Executive Coaching - A Guide For The HR Professional.pdf

This is especially true if it is the leadership of a boss or a peer that
is strengthened. Improvements in the morale of a group can occur.
Individuals may be inspired to start on their own agendas for personal
growth. The “return on investment” from successful coaching
has the potential to be quite large.
With this in mind, you should know how the business relationship
will be defined and how value will be assessed. It will help you
frame your questions and form your answers if you approach the
endeavor as you would approach any business project. To the extent
possible, there will be a clear set of goals and objectives, action plans
with milestones, and a means of evaluating the outcome.
Time Commitments
Executive Breakaway Section 207
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You and your coach will arrive at an understanding of the time commitments
associated with the coaching. This will have been done
in the contracting process as well as in your discussion on ground
rules. Having a schedule and keeping to it are important aspects of
the structure of the relationship. They also are good predictors of a
successful outcome. In today’s business environment, it is very easy
to allow other events and meetings to crowd out your coaching time.
It is common for urgent things to take priority over important
things.
Making changes in your leadership or interpersonal style is the
kind of task that requires continuity. That’s why regular contact
with the coach is important. Making these changes can be difficult,
lonely work. Sticking to the schedule is a shared responsibility of
both you and your coach, but slippage is much more often due to
pressures on the client than on the coach.
Do your best to take responsibility for maintaining the integrity
of the coaching schedule, just as you would for any other business
obligation. Sometimes the coach serves as a kind of conscience,
Executive Coaching. Copyright © 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Reproduced by
permission of Pfeiffer, an Imprint of Wiley. www.pfeiffer.com