Beyond Leadership: Do You Need a Way to Approach Executive Growth & Development?

This article presents a carefully constructed approach to coaching, tailored primarily for executives. The purpose is to describe the distinctive coaching methodology I employ. I have designed this methodology through years of experience in executive coaching, and it has proven effective in achieving success for my clients.

I hope you find my approaches helpful, and I encourage you to consider these methods as a framework for insights and understanding of executive coaching. Unlike one-size-fits-all models, my approaches are always customized to the unique challenges and ambitions of executive leadership roles. This ensures a personalized coaching experience that directly addresses individual and organizational needs. In addition, my record of accomplishment lends the credibility and confidence that every C-suite leader requires. Because my approaches are practical, executives can immediately implement learned strategies, making them a powerful tool for immediate and long-term behavioral change.

The importance of this approach lies in its bespoke design, crafted to cater to executive leaders who seek to enhance their personal and professional satisfaction. It recognizes that each individual or organization has unique development needs and reacts differently to various coaching strategies. The delivery of a bespoke approach is crucial for executives to have a flexible, effective, and transformative executive coaching experience.

The methodology discussed here is not a mere theoretical construct but a systematic approach honed through years of practice. It integrates key principles of adult developmental and social psychology. Paired with innovative techniques, it produces a reliable framework that supports change, development, and growth. At the penultimate level, I hope that the principles identified in this article showcase a roadmap for enhanced leadership development.

What is Executive Coaching from My Perspective?

Executive coaching is a personal and professional development process that sharpens leadership skills and helps leaders realize their goal-directed behaviors. This involves a partnership where I, as a coach, provide support, guidance, and accountability to help you tap into your full potential. All effective working relationships are built from a foundation of trust. Trust propels authentic behavioral change.

In my professional journey, my initial jobs were in labor-management relations, with an eye toward fostering an environment conducive to productivity and harmony. However, the stark realities of labor-management relations led me to shift my focus toward learning and development and supporting the growth and advancement of employees. This journey eventually brought my focus to Executive and Organization Development (OD), granting me the opportunity to work closely with CEOs and other C-Suite leaders worldwide. This broadened my horizons, enhancing my scholarly pursuits and teaching experiences and ultimately leading me to concentrate on coaching top-level leaders.

For me, OD and Executive Coaching are two sides of the same coin, each amplifying the other's effectiveness. Dick Beckhard, a trailblazer in the domain of OD, thought that an organization's success was inseparable from its culture and systemic processes. His work predominantly revolved around individual executives within the organization's context, underscoring the executive's interplay with and impact on these systemic processes. A leader, refined through intensive coaching, can orchestrate such an environment, aligning personal aims with the organization's targets. While OD focuses on refining the organization's systems and culture, executive coaching cultivates leaders equipped to adeptly steer and influence these elements, thereby enhancing performance and productivity significantly.

Executive coaching has a transformative influence on individuals and their organizations. For independent professionals, it serves as a catalyst for enhancing leadership competencies, communication skills, and conflict management abilities while fostering deep self-awareness. Conversely, executive coaching can fuel organizational performance improvement, productivity enhancement, and workforce resilience.

My Core Values in Coaching and Consultation

The bedrock of my coaching and consultation work rests on a profoundly humanistic approach, where I honor the dignity and worth of every individual. Recognizing the unique potential in each person, I aim to create environments where strengths flourish, and areas for improvement can be addressed in a supportive and respectful manner. I firmly believe that every individual and organization possesses an inherent capacity for growth, transformation, and happiness. My role as a coach is to unlock these potentials, fostering a sense of self-belief, resilience, and commitment to an executive's personal and professional journey. This humanistic value system informs every aspect of my work, shaping my interactions with clients and informing my strategies in executive coaching and organization development.

My Methodology

My distinctive methodology for executive coaching merges elements from various coaching models. In this regard, I put to use my training and certifications in various methods, including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (Behavior), the Strong-Campbell Career Interests Inventory, Bill Bridges' Individuals and Organizations in Transitions, Daryl Conner's Managing at the Speed of Change, large-scale group methodologies, Bob Kegan and Lisa Lahey's Immunity to Change Coaching, and Shirzad Chamaine's Positive Intelligence Coaching, among others. My doctoral dissertation focused on the phenomenological and hermeneutic interpretations of leadership among Chief Executive Officers and highly-regarded leadership development consultants. With these and other lenses, I incorporate my know-how and specifically tailor it to each individual, focusing on their strengths, developmental needs, and particular goals.

My unique methodology, refined over years of experience in executive coaching, organization development, and leadership development, operates on a systematic schedule and comprehensive assessment structure. To start, it includes two meetings each month with the client, totaling twelve sessions, offering ample time to delve into challenges, strategize solutions, and track progress. My clients have priority access to me, particularly as challenges, needs, and opportunities arise on an impromptu basis.

An integral part of the methodology is an interview-style 360 assessment involving approximately 8-12 participants. This inclusive feedback approach provides a well-rounded view of the leader's impact, style, and areas of improvement. In this regard, I particularly rely on gifts of discernment, practicing a principle articulated by Peter Block, an Organization Development and Community expert, to be cautious of collecting nonsense from all around.

Next, I assist the leader in creating a developmental plan, ensuring it's realistic, measurable, and aligns with their personal and professional goals. From a former Chief Executive of the Marriott Lodging Group, I learned that all measures in development are not required to be quantitative. The emotional experiences of individuals, their peers, and other stakeholders are appropriate and relevant in constructing meaningful growth and change.

Conversations with the executive sponsor, should one exist, or a Human Resources partner play a vital role throughout the engagement. The first discussion at the beginning of the engagement helps understand expectations and ensure alignment. Typically, I like to have one or two calls during the engagement to discuss progress against the goals and objectives. Finally, a "wrap-up" call confirms client satisfaction with the outcome, establishes the next steps for sustainability, and provides an opportunity for additional feedback.

Often, the process concludes with a closing report summarizing the coaching engagement, achievements, and recommendations for future development. This methodology is designed to foster sustainable growth and leadership development, making a significant difference for the individual and the organization. It is an approach that consistently delivers results that elevate leaders to their full potential. As a coach and consultant, my ultimate goal is to empower individuals and organizations to thrive.

Benefits of My Methodology

My coaching methodology encompasses both personal and professional growth. At its core, the process aims to alleviate pain points often encountered in leadership roles. By addressing these challenges, executives experience a significant improvement in their professional effectiveness and personal well-being. Their relationships with others improve. They gain confidence in their decision-making, better manage stress, improve their work-life balance, and enhance their communication skills, leading to more rewarding relationships at work and home.

Additionally, the approach I employ strongly emphasizes fostering happiness in professional life. Satisfaction is a critical component of overall happiness. When individuals are happier at work, it permeates other areas of their lives, leading to improved personal relationships and well-being. This focus on individual happiness is key to the executive's personal success and contributes positively to their teams' and organization's overall engagement and productivity.

Are You Ready to Elevate Your Leadership?

Potential clients who hem and haw typically waste time and sacrifice progress. In other words, hesitation often signifies a wasted opportunity. It's essential to recognize that change begins when you embark on this journey. It's disheartening to work with clients who are just going through the motions of a regular cadence of coaching meetings. I am not inclined to engage with clients who are not focused on their goals, dismiss the importance of hard work, or resist integrating the results of coaching into their new behaviors. My energy and time, just like yours, are valuable.

I seek clients who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to achieving their goals. I'm happiest working with smart, goal-directed executives who realize that today's actions aren't producing the results and outcomes they and others deserve. My mission as a coach is to work with those ready to leap to improved personal and organizational success.

If you seek to elevate your leadership and make a lasting impact, my approaches can help you achieve your goals, broaden your influence, and contribute to continued meaningful success. In the immortal words of Peter Drucker, a pioneer in leadership development and management, "Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge." It's not just about reaching the top; it's about elevating everyone with you.