San Francisco Bay Area Executive Coaching

Executive Coaching for Leadership Development - Selecting Good Coaches

Executive Coaching for Leadership Development

I recently spoke with the Human Resources Director of a company regarding providing executive coaching for the company president. The HR Director asked some very pertinent questions to determine fit. She specifically wanted to know how I worked with different personality styles, and my methods for initiating behavioral change.

The HR Director and I spoke about my approach to coaching, and my belief that possessing a psychological understanding of human behavior and business acumen are important competencies for coaching executives. We also spoke of the need for her organization to create a culture where innovation flourishes.

The Human Resource Director is interested in partnering with me in helping the president to become a more motivational and inspiring leader. We further discussed how company executives can benefit by working with a seasoned executive coach.

Selecting Good Coaches

Are there ways to enhance coaching effectiveness? As a profession, it is still sorting out best practices and standards. Even the professional organizations (of which there are too many) do not agree on the core competencies of a coach. Coach certifications can come from any one of several organizations, and the requirements all vary.

This is particularly unfortunate for the person charged with finding good coaches for his or her organization. There are no standard criteria for judging a coach’s value or worth. Perhaps the most reliable indication would be past performance with other clients and organizations.

The problem is confounded by the fact that coaching borrows methods from a diverse background of academics and industries ranging from psychology, business, organizational development, human resources, and even sports. Some excellent Ph.D. level professionals trained in psychology may be suitable for some clients. A retired CEO or entrepreneur-turned-coach may be more suitable for others.

Choosing a coach should not be left to intuition, but many times it is. The interview process should center on previous experience and results. No matter what the coach’s background, he or she should have a high degree of self-awareness and an ability to work well with different personality styles while keeping an eye on behavioral changes and business results.

The process of designing an effective coaching program does not end with the selection of a qualified coach who is a good fit with the corporate culture.

Are you working in a company or law firm where executive coaches are hired to help executives become authentic leaders? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching to help leaders be more effective strategic thinkers? During tough economic times, leaders at all levels need to improve their leadership competence.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Do I know the qualities of a good executive coach?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be more effective at leading and motivating followers.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where authentic leaders motivate others to improve individual and organizational performance . You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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

Executive Coaching ROI Studies - How to Get the Most out of Executive Coaching

Executive Coaching ROI Studies

I recently spoke with the Human Resources Director of a company regarding providing executive coaching for the company president. The HR Director asked some very pertinent questions to determine fit. She specifically wanted to know if I had evidence to support the efficacy of executive coaching for leadership development of executive team members.

The HR Director and I spoke about my approach to coaching, and my belief that possessing a psychological understanding of human behavior and business acumen are critical competencies for coaching executives. We also spoke of the need for her organization to create an organizational culture where innovation flourishes. The Human Resource Director is interested in partnering with me in helping the president to become a motivational and inspiring leader. We discussed how company executives can get the most out of an executive coaching program.

How to Get the Most out of Executive Coaching

Let’s look at three studies that are widely accepted as being quality research.

1. Gerald Olivero, Denise K. Bane, and Richard E. Kopelman, “Executive Coaching as a Transfer of Training Tool: Effects on Productivity in a Public Agency” appeared in Public Personnel Management, vol. 26, no. 4 (1997), pp. 461-469.

Summary: Describes the advantages of one-on-one executive coaching in positively influencing transfer of training. Examines the effects of executive coaching in a local government agency. Thirty-one managers took a management development program followed by eight weeks of one-on-one executive coaching. The study finds that training increased managerial productivity by 22.4 percent, while coaching increased productivity by 88 percent.

2. Andres D. Ellinger, “Antecedents and Consequences of Coaching Behavior,” Performance Improvement Quarterly, vol. 12, no. 4 (1999), pp. 45-70.

Summary: Discusses the use of coaching to facilitate the development of learning organizations. Presents the results of a study to determine the outcomes of coaching interventions. Finds that managers’ commitment to coaching can impact employee, manager, and organizational performance.

3. Carol Patton, “Rating the Returns,” Human Resource Executive, vol. 15, no. 5 (April 2001), pp. 40-43.

Summary: Outlines a nine-step ROI process that determines the value of executive coaching. Claims that this process must be applied consistently throughout the organization. Includes a list of measurement tools and important ROI measurements.

(Source: Morgan, H., Harkins, P., & Goldsmith, M. (Eds.). (2005). The Art and Practice of Leadership Coaching. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)

There are many other studies that show spectacular results from coaching programs. Most do not meet standard guidelines for rigorous measurements. Many are based on anecdotal experiences. Also, the measurement of the perceived value of a benefit is not the same as the measurement of changed behaviors.

Are you working in a company or law firm where executive coaches are hired to help executives become better leaders? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching to help leaders to be more effective at leading others? During tough economic times, leaders at all levels need to improve their leadership competence.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I improving individual and organizational performance?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be more effective at leading and inspiring others.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where authentic leaders motivate others to improve individual and organizational performance . You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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

Executive Coaching For Business Results - Measuring Executive Coaching ROI

Executive Coaching For Business Results

I recently spoke with the Human Resources Director of a company regarding providing executive coaching for the company president. The HR Director asked some great questions to determine fit, and specifically wanted to know if I had evidence to support the efficacy of executive coaching for leadership development of “C”- level executives.

The HR Director and I spoke about my approach to coaching, and my belief that possessing an understanding of human behavior and business acumen are critical competencies for coaching executives. We also spoke of the need for her organization to create an organizational culture that allows innovation to flourish. The Human Resource Director is interested in partnering with me in helping the president who is widely respected become an even more effective values – based leader.

Measuring Executive Coaching ROI

Many attempts have been made over the past decade to quantify return on investment of coaching programs for executives in organizations. Some spectacular results have been recorded.

Yet even with the application of ROI standards commonly used for measuring training and development programs, there remain too many variables to establish reliable data. It is difficult to quantify data of a qualitative nature.

In 2003 Anthony M. Grant of the University of Sydney surveyed coaching research and found only 56 studies that met standards of reliable methodology. There were only 131 peer-reviewed studies since 1937. While the outcomes of coaching programs appear to be positive, the quality of research on coaching is extremely poor. There are new studies being conducted currently by academics, but it may be years before there are authoritative guidelines and best practices for coaching.

ROI may never become a measure of the true success of coaching. One must assess its value with qualitative data. Any time perceived value is used as a measure, the measurements are subjective and less reliable. It is difficult to implement and replicate a program where the outcomes are perceived as “good” or “very good.”

The marketplace is perhaps the most vocal proponent of the use of coaching for executives for leadership development. Top corporations such as GE, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, JP Morgan Chase, and Goldman Sachs are among those that invest heavily in hiring coaches for their executives. Overall, annual spending on coaching in the U.S. is roughly estimated at $1 billion.

Other companies with smaller budgets are wise to follow this trend. Successful companies don’t throw money at programs that don’t have a positive impact on their bottom line—or, at least, they don’t for very long. Even so, there are some concerns about how much coaching adds to the financial success of the organization.

Improving an executive’s well-being can certainly contribute to improving his or her interpersonal skills (and hence the productivity of the team). Unfortunately, some coaching may get an executive to feel better without having a noticeable impact on his or her behaviors. Obviously, this would be a case of incomplete or ineffective coaching.

Are you working in a company or law firm where executive coaches are hired to develop better leaders? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching to help leaders to be more effective at leading others? During tough economic times, leaders at all levels need to become better at leading others to get work done.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I tapping into all of my capability to become the best possible authentic leader?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be more effective at leading and inspiring others

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where the ability to lead people based on values and purpose is a critical competency for leaders. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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

Unlocking Employees Intrinsic Motivation - Rethinking Management

Unlocking Employees Intrinsic Motivation

One of my CEO executive coaching clients is working with his executive leadership team to create an organizational culture that unleashes employees’ intrinsic motivation. I am coaching him to become more effective at appealing to employees’ intrinsic motivation and core values, and helping leaders at all levels of  the organization become more fully engaged.

The CEO knows that for the organization to thrive depends on creating an organizational culture and climate that nourishes constant innovation. Human Resources is partnering with me in supporting senior leaders to motivate people by building authentic relationships.  Our current executive coaching and leadership consulting work is also focused on helping leaders throughout the organization increase their ability to motivate team members by tapping into their purpose and values.

Rethinking Management

Intrinsic motivation theories aren’t palatable to everyone. Unfortunately, our notions of what constitutes proper motivation in the office are often too entrenched to be flexible. Some companies have given lip service to worker “empowerment,” without actually letting go of control.

At its core, management hasn’t changed all that much since Taylor and his scientific management theory proposed that we need to control the passive nature of workers with extrinsic motivators.

This doesn’t work for motivating non-routine, right-brain activities required of knowledge workers today. Management, in this sense, is deeply out of sync with human nature — in essence, management is the problem, not the solution.

Rethinking Human Nature

Our basic nature is to be curious and self-directed, to seek out and explore solutions to problems. If your employees are inert, disengaged and bored, something has flipped their default setting.

Many leaders will resist giving up their carrots, and many workers will find it hard to imagine a world without incentives. We’re conditioned to like the carrots and avoid the sticks.

But leaders who recognize the value of, and who can implement, intrinsic motivation can expect a whole new workplace — and an entirely new definition of work. We don’t need better management as much as a renaissance of self-direction.The bigger, unanswered question is whether today’s leaders are ready to rise to the new challenges autonomy will require.

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders attempt to motivate others with external reinforcements? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching to help leaders to be more effective at motivating others? During tough economic times, leaders at all levels need to motivate others to get work done.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I helping to create a work culture and climate that taps into employees’ intrinsic motivation?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be more innovative at motivating others.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where the ability to motivate people based on values and purpose is a critical competency for leaders. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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

Intrinsic Motivation and a Higher Purpose - Creating a State of Flow

Intrinsic Motivation and a Higher Purpose

One of my CEO executive coaching clients is working with her executive leadership team to create an organizational culture that unleashes employees’ intrinsic motivation. I am coaching her to become a better at appealing to employees’ intrinsic motivation and core values, and helping leaders at all levels of  the organization become more fully engaged.

The CEO knows that for the organization to thrive depends on creating an organizational culture that nourishes constant innovation. Human Resources is partnering with me in supporting senior leaders to motivate people by building authentic relationships.  Our current executive coaching and leadership consulting work is also focused on helping leaders throughout the organization increase their ability to motivate team members by tapping into their purpose and values.

Creating Flow

People are most productive and satisfied when their work puts them in a state of “flow” — more commonly recognized as being “in the zone.” In the flow state, one experiences a heightened sense of focus and a generally higher sense of satisfaction.

What we know about flow is primarily based on the work of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, whose seminal book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, describes it as the moment in which “a person’s body or mind is stretched to the limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”

You can’t give people the opportunity to create “flow” experiences without providing autonomy, time to practice and improve mastery, and a sense of higher purpose.

Are you working in a company or law firm where leaders attempt to motivate others with external reinforcements? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching to help leaders get better at motivating others? During tough economic times, leaders at all levels need to motivate others to get work done.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I helping to create a work climate and culture where people are in a state of flow?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be more innovative at motivating others.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where the ability to motivate people based on values and purpose is a critical competency for leaders. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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

Unleashing Motivation at Work - New and Innovative Work Environments

New and Innovative Work Environments

One of my CEO executive coaching clients is working with his executive leadership team to create an intrinsic motivational environment. I am coaching him to become a better at appealing to employees’ intrinsic motivation and values, and helping leaders at all levels of  the organization become more fully engaged.

The CEO knows that for the organization to thrive depends on creating an organizational culture that nourishes innovation. Human Resources is partnering with me in supporting senior leaders to intrinsically motivate people by building authentic relationships.  Our current executive coaching and leadership consulting work is also focused on helping leaders throughout the organization increase their ability to motivate team members by tapping into their purpose and values.

Unleashing Motivation

How do you move yourself — and your company — away from using carrot-and-stick incentives?

Three critical conditions for an intrinsic motivational environment:
1. Autonomy: Give people autonomy over what they’re doing and how they do it, including choosing their time, tasks, team and techniques.
2.  Mastery: Give them an opportunity to master their work and make progress through deliberate practice.
3.  Purpose: Make sure people have a sense of purpose in their work — preferably to something higher and beyond their job, salary and company.

Autonomy may seem daunting when it comes to practical implementations. Some companies, however, have already forged new and innovative work environments that are generating huge results — most notably, Best Buy’s ROWE (“results-oriented work environment”) program. With ROWE, employees have no schedules and are measured only by what they get done.

Google is famous for its “20-percent time” program, which allows engineers to spend 20 percent of their time on projects that interest them. Google Mail is one successful project that came out of the program.

The Australian tech company Atlassian implemented a similar program, with engineers given a full day each quarter to work on any software problem they choose — a ritual the company calls “FedEx” days. (Completed projects are delivered overnight.)

Are you working in a company or law firm where some leaders still seem to be motivating others with external reinforcements? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching and leadership development to help leaders develop better skills at motivating others? During difficult economic times, leaders at all levels need to motivate others to get work done.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Do I give people autonomy over what they’re doing and how they do it?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be more innovative at motivating others.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where the ability to motivate people based on values and purpose is a critical competency for leaders. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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

Motivation at Work - Open Source Innovations

Motivation at Work

One of my executive coaching clients is working on increasing his ability to inspire his executive leadership team to become better at motivating company employees. I am coaching him to become a better at appealing to peoples’ intrinsic motivation and values, and helping leaders at all levels of  the organization become more fully engaged.

The CEO of his company knows that for the organization to thrive depends on all company leaders to be highly skilled at motivating others. Human Resources is partnering with me in supporting senior leaders to motivate others by building authentic relationships.  Our current executive coaching and leadership consulting work is also focused on helping leaders throughout the organization increase their ability to motivate team members by tapping into their intrinsic motivation.

Open Source Innovations

Innovative methods of motivating people at work have become more important as our society moves from a manufacturing-based economy to one of knowledge and services.

Carrots and sticks continue to provide effective incentive and motivation for work tasks that are routine and repetitive. But for jobs that require complex creativity, intrinsic motivation works best.

As proof, examine the case of two companies that set out to publish online encyclopedias:
1.  Microsoft hired the best people and devoted considerable funds to achieve Encarta.
2.  A global force of volunteers created Wikipedia with no budget or salaries.
Encarta no longer exists, while Wikipedia thrives as a fully functional volunteer project.

Most businesses haven’t caught up to this new understanding of what motivates us. Too many organizations, governments and nonprofits still operate from assumptions about human potential and individual performance — ideas that are clearly outdated and ineffective. They continue to pursue short-term incentive plans and pay-for-performance schemes in the face of evidence against them.

Are you working in a company or law firm where some leaders still seem to be motivating others with external reinforcements? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching and leadership development to help leaders develop better skills at motivating others? During tough economic times, leaders at all levels need to motivate others to get work done.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I innovative in motivating others by appealing to their core values and intrinsic motivation?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be better at motivating others.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where the ability to motivate people based on core values and intrinsic motivation is a core competency for leaders. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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

One of my executive coaching clients is working on increasing his ability to inspire his executive leadership team to become better at motivating company employees. I am coaching him to become a better at appealing to peoples’ intrinsic motivation and values, and helping leaders at all levels of  the organization become more fully engaged.

The CEO of his company knows that for the organization to thrive depends on all company leaders to be highly skilled at motivating others. Human Resources is partnering with me in supporting senior leaders to motivate others by building authentic relationships.  Our current executive coaching and leadership consulting work is also focused on helping leaders throughout the organization increase their ability to motivate team members by tapping into their intrinsic motivation.
Freud, Skinner & Maslow

The 20th century saw the birth of psychology and study of the human psyche. Sigmund Freud proposed that all humans were driven to seek pleasure and avoid pain. In the 1930s, behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner created a large body of experimental research to show the effects of positive reinforcement on augmenting certain behaviors and extinguishing others.

In the 1950s, psychologist Abraham Maslow questioned the idea that human behavior was purely rat- or pigeon-like. He launched the field of humanistic psychology, proposing that once survival needs were met, people sought to achieve self-mastery and actualization.

In the 1960s, MIT management professor Douglas McGregor imported Maslow’s ideas to the business world. He proposed that humans had higher drives that weren’t contingent on rewards and punishments. If managers could tap into these inner motivations and grant employees greater autonomy and respect, workers would unleash greater performance.

While McGregor’s writing influenced some organizations, there were only modest improvements —mostly more flexible dress codes, working conditions and empowerment programs.

Despite these psychological insights, businesses entered the 21st century using outdated and ineffective motivational strategies.

Are you working in a company or law firm where some leaders still seem to be motivating others with external reinforcements? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching and leadership development to help leaders develop better skills at motivating others? During tough economic times, leaders at all levels need to motivate others to get work done.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I good at motivating others by appealing to their core values and intrinsic motivation?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be better at motivating others.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where the ability to motivate people based on core values and intrinsic motivation is a core competency for leaders. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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

What Motivates Us at Work? - Seven Deadly Flaws

What Motivates Us at Work?

One of my executive coaching clients is working on increasing his ability to inspire his executive leadership team to become at motivating company employees. I am coaching him to become a better at appealing to peoples’ intrinsic motivation and values, and helping employees throughout the organization become more fully engaged.

The CEO of her company knows that for the organization to thrive depends on all company leaders to be competent at motivating others. Human Resources is partnering with me in supporting senior leaders to motivate others by building authentic relationships. Our current executive coaching and leadership consulting work is also focused on helping leaders at all levels increase their ability to motivate team members by tapping into their intrinsic motivation.

Seven Deadly Flaws

In Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, former U.S. Department of Labor aide Daniel H. Pink says businesses are out of sync with what scientists have been telling us over the last 50 years. The hackneyed carrot-and-stick approach, now dubbed “Motivation 2.0,” encourages poor leadership practices, including Pink’s “seven deadly flaws”:

1. Extinguishing motivation

2. Diminishing performance

3. Crushing creativity

4. Crowding out good behavior

5. Encouraging cheating, shortcuts and unethical behavior

6. Becoming addictive or obsessive

7. Fostering short-term thinking

In fact, Pink holds Motivation 2.0 partly responsible for the economic chaos of 2008. Mortgage brokers, for instance, were so hungry for commissions that they made questionable loans, which helped bring the nation’s banking system to its knees.

Are you working in a company or law firm where some leaders still seem to be motivating others with a carrot–and-stick approach? Does your company or law firm provide leadership coaching and leadership development to help leaders develop better skills at motivating others?

During hard economic times, leaders at all levels need to motivate others to get work done. One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I good at motivating others by appealing to their deeply held values and intrinsic motivation?”

Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and leadership development for leaders to be better at motivating others. Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create an organizational culture where the ability to motivate people based on core values is a competency for leaders. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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