Published By:


How To Separate The Wannabes From Winners
Start With Good Coach-Client Pairing

BY: MICHAEL STERN MAY 24, 2006

You have met them at parties and read their articles in newspapers. Maybe some of your friends have joined their ranks. They offer to help talented executives maximize their organizational contribution, become more effective leaders, communicators and decision makers.

I am referring to executive coaches. They are everywhere and companies are starting to take them seriously.

No business these days can survive without consultants, so hiring outsiders to advise and counsel is not new.

However, coaches deal with individuals, not the businesses, and usually under conditions of confidentiality. Naturally, many employers remain skeptical about funding consultants whose work cannot be measured or even discussed in detail.

But there is another problem, too. At some companies, coaching is still a negative concept. It's a practice reserved for key executives who have run into trouble; a service that is sometimes offered as a last resort, just before the executive is shown the door.

Fortunately, this remedial taint seems to be fading. There is more acceptance that the rising stars can benefit from coaching as much as the falling ones -- and so can the companies where they work.

There are many ways external executive coaches can help businesses. The sheer process of doing business is becoming more complex. Everything happens faster and nobody has time for internal mentoring any more, so even high-potential executives who want to develop their skills don't know where to turn.

Coaching might also help alleviate the "retention crisis." Companies these days bend over backwards to retain their top executives, but do not always have the advancement opportunities these people want. Actively helping senior staff develop new areas of expertise is the kind of learning opportunity most employees crave. Meanwhile, it gives them a good reason to say, "no, thanks" the next time the headhunter calls, which in turn means you may not have to hire from outside the next time a position opens up.


The challenge of finding an effective coach-client pairing can be daunting. Executive coaches come in all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. I have met some who are moonlighting managers; laid-off, or between-jobs, executives; university professors; MBA graduates; psychologists and former teachers. Some have lots of relevant experience, others have none.

The field is so new there are no regulations or accepted credentials. How does one distinguish the coach-wannabe from a winning coach?

Questions of competence, qualifications and effectiveness are not just academic. One senior executive told me the coach he hired to work with a subordinate ended up romantically involved with her. I don't imagine that is the sort of relationship anticipated when the boss said: "I hope you and your coach relate well."

In another case, a coach and client pair seemed to be getting on well. They claimed to be making good progress in dealing on a number of issues. But, in the company's view, they were the wrong issues -- not those that would help the executive become a stronger strategic leader. The ladder had been erected against the wrong wall.

The key to a successful coaching experience can sometimes boil down to choosing the right coach, managing the process and making it more transparent and accountable.

Know your objectives Are you using coaching to develop your employees so they can be of greater use to the company? To correct flaws? Or is it a personal benefit intended to help clients reach their potential -- even if it means leaving the company to do so?

The right connections Use your network to find coaches who have experience in your industry with the appropriate management level, and with the issues your people face. Ask about the coaches' formal training. What successes can they recount? Don't just hire the first coach you meet who can spell "retainer."

Push for accountability Have the potential coach help develop standards for measuring their success. Set early milestones even if they are not perfect, so you can try to ascertain progress.

Establish protocols regarding confidentiality How much do you need to know about what's going on in each coaching relationship? What is the coach comfortable about sharing with you?

Coaching can be a huge benefit to busy executives. But, like any other service, you have to make sure you know exactly what you are buying and what results you can expect.