
apply? What’s their approach to objectives
and outcomes?
Typically a qualified executive leadership
coach falls in the range between a business
coach and a personal life coach:
A business coach excels in supporting the
strategic and operational aspects of the
executive’s responsibilities, but typically
does not address the human elements of
his or her performance.
A life coach, who is geared to help clients
identify and achieve personal goals, may
address the human challenges revealed in
a business setting.
An executive leadership coach had the
breadth and depth of skills to effectively
connect the professional and personal.
Grounded in business needs and
strategies, these coaches understand that
although emotions, beliefs and values are
personal, they typically influence, affect
and even guide behaviour – the very
foundation of professional performance.
The difference between the three types
becomes clear when you consider the nature
of coaching assignments. For example, one
executive may be reluctant or lack the skills to
manage organisational dynamics or office
politics, and may shy away from the
responsibility. Another executive might
overuse those skills to the point of seeming
inauthentic or overbearing. Who is best
qualified to assist?
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How to optimise the outcome of executive leadership coaching
Copyright © 2014 Viventé Australia
Page 2
How to optimise the outcome of
Executive Leadership Coaching
A personal or life coach with limited
experience in the organisational context
may not know how the politics in an
organisation work.
A purely strategic business coach would
resist providing guidance and expect the
executive to figure out the politics on his
or her own. Although some business
coaches might provide strategies, typically
these prove to be only shallow solutions
because they do not address the personal
barriers to effective behaviour.
An internal mentor, swimming in the
same political environment as the
executive, would also be ineffective, due
to the blind spots or unconscious
acceptance of the status quo.
An effective executive leadership coach
has experience and understands the
political patterns of organisations in many
industries, and so can easily see what’s
going on in the client executive’s milieu.
The effective coach quickly recognises
how the executive needs to play,
identifies any personal barriers the
executive puts up, and develops the
executive’s skills needed to win the game
and achieve the business objective.
In short, an executive leadership coach is an expert in developing an executive’s strengths in both
the personal and professional realms, in real time, with a focus on solving the organisation’s real
problems. According to the specific situation, executive coaching may assist:
Professional Assignments Personal Assignments
To align personal role and function with
organisational success
To develop and implement appropriate
strategies and systems
To communicate effectively up, down,
across and within the organisation, and to
the external stakeholders such as
customers and analysts
To build strong connections, advocates
and a support base
To understand culture’s role in making
operations run successfully and easily
To consciously influence others and the
culture they create
To recognise the impact of personal
emotions, beliefs and values on
performance
To manage emotions, beliefs and values
effectively, including those of self and
others
To build confidence and self‐esteem
To let go of the need to be perfect
To lift out of day‐to‐day tactics and make
time to address strategic issues
To balance work and personal life
To build gravitas and presence
- 3.
How to optimise the outcome of executive leadership coaching
Copyright © 2014 Viventé Australia
Page 3
How to optimise the outcome of
Executive Leadership Coaching
Executive leadership coaching in action
Defining the desired objectives and outcomes
and how to measure them is critical to a
successful Executive Leadership Coaching
engagement. Typically, a coaching program
with an individual executive will further the
goals of the organisation by focusing on one
of these themes:
Coaching ‘up’: Prepares and ensures future
leaders are ready to capitalise on
opportunities as they arise – often aligned to
a clear succession plan.
Coaching ‘In’: Accelerates success in
transitioning to a new role and and/or new
culture
Coaching ‘For’: Maximises an executive’s
potential sooner by building strengths and
addressing gaps to meet objectives in a
development plan.
In each of these situations, an executive
leadership coach with the broader set of
‘personal and professional’ coaching skills can
approach the needs more successfully than a
specialist.
For example, when the challenge is to coach
‘up’, a life coach is unlikely to understand the
organisational and strategic issues. Typically a
business coach can come up with an excellent
strategy and plan for succession but, no
matter how clear such a plan may be, if it’s
not supported, its success is clouded with
doubt. The client executive still faces the
reality of implementing the plan and gaining
the acceptance and support of the
organisation’s people and culture.
Here’s where an effective executive
leadership coach makes all the difference
fostering the kind of communications that
aligns the people and culture with the plan. In
fact, whether coaching ‘for’ accelerated
effectiveness in a current position, or
coaching ‘in’ to a new position, this ability to
align people, systems and culture is the
cornerstone of executive success.
- 5.
How to optimise the outcome of executive leadership coaching
Copyright © 2014 Viventé Australia
Page 5
How to optimise the outcome of
Executive Leadership Coaching
Communication and Confidentiality
Keeps the organisation appropriately informed of
progress towards objectives
Fully protects the confidentiality of the coach‐client
relationship
Process
Grounded in defined goals and measures of success
which reflects business value to the organisation
Includes assessment and development of personal
skills and behaviours that allow the individual
executive to achieve the objectives
Build your leadership effectiveness with Viventé
You can count on the Viventé Australia Executive Leadership Coaching Process to bring:
A three‐way partnership – coaching client, coach and sponsor
Clarity on objectives and measurable outcomes before we start
Diverse skills, knowledge from a wide range of industries, and local and global leadership
experience
Evidence‐based approach
Coach‐matching to best suit the client and the desired outcomes
Well researched tools and robust methodologies
Regular, manageable time together
Tackling real issues in real time
The process is structured so that you have confidence around objectives and outcomes, yet is
flexible enough for just‐in‐time conversations when you encounter a challenge that’s not
anticipated by the plan but is highly relevant to the objectives.
You’ll discover our commitment to flexible, structured processes with your first call. We will take
you through Viventé Australia’s needs assessment methodology which identifies your coaching
requirements and objectives. We won’t start any engagement until we have done that.
Once we understand the nature and scope of what is required, we can guide you to the best
solution. After all, executive leadership coaching may not be the right solution for you right now.
