Executive coaches speak out

A reader complained about her family’s negative experiences with a pricey but inflexible executive coach, saying they were inclined to dispense with such services henceforth (April 1 and 8, 2016).

I explained that instead of eschewing executive coaching altogether, since it might prove useful, they could instead be more savvy on selecting a more suitable, competent and patient one to guide them.  I also suggested ways to select and maintain a positive working relationship with experienced coaches.

No strings attached

After the series appeared, some executive coaches e-mailed me.  Here are two thoughtful responses.

Frank Holz says: Thank you for the articles. They were interesting and got me to thinking.  I am certified by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and have enjoyed helping people deal with business and career issues.

I deal with differences between coach and coachee in a simple way:  both of us sign an agreement establishing trust, confidentiality and our respective roles.  A statement at the end says that if either of us feels the coaching relationship is no longer useful, then it can end immediately.

There are no strings attached, and both parties can feel as if they have given it their best effort.

You are right that there are not many experienced and certified coaches in the country.  The ICF local chapter tries hard to provide interesting opportunities to learn more about the craft, and even to practice it under the critical eyes of other coaches.

Contact Frank Holz at [email protected].

Broad and deep experience

Bjorn Martinoff directed me to his piece “Selecting a Top Coach for a CEO—A Quick Guide” for a business publication in January.

He eschews the idea of a “one size fits all” coach for everyone: coaches for middle management should be different from those for CEOs.

“The higher you go in the organization, the broader and deeper your experience needs to be,” he says, with less emphasis on employee motivation and more on other areas, such as working with the executive team.

On the business family reader’s complaint their executive coach only knew “soft” skills and could not give suggestions on finance or operations, this is what Bjorn has to say:

“A top-level coach should be able to relate to all areas of life affecting a top-level executive [such as]:  marketing, sales, public speaking, human resources, organization development, talent development, leadership and leadership development at all levels including leading upward, health, emotional wellness, fitness, strategy, branding, personal and professional relationships, networking, social media, career management, CVs, spirituality, reading the market, shareholder management, government relations, time management (different for leaders), prioritizing tasks and activities, remaining centered in challenging situations and how to get the most out of their executive team and the market they find themselves in.”

Coaches come at a price, but Bjorn says the good ones are worth it.

“CEO-level executive coaches, and there are only a few globally, are gaining experience 10 to 20 times faster than CEOs due to their inherently greater exposure to issues, problems, goals, and extraordinary situations. THAT is just part of our job.  We are paid to help and brainstorm to solve the extraordinary … [like] rapid growth, external challenges, turnaround situations, or creating breakthroughs.  And that is why those coaches will earn more than a CEO.  People with that kind of experience simply aren’t found on the job market.”

Contact Bjorn Martinoff at [email protected].