6. Blog: When Leadership Coaching Works (And When It Doesn’t), Marshall Goldsmith July 21, 2008
Marshall Goldsmith shares his trademark “pay-only-for-results” philosophy in which he is paid only if the client achieves constructive sustained change as assessed by key stakeholders. He goes on to outline the three criteria that must be met if behavioral coaching is to be successful. First, a client’s key issue needs to be truly behavioral in nature vs. an ethical violation or flawed strategy. Secondly, is the client willing to do the hard work to make the change? Thirdly, does the client have a fighting chance? Are they being coached as a last ditch effort before being fired or do they have the genuine support of the organization behind them.
7. Article: What Can Coaches Do For You? Diane Coutu and Carol Kauffman, Jan 2009
Diane Coutu and Carol Kauffman provide a comprehensive overview of where executive coaching stands today as compared to a decade ago. Their conclusion is that while coaching continues to gain legitimacy, it remains an industry in flux. They conducted a survey of 140 top coaches and identified multiple trends. Coaching has moved from fixing problem behavior in the executive suite to developing the capacity of high potential performers. The median hourly rate is $500. Coaching contracts run from 7-12 months. Roughly 30% of coaches feel certification is very important. The same percentage feel certification is not at all important. Ingredients of a successful coaching relationship include desire on the part of the client, a good fit between coach and client and strong support from management. 45% of coaches feel a background in psychological training is not at all important vs. 13% who feel it is very important. In terms of hiring criteria, buyers look most for coaching experience in a similar setting (65%), a clear coaching methodology (61%) and the quality of the client list (50%). Coaching draws from the disciplines of both consulting and therapy. The qualities that make coaching unique include a focus on the future, the cultivation of individual performance in a business context and the intent to help executives discover their own path. Coutu and Kauffman then devote an entire section to “what the experts say.” Five respected consultant/coaches weigh in on different topics.
Ram Charan, The Coaching Industry: A Work in Progress
As business becomes more complex, future leaders will need ongoing coaching. In addition to influencing behaviors, coaches will need to be able to provide knowledge, opinions and judgment in key areas. These coaches will be retired CEOs or other experts from academia, think tanks and government. Today’s coaching is mostly for middle management serviced by entrepreneurs with experience in consulting, psychology and HR. To raise the bar, the industry needs a strong leader to establish a reputable firm like McKinsey. Coaching firms need to be able to consistently measure ROI. There will be a growing demand for coaching in the BRIC economies because of a youthful workforce entering the ranks of management.
David B. Peterson, Does Your Coach Give You Value for Your Money?
Executive coaching should be able to encompass both professional and personal issues since the demands on senior executives often compromise their home lives. Peterson makes the claim that the more a coach works with a motivated client to improve their personal life, the greater the coaching impact will be in the client’s work life. Given the significant investment a coaching relationship represents, organizations should insist on regular and informal progress reviews.
Michael Maccoby, The Dangers of Dependence on Coaches
As in psychotherapy, the “Dependency Dynamic” can develop in a coaching relationship, where clients start deferring to their coaches. Maccoby highlights two warning signs. 1) A behavioralist coach starts delving into deeper emotional issues without being explicit about that transition. 2)A coach moves beyond coaching and starts to act as a strategic advisor. Good coaches maintain acute self-awareness and don’t cross over these boundaries.
P. Anne Scoular, How Do You Pick a Coach?
Coaches worth their salt are able to explain their methodology, contracting process and metrics for success. They are straightforward about on what is inside and outside of their scope. The coaching industry is moving away from self-certification by individual businesses towards accreditation through an international body. The strongest credential is a happy past customer.
Anthony M. Grant, Coach or Couch?
According to a study conducted by the University of Sydney, 25-50% of people who seek out coaching suffer from clinically significant levels of anxiety, stress or depression. Given these statistics, some executive clients will be experiencing mental health issues. Grant recommends that companies require executive coaches to receive some training in mental health so that they can refer clients to professional therapists when needed.
8. Blog: Before Working with a Coach Challenge Your Assumptions, John Baldoni, March 15, 2013
John Baldoni acknowledges that coaching represents a substantial financial and time investment. He also notes that more often than not, people enter into executive coaching relationships because they have been directed to do so by someone senior in the organization. Recognizing both the investment and the requisite nature of the coaching assignment, he makes suggestions on how a coachee can make the best of the situation. Identify ahead of time what you want out of the coaching process. Ask the coach questions to make sure they are a fit for you. Focus first on concrete early wins as a way to build momentum and motivation.
9. Blog: Get the Most Out of Executive Coaching, Steven Berglas, August 9, 2013
Dr. Steven Berglas offers pointers on how to maximize executive coaching when we are naturally hardwired to resist change. Extrinsic motivators will only motivate us in the short term. We need to develop intrinsic motivators to develop true commitment. The author describes several techniques he uses with his clients. In order to increase receptivity to feedback, a client can ask, “Cui bono?” which literally means “for the benefit of whom?” This mantra is a reminder that feedback is intended to be helpful, not hurtful. A client also needs to realize that they are not going to get a cheerleader as their coach. Finally, a client needs to genuinely commit to the process rather than only participate in it. This requires enough self-awareness to understand that the biggest obstacle is oneself.
10. Blog: Coaching Physicians to be Leaders, Richard Winters, October 7, 2013
Richard Winters discusses the increasing demand for coaching by physicians who have become leaders in healthcare. They trained as doctors to reduce suffering but are now faced with the massive bureaucratic hurdles of healthcare reform. He identifies four major challenges that these physician leaders encounter and presents coaching solutions that have proven successful.
While physician leaders can pursue professional development through multiple venues, coaching enables this kind of growth to “stick” as clients are able to practice and fine-tune leadership as a medical art.
Patterns & Industry Implications
10 Years Wiser
As the survey demonstrates, we have more data now. There is an increased qualitative and quantitative understanding of why and how coaching works. The “triangle” relationship between coach, coachee and client organization is critical to the success of the coaching process. Best practices for managing that triangle are emerging. There is also more clarity around when coaching doesn’t work, particularly if the coachee lacks commitment or the coach strays outside of the coaching role into therapy or consulting.
Concerns voiced in 2002-04 around the psychological “dangers” of coaching and the “Wild West” nature of the industry softened as later articles and blogs suggested practical measures such as increasing general awareness about mental health issues as well as bolstering accountability through measuring ROI.
Not the New Kid Anymore
Over the decade there was a noticeable shift in medium from longer articles in the HBR magazine to short blog posts and tips on the website aimed at executives. I interpreted this as in indication that coaching has become a more mainstream practice. No longer is it newsworthy enough to justify feature articles; rather, HBR readers are more interested in the nuts and bolts of how to get the most out of their coaching experience.
For the industry to mature, movement towards an international accreditation process(such as ICF) was cited as was a desire for a large reputable firm (such as a McKinsey) to set the gold standard for coaching. A theme sounded by many of the authors throughout was the need for self-regulation through focusing on results and developing tangible systematic methods of measuring the end product.
Part of growing up means being the adult in the room. Coaches have the responsibility of balancing political correctness with an appreciation for cultural differences.
Growth Areas
A number of growth areas exist for executive coaching. Several authors pointed to the power of coaching the entire senior team, not just individual executives. Even in one-on-one relationships, coaching results should directly link to the organization’s strategic objectives. This suggests a growing demand for group coaching and therefore a need for coaches to develop that facilitative skillset. I predict that over time the term “team building” will be replaced by “team coaching.”
The demand for executive coaching will grow exponentially in BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) because of the plethora of new companies peopled with young managers rising through the ranks.
Niches within executive coaching will continue to evolve. Healthcare is an example, with physician executives facing leadership challenges particular to their sector. Another specialty niche will be coaching female executives. The Coaching the Alpha Male article from 2004 contained a sidebar addressing female executives as compared to the October 2013 HBR edition which contained four long articles (and the cover story) featuring executive women: Women Rising:
The Unseen Barriers, Great Leaders Who Make the Mix Work, How Women Decide, Women in the Workplace: A Research Roundup.
I suspect this was in part inspired by the May 2013 publication of Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In as well as a response to the changing demographics in the executive pipeline.
Personal Implications
I come out of this research with some clear imperatives for my own coaching practice. The first is to be able to articulate my methodology to prospective clients and their sponsoring organizations. Through the process of creating a coaching model and power tool, I have gained that degree of fluency.
A second step I have taken is to partner with a certified mental health counselor. This relationship provides me with an external and independent sounding board for when I find myself working with clients who may need professional therapy. I will be able to address potential red flags in a confidential setting and make a referral if needed.
Finally, I am committed to developing a rigorous system for evaluating coaching outcomes for my clients. I am drawn to Marshall Goldsmith’s “pay-only-for-results” philosophy in which success is determined in the eyes of key stakeholders. As a starting point, I will incorporate stakeholder interviews and micro 360 reports before and after the coaching process. Gathering quality feedback will be an ongoing process that will help my coaching practice, my clients and the coaching industry tocontinue to evolve and thrive.
[1] Whitmore, John. Coaching for Performance. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2009.