San Francisco Bay Area Executive Coaching

Hiring an Executive Coach: Select for Support and Ability to Challenge

Hiring Your Executive Coach

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders are engaged in an executive coaching program? How does your organization hire its’ executive coaches?

One of the most powerful questions you can ask is “What should we look for when hiring the right executive coaches for our company leaders?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent leaders have a well thought out plan for selecting the right coaches in their executive coaching program.

Select for Support and Ability to Challenge

Executives are hired for their strengths. We don’t expect them to show uncertainty, express fear or naturally ask for help. Executives who wish to grow, however, must do these very things.

You’re more likely to open up to a coach who creates a safe, confidential environment. Coaches accomplish this in part by demonstrating that they understand you and respect your interests, values and concerns. This enables you to feel accepted, be honest about your thoughts and feelings, and be more willing to try new behaviors.

But coaches must be more than cheerleaders. They need to provide challenges that motivate you to perform beyond your habitual behaviors and perceptions; confront you directly, yet non-judgmentally, with the impact of your actions; and courageously probe the motives and assumptions underlying your behaviors.

Coaches who lack the capacity or courage to push you out of your comfort zone aren’t doing their jobs. Some learning is achieved only through discomfort.

Using the Coaching Relationship

Good coaches will use their personal experience with you to teach you about yourself. How you treat your coach reflects how you treat others.

The way you select your coach is significant. Do you see the coach as a subordinate? A vendor or outside consultant? An authority figure whose primary relationship is with your boss? How do gender, race or other personal characteristics influence the way you interact with your coach?

Effective coaches will detect and decipher the subtleties within their clients’ interactions. They will provide feedback on how one’s behavior impacts other relationships and goals. Pick a coach who can raise issues impartially and show you how your behaviors affect others.

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help company leaders have a successful executive coaching experience by choosing executive coaches who are the right fit. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].

Leadership Development in Recessionary Times: Choosing the Right Executive Coach

Leadership Development in Recessionary Times

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders are enrolled in an executive coaching program? How does your organization assess and select its’ executive coaches?

One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “What factors have contributed to the success of choosing the right executive coaches for our company leaders?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent leaders have a clear plan for picking the right coaches for their executive coaching program.

In times of recession, companies must do more with less. Providing executive coaches to high-potential performers is one way to get the most out of untapped talent.

Willingness to be coached and a good fit are two of the key ingredients for a successful coaching relationship. This was reinforced in a January 2009 Harvard Business Review survey, in which researchers queried 140 top coaches about what companies should look for when hiring a coach.

According to the HBR article, there are two basic hiring rules:
1. Ensure executives are ready and willing to be coached
2. Allow them to choose the coach

Unfortunately, many executives select a coach based on referrals from colleagues, without adequately considering personal needs. The person sponsoring the engagement usually sends a few coaches for interviews and asks the executive to select one based on “fit.” But what does a good fit actually mean, and how do you avoid hiring a coach who feels right but may not challenge you to grow?

Without a greater understanding of what happens in a coaching relationship, it’s difficult to make a fair assessment and pick a good match. As the client, you should do the choosing, but you need some criteria to make the best selection.

In Your Executive Coaching Solution (Davies-Black, 2007), Joan Kofodimos says a coach should achieve most of the following:
1. Strike a balance between supporting and challenging you
2. Help create feedback loops with colleagues
3. Assist in clarifying your true strengths, values and purpose
4. Provide structure in the development process
5. Broaden your perspectives
6. Teach concepts and skills
7. Maintain confidentiality
8. Influence how others view you

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help company leaders have a successful executive coaching experience by choosing the right executive coach. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].

Executive Coaching Obstacles to Success: Factors Contributing to Failure and Negative Coaching Outcomes

Obstacles to Success

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders are enrolled in an executive coaching program? Is your organization measuring the success and failure factors of your executive coaching program?

One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “What factors have contributed to any lack of success in our executive coaching program for company leaders?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent leaders collect data on successful and unsuccessful outcomes of their executive coaching programs.

Factors Contributing to Failure and Negative Coaching Outcomes

In Clients

1. Serious psychological problems
2. Serious interpersonal problems
3. Low self-awareness
4. Lack of motivation
5. Insufficient openness
6. Excessive defensiveness
7. Unrealistic expectations of the coach or the coaching process
8. Political priorities
9. Lack of follow-through on homework or intervention suggestions

In the Coach

1. Insufficient empathy for the client
2. Lack of expertise or interest in the client’s problems or issues
3. Underestimation of the severity of the client’s problems or issues
4. Overreaction to the client
5. Unresolved disagreements with the client about the coaching
6. Poor technique (e.g. inaccurate assessment, lack of clarity on coaching contract, poor selection and/or implementation of methods)

Candid feedback between the executive coach and client during the first couple of weeks is critical to assess whether the coaching alliance will be productive. A decision can then be made to suggest another coach or that coaching may not be the appropriate resource at this time. Other resources including possible psychotherapy can be discussed and referral sources made available.

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help company leaders have a successful executive coaching experience.

You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].

Executive Coaching Programs for Organizations: Maximizing Resources and Coaching

ROI of Executive Coaching

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders are engaged in an executive coaching program? How do leaders in your company or law firm measure the cost effectiveness of executive coaching programs?

One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “How does our company leadership measure the return on investment of executive coaching programs?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent leaders align executive coaching programs with the company strategy.

Maximizing Resources and Coaching

A coaching program that is carefully conceived as a part of the overall organizational strategy will be cost effective. The cost of coaching can be measured against other development options such as seminars, which might involve multiple days and travel expenses. Even so, training and workshop lessons are retained more effectively with the help of a coach. When a situation calls for coaching, the most expensive coach is no coach.

One return-on-investment study on executives from Fortune 1000 companies revealed an average of almost six times the cost of coaching programs, with improvements in productivity, quality, organizational strength, customer service, and shareholder value.  They received fewer customer complaints, and were more likely to retain executives who had been coached.

In another study, a coaching program produced a 529% return on investment and significant intangible benefits to the business. Including the financial benefits from employee retention boosted the overall ROI to 788%.  

Skilled executive coaches can help leaders can explore their strengths within the context of the organization, work more effectively with their teams, develop leadership skills, inspire others and be more focused and effective. The masterful coach helps link the leader’s personal goals with the business strategy of the organization.

When Coaching Goes Wrong…

To be optimally effective, the coaching program with executives must be well managed and aligned with other organizational goals and processes. Failure to do so is a primary source of problems. Organizations new to coaching may not be aware of the need to manage and oversee this activity. Even so, there are some factors that may arise no matter what. Having a sponsor or program manager can help limit damage and wasted resources.

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become a leader who matches their personal coaching goals with the business strategy of the organization.

You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected]

Executive Coaching for Resilient Leaders: Defeating Resignation in a Tough Economy

Resilient Leaders

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders remain hopeful in tough times?  How do leaders in your company or law firm create urgency leading through a crisis?

One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “Do our company leaders model good change management skills when the going gets tough?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent leaders are adept at conveying why change is necessary.

Defeating Resignation in a Tough Economy

With the current state of our economy, it's easy for some leaders to feel helpless.
The result is in an inability to motivate and inspire their people and possible business failure.

The first step in getting out of this place of resignation is tapping into your self-awareness the foundation of emotional intelligence. You need to be aware of paralyzing beliefs before you can change them.

The second step is to question the beliefs underlying your resignation. What would you have to believe to feel the way you do?

“Our business strategy isn’t working and I don’t know what to do”.

Is this true? Can you really know? Or is it just a belief that you bought into?

The third step is to generate a new belief and then take actions that support it:

 “Our leadership team can create an innovative new strategy that will succeed
 in today’s challenging business climate”.

You can buy into the story of hopelessness or you can create a new story of possibility and opportunity. Proactively changing your story and underlying belief will help reenergize you and get your business back on track.

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become a leader who develops effective interpersonal relationships. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].

Executive Coaching for Exploring Resistance to Change: Planning for Resistance

Exploring Resistance to Change

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders are engaged in an executive coaching program? Are the leaders in your company or law firm proactive in planning for resistance when executing a new strategy?

One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “How does our company leadership handle resistance to new initiatives?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent leaders further develop their leadership skills by exploring any resistance to change with his or her coach.

Planning for Resistance

Leaders can receive help from the executive coaching experience in planning for the inevitable resistance that will occur when executing a new plan. After some initial compliance, things often go back to the way they were before. Kegan and Lahey write about this powerful force of non-change in their book, How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work (Jossey-Bass 2000). They have a term for it: dynamic equilibrium.

It can be highly productive to work with a coach to preview outcomes and plan for resistance. Since many leaders are high in optimism, it may be helpful for them to look at things from another perspective. They must also be encouraged to face their own internal resistance as well. When the executive and the coach explore resistance to change in advance, they increase the chance that they will stay the course to push through the resistance.

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become a leader who actively explores any resistance to change. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].

Executive Coaching for Taking Action: In the Moment Feedback

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders are engaged in an executive coaching relationship? How open are leaders in your company or law firm to in the moment feedback?

One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “Does our company leadership encourage participants in an executive coaching program to receive regular feedback?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent leaders are excited about further developing their leadership skills by being open to being observed in action by his or her coach.

Moving into Action

Observation by the coach of the executive in action is another opportunity. This provides a clearer picture of the complexities of organizational and personality dynamics. Being able to give the executive real-time feedback is a valuable tool when done properly.

There are other key opportunities to provide feedback to an executive, providing the coach is acutely aware of the intricacies of communications. It requires the coach to give feedback to him or her regarding what goes on in the moment. The dynamics that occur between coach and executive often mirror those that go on with others in the work group. It is this finely tuned ability of the executive coach to observe and to feed back information to the leader that can make for a powerful coaching experience.

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become a leader who links personal and business goals. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].

Executive Coaching for Achieving Goals: Linking Personal and Business Goals

Achieving Goals

Are you working in a company or law firm where leadership requires people to establish goals when engaged in an executive coaching relationship? How do leaders in your company or law firm assess an individual’s success in achieving goals in their executive coaching program?

One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “Does our company leadership encourage participants in an executive coaching program to link personal and business goals?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent leaders are excited about further developing their leadership skills by achieving both personal and business goals.

Linking Personal and Business Goals

There may be insufficient time and attention during the contracting phase in defining goals and outcomes for the coaching relationship. Surprisingly enough, many executives have trouble defining what they want out of coaching.

There are two kinds of goals for leaders to work on in executive coaching — business goals and personal goals. Getting external results is linked to what the leader has to do differently in order to get business results. The personal goals must follow the external business goals.

During the contracting phase with the executive, it is the executive coach’s responsibility to ensure that the goal-setting conversation is sequenced for best results.

• Encourage the high potential leader to name the business results needed.
• Find out what team behaviors need to be different to accomplish the results.
• Explore what personal leadership challenges the executive faces in improving these results and team behaviors.
• Identify specific behaviors the leader needs to enhance or change personally.

The goal setting process is not as easy as it may appear. Many busy executives have a bias for action and operate in a fire-ready-aim mode. It may be necessary for the executive to slow down long enough to establish clear goals. Sometimes a business situation is ambiguous and it is difficult to clarify what work process or human relationship goals would support achieving the bottom-line result. The coach who persists in inquiring about these specific goals will help an executive toward better focus and effective action.

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become a leader who links personal and business goals. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].

Top Ten Tips to Overcome Insomnia…Guaranteed to Put You to Sleep!

Overcome Insomnia

Are you working in a company or law firm where employees come to work sleep deprived?  Does your company or law firm provide wellness programs that encourage employees to get a good night’s rest?

One of the most powerful questions one can ask is “Am I getting enough sleep at night so that I am ready to go to work in the morning feeling refreshed and relaxed?” Emotionally intelligent people get proper amounts of sleep so they are able to be their best at work.

Top Ten Tips to Overcome Insomnia

The following tips can help you get a better night’s sleep feeling refreshed and relaxed and fully engaged at work.

1. Develop a regular sleep time -- even on weekends. Get up about the
    same time seven days a week. Going to bed at the same time is less
    critical.

2. Set up pre - sleep rituals. Assume a specific sleep posture. Indulge in
    a pleasant fantasy.

3.  Keep a daily sleep log.  Documenting sleep habits often shows areas for
     improvement.  

4. Sleep on a comfortable bed. Condition yourself into using your bed for                    
    sleep (sex is OK, too).

5. Set aside worry or planning time earlier in the day so you don't take your
    worries to bed.

6. Whether to nap is controversial.  A 20 minute break during the day may
     renew your energy.

7. Exercise regularly -- preferably not two or three hours before bedtime.

8. Cut down on stimulants such as coffee, tea, colas and chocolate. Drink
    only in moderation

9. Don't go to bed stuffed or starved.

10. Practice stress management and relaxation techniques regularly.

                                                                   “America’s hidden nightmare. “ -- William Dement

  
Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become an inspiring leader who is well rested and full of energy. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged and aligned with the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

I am currently accepting new executive coaching and career coaching clients. I work with both individuals and organizations. Call 415-546-1252 or send an inquiry e-mail to [email protected].