How Does an Executive. Coaching Engagement Work? ArdenCoaching.com

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1 How Does an Executive Coaching Engagement Work? ArdenCoaching.com

2 Arden Coaching How Does an Executive Coaching Engagement Work? Executive coaching engagements provide leaders with the tools to be successful in their roles. As leaders move up through their careers, they are not frequently trained in leadership competencies alongside their functional training. Leaders seek the training and development that executive coaching provides in order to sharpen their skills and maximize their impact. If you have been considering working with an executive coach, you naturally want to be as informed as possible, so you know what to expect and can use it to your best advantage. In this ebook, you ll learn: Why businesses turn to executive coaching as a leadership development tool Most common reasons that businesses seek coaching for their executives The process of Arden Coaching s executive coaching engagements What sets Arden Coaching apart from other coaching companies Why Does a Business Turn to Executive Coaching? Typically a business will approach a coaching company when they re interested in advancing an employee s skills and helping them improve their leadership. Perhaps the company has an executive they believe in with great potential, and they re looking to make that person a stronger leader so that he or she will be more promotable. Or perhaps they have identified an area where this executive does not excel that is deterring their current performance: the way they interact with peers, a lack of focus on priorities, inability to think strategically or build a strong team. Sometimes an executive may be eager to improve him or herself and has identified an area of improvement on their own. High level executives are limited as to where they can turn to bounce ideas around or get feedback and perspective, so they may seek a coach to provide that sounding board. 2

3 Some of the most common reasons that businesses/individuals seek an executive coach include: Improving communication style Increasing emotional intelligence Managing priorities more effectively Creating more effective strategies for the department and the company Adjusting to a new role during the first 90 days of their new position Transitioning from one role to another Honing executive presence Arden Coaching s Executive Coaching Program Overview Each executive coaching program lasts for six months. During this time, the coach and the executive work one on one to develop the executive s leadership approach. While based on a tested model, each program is also tailored to the needs of each executive. Alignment: At the start of the engagement, the coach, the executive, and his or her supervisor meet to discuss and determine the objectives of the engagement. Because executive coaching programs are results-oriented, it s crucial that the purpose of the engagement is clearly identified and everyone involved is aligned on its direction. 360-Degree Assessment: The coach performs a 360-degree assessment to assist the executive in gaining a better understanding of him or herself. There are two possible approaches for the 360 Assessment: One option is a quantitative tool called the Leadership Circle Profile. This 360-degree assessment provides feedback on an executive s skill level in leadership-critical areas, while also revealing underlying assumptions that cause their pattern of strengths and limitations. There are many 360 tools available, and while we have access to many, Arden Coaching prefers this tool since it provides incredibly rich feedback that s easily digestible, while still being easy to complete for contributors. The alternative 360 assessment method is stakeholder interviews. During this process, the executive selects up to ten people with whom they regularly interact. The coach then personally interviews each stakeholder for feedback, based on questions the client and coach have created. This leads to a rich amount of data and cultural information that can 3

4 greatly accelerate the coaching process. After evaluating the results of the assessment, the coach and the executive work together to create a development plan to accomplish the executive s goals. The goals in this plan will have tangible results connected to them. Working the Plan: With a development plan in place and feedback from colleagues received, the executive and coach then work through the development plan for six months. They meet up to four hours per month and discuss challenges, best practices and successes. The coach reflects patterns of behavior and thoughts back to the executive so that the executive can start to see themselves more clearly. Through this awareness, the executive will see new opportunities and choices. As the executive experiments with new ways of thinking and acting, it s likely that he or she will go through ups and downs. However, the process was designed to steer the executive towards a goal, and the feedback gathered from the trials and errors can only help him or her to achieve their goals. At the end of the engagement, the executive, supervisor and coach meet again to wrap up the engagement and identify what the next steps are to continue the executive s process. The coaching experience is a ramp to ongoing development and learning that will continue to benefit the executive long after it comes to a close. What Distinguishes Arden Coaching from Other Coaching Companies? Real Results Perhaps the most defining factor of Arden Coaching is the focus on tangible results. During an executive coaching engagement, it s crucial to track the executive s progress and measure the results in terms of their business impact. Tangible measures determined at the outset of the engagement provide a way for the client and supervisor to see the progress. Convenient Locations Arden coaches strive to make the engagement as convenient for you as possible. There are coaches in cities across the United States to ensure that Arden can work with all businesses seeking executive coaching. But if you re not located near a city an Arden coach is located, geography isn t a restriction. Coaching conversations can easily take place over the phone, though it is beneficial for the coach and client to meet in person at least at in the beginning of the engagement. 4

5 Supervisor Updates Arden Coaching is dedicated to collaborating with the executive s supervisor throughout the engagement. When the supervisor is involved, clients can receive real-time feedback on their progress. By understanding what the executive is working on in their program, supervisors can identify improvements the executive is making and provide specific feedback to accelerate the coaching. Experienced Coaches One of the most important factors of an executive coaching engagement is the relationship between the executive and the coach. Arden s coaches are trained at the highest level and have thousands of hours of experience working with executives. It s crucial that an executive chooses a coach whose style matches his or her personality, so Arden allows executives to interview multiple coaches before making the final decision. Selecting a coach with whom the executive has a good rapport with make the engagement even more beneficial. Testimonials To better understand how executive coaching benefits individuals and their companies, learn more about executives experiences with Arden coaches and what they ve been able to achieve as a result of their coaching: You are a tremendous coach. We have done some pretty incredible things in a pretty short period of time. I got a $50M increase approved for my program. I got a new job. I went from hating my new boss to loving her and learning so much from her. I don t think I could have gotten there without you. M.M., director, government agency In working with Arden for a period of a year I found my growth and development in several professional areas improved by leaps and bounds. My leadership and management confidence rose, and relationships with my team and with senior management significantly improved. I felt that my coach was truly invested in my progress. She held me accountable to our goals and at times was challenging, which is all the markings of a great coach. I really appreciated that there were exercises and next steps that continued after our course of work concluded. H.B., V.P., Media Working with Arden was a HUGE return on investment. My experience with my coach was incredibly powerful and a game changer for my career G.S., Chief Marketing Officer, Media 5

6 Years later I am still yielding positive results from the insights I got from our sessions. Client and staff interactions continue to get more comfortable for me. Staff meetings are very interactive and the feedback I have is they are something the staff looks forward to. Thanks for your support and insights. C.D., Project Manager You ve been masterful. I never had the experience of being with someone so relatable, easy to be with, present, and trustworthy. It always feels like a soft place to land. You were the only person who could make a difference with me. I never could have raised this money from the board members last year. I m so grateful and so thankful. J.J., non-profit director It s been an awesome 12 months. I m a better person, wife, VP, mother, daughter. Everyone around me has seen the change. You are able to have me shift my paradigm and shift how I m feeling. You have a skill and art and a way of dropping that seed that allows me to do a deep dive and I come out on the other side having an a-ha moment. L.Q., hospital vice president You ve helped me work thought the inner confidence that has always been there but hasn t come out. You ve given me tools for that to come out which has been really helpful to be more effective. I feel a new sense of maturity as a result of our work. I m very grateful. S.C., promoted to Head of R&D, Consumer Product Company These executives from diverse industries have benefitted immensely from executive coaching. Join them in success by considering executive coaching for your business. Click here to schedule a consultation with one of the esteemed executive coaches at Arden Coaching. 6