Executive Coaching - A Guide For The HR Professional.pdf

has to be a sense from both parties that “This is going to work” or
“I trust this person.” Of course, the relationship can be terminated
at any time later on, but there have to be positive feelings at the
outset—or there is no contract!
A contract, memo, or letter of agreement will typically address
the following points:
• How often you and your coach will meet and for approximately
how long, for example, two or three times each
month for about an hour
• A starting and possible ending date
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• The general focus of the coaching, such as project leadership
skills, an abrasive interpersonal style, time management,
or work/family balance issues
• Some sense of how “success” will be measured—how
the wrap-up and evaluation might proceed
• Reporting and confidentiality—who can say what to
whom
• Costs (if the letter is going to the person who pays the
bills)
When asked about which steps are most valuable to the coaching
process, one HR professional from a large technology company
replied: “The contracting phase is critical to do with the client and
the client’s supervisor so that there are appropriate expectations set
by everyone involved. All of the parties involved, the client, the
boss, the HR person and the coach, must understand the goals and
objectives of the coaching. It also helps to convey to the coach the
possible future plans for the client and what is contained in a succession
plan if one actually does exist for that individual. At that
Executive Coaching. Copyright © 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Reproduced by
permission of Pfeiffer, an Imprint of Wiley. www.pfeiffer.com