Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach : Use Your Knowledge, Experience, and Intuition to Help Leaders Excel

Discover the key to becoming an extraordinary coach. Coaching is more than simply learning a process and set of skills. Exceptional coaches draw on their professional experience, knowledge of organizationally relevant topics, strong helping skills, coaching-specific competencies, and most important, their ability to use their own intuition in the service of the client. Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach is the first book that brings all of these elements together to guide readers in developing their own personal model of coaching. Beginning with a self-assessment, readers will examine the core content areas crucial in any coachÆs work, from engagement and goal setting to needs assessment, data gathering, feedback, and development planningùand then learn how to combine that knowledge with the unique perspective they bring to the table as individuals in order to achieve maximum coaching effectiveness. Each chapter includes a case study that brings the practice of coaching to life. Tools include charts, development plans, contracts, and more, plus ongoing discussion of the role of coaching in organizational contexts

Advance Praise for Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach:

'The true experts in the coaching arena have provided a guidebook that demystifies the process while speaking to the high standards and personal insight it takes to truly enable business leaders to be successful. You feel like you are in a dynamic classroom and under their supervision while reading each page.' - Donna Marcus, Global Head of Human Resources, Financial Services

'A rare opportunity to jump-start your effectiveness as an executive coach. The authors’ program offers a truly unique experience … an opportunity to refine your coaching skills with actual clients. Their approach bridges the gap between the theory and practice of executive coaching.' - John Stallings, Director, Organizational Effectiveness, JetBlue Airways

'This book is an indispensible resource for people becoming executive coaches and for experienced coaches who want to be even better at it.' - Hy Pomerance, Chief Talent Officer, New York Life Insurance Company

'Without question, the most thorough explanation and guide I have seen for anyone engaged in coaching or aspiring to coach today’s business leaders.' - Dave Opton, Founder, ExecuNet

'The book is clear, concise, and compelling, a well-written book that gives equal emphasis to the parts played by the coach and by the executive sponsors and managers in a coaching engagement. I believe it will be extremely useful to coaches, sponsors, and clients. It is an essential companion for anyone involved in coaching. - Ed Hoare, President, Life Sciences Europe, Pall Corporation

'The wisdom of these experienced coaches comes shining through on each page. A must-read for coaches at all levels and for organizations that are serious about developing leaders.' - Connie Chartrand, Chief Learning Officer, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

'The guidance you will receive from this book will help you find the coach within you, a unique self that your clients will value. Executive coaching is an art, a discipline, a science, and a craft. These folks get that and help you get it too.' - Kim Lehmbeck, Manager, Talent Development, JetBlue Airways

'Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach is an important book that will change the way coaches, consultants, and human resources professionals help executives perform. Even seasoned professionals will benefit from a renewed look at their personal model of coaching and alternate choices the authors provide.'- Jan Rose, Partner, Mercer

CONTENTS Acknowledgments v List of Figures vi Introduction 1 PART I: FOUNDATIONS FOR BECOMING AN EXCEPTIONAL EXECUTIVE COACH 7 Chapter 1 Your Personal Model of Coaching 9 Chapter 2 Executive Coach Competencies 19 Chapter 3 Foundations and Definitions 24 PART II: TOPICS IN EXECUTIVE COACHING 39 Chapter 4 Managing the Coaching Engagement 41 Chapter 5 Contracting the Coaching Process with Clients and Sponsors 54 Chapter 6 Sponsor and Stakeholder Involvement 63 Chapter 7 Building Early Relationships with Clients 75 Chapter 8 Goal Evolution 86 Chapter 9 Assessment and Information Gathering 94 Chapter 10 Feedback: What and How 106 Chapter 11 Development Planning 117 Chapter 12 Encouraging Dialogue and Stories 127 Chapter 13 Strengthening the Partnership 137 Chapter 14 Using the Partnership to Motivate Chapter 15 Coaching for Leadership 153 Chapter 16 Differences 166 Chapter 17 Closure 176 Chapter 18 What Happened: Self-Reflection and Evaluation 188 Chapter 19 Professionalism and Responsibility 198 Chapter 20 The Role of the Internal Coach 208 PART III: ARTICULATING THE OUTPUTS OF YOUR PERSONAL MODEL 219 Chapter 21 Output 1: Your Approach to Executive Coaching 221 Chapter 22 Output 2: Your Executive Coaching Practice 229 Chapter 23 Output 3: Your Professional Development Plan 235 Chapter 24 Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach: Amber's Story 239 Exhibits 249 Notes 269 Coaching Glossary 271 For Further Reading 273 Index 276 About the Authors 281 Written by five leading executive coaches, Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach is the answer to any businesses'need for more individualized development resources.Drawing on their varied backgrounds, the authors show you that coaching is about more than simply learning a set of skills. Rather, it's a whole-person activity--one in which coaches connect to and serve clients in unique and personal ways to help them grow in work and in life.You'll learn how to draw on your professional experience, knowledge of organizationally relevant topics, strong helping skills, coaching-specific competencies, and most important, your ability to use your own intuition to become a more effective leadership coach.You will examine the crucial content areas that drive their work such as:engagementgoal settingneeds assessmentdata gatheringfeedbackdevelopment planningWith case studies that bring the material to life in each chapter and a plethora of additional charts, development plans, and contracts, Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach continues the discussion of the role of coaching in organizational contexts and equips you to develop your own winning strategies that will advance their careers--and the careers of countless others. Discover the key to becoming an extraordinary coach. Coaching is more than simply learning a process and set of skills. Exceptional coaches draw on their professional experience, knowledge of organizationally relevant topics, strong helping skills, coaching-specific competencies, and most important, their ability to use their own intuition in the service of the client. Becoming an Exceptional Executive Coach is the first book that brings all of these elements together to guide readers in developing their own personal model of coaching. Beginning with a self-assessment, readers will examine the core content areas crucial in any coachÆs work, from engagement and goal setting to needs assessment, data gathering, feedback, and development planningùand then learn how to combine that knowledge with the unique perspective they bring to the table as individuals in order to achieve maximum coaching effectiveness. Each chapter includes a case study that brings the practice of coaching to life. Tools include charts, development plans, contracts, and more, plus ongoing discussion of the role of coaching in organizational contexts Guides readers in developing their own personal model of coaching. Beginning with a self-assessment, this book lets readers examine the core content areas crucial in any coach's work, from engagement and goal setting to needs assessment, data gathering, feedback, and development planning. What does it take to lead a leader? This revolutionary guide explains the core content areas that are crucial in any coach's work and guides readers to develop their own personal, powerful model of executive coaching.