Business Q & A
Executive Coaching – Is it for you?
Interview by Robbie Miller Kaplan
author of How to Say It in Your Job Search
When you hit a snag at work or your career seems to stall, it’s easy to feel uncertain where to turn. Wouldn’t it be helpful to find a knowledgeable and impartial party to help you sort things out and create a plan? That’s where coaching can be beneficial but, is it worth the price? Margaret Meloni, an executive coaching consultant, http://www.melonicoaching.com, shares her insight into the benefits of coaching so you can decide whether it’s a fit for you.
Q;
What exactly does a coach do?
A:
A coach gives you a safe sounding board and a resource to help you think
through your goals or areas of growth AND pushes you to create and
follow a plan of action. Coaching is about YOU answering these
questions:
1. Where am I now?
2. Where do I want to be?
3. How do I get there?
Your coach should help you by providing tools, techniques and
encouragement to answer those questions. A coach uses questions and
discussion so that you can fully explore your personal and professional
growth. It is wise to think of your coach as a strategic partner..
Q;
How can a coach help professionals in their careers?
A:
Professionals face many career-related issues that coaches can help them
resolve, such as the following examples from my practice:
"I want to make a transition. I think I enjoy what I do for a living,
but I may want to do it somewhere else." This is typically a person who
has accepted a job (or jobs throughout their career) because the job
seemed good. The salary and benefits were good, so they thought that
they SHOULD take the job. Now they do not love going to work. They are
going to be working for several more years and would like to enjoy that
time. We work together to help them identify their 'shopping list' (if
you will) of what would make them look forward to going to work. This
allows them to put some thought into their next assignment and now they
understand that they can and should be selective and choose the
situation that is a good job offer because it is the right job offer.
New managers who need some support as they transition away from being a
hands-on doer vs. a manager/leader can take the opportunity to talk
about strategies to assist their transition and to practice their
leadership style.
People who are having a difficult time with a boss, a peer or a
subordinate and want to have a better working relationship with that
person. We work on ways to improve the relationship and discuss
approaches to use so they have better interactions with that person.
People who want to work on their professional image or reputation (I
call it professional brand) can explore what they want their image to be
and what it really is and come up with actions for them to take to
ensure that their behavior triggers others to describe them in the way
that they wish to be described. I use this analogy; if you were at your
retirement party and you got to be a fly on the wall, what is it people
are saying about you and what would you want them to be saying about
you? You do have a say in this!
Q;
What is the best strategy for hiring a coach?
A:
Many coaches work through referrals, so definitely ask around. If
confidentiality is not an issue, ask your human resources group for a
lead. If you prefer to keep it confidential, ask friends. Look at
website and directories for coaches. The International Coach Federation
(ICF) www.coachfederation.org has a directory of coaches. You can search
for other coaching directories too.
Once you get some names, call them and ask for some of their time.
Before you call, make a list of what you want to accomplish with your
coach, list what you need, like and dislike. You should consider this an
interview. You are interviewing your potential coach. A reputable coach
will spend some time with you to discuss your specific needs and their
coaching style.
This is not a situation where any resource will do. The coaching
relationship is based on respect and trust. YOU need to be very
comfortable with your coach. You need to trust them to push you, you
will need to trust them with your confidences and you need to like their
communication style.
If you talk to a coach and you are seriously interested in working with
them, ask for a short trial coaching session.
Once you find a good fit, work with them to set up regular appointments.
Be prompt for your appointment and be prepared for your appointments. If
you need to cancel, do so well in advance or be prepared to pay them for
their time.
Q;
What is the time and financial commitment and how can you get the best
value for your investment?
A:
You should expect to work with your coach anywhere from 3 to 12 months.
The length of the commitment really has to do with what you wish to
accomplish and how quickly you can work. You commit to meeting with your
coach from 1 to 2 hours per month, perhaps having short conversations
between meetings AND you commit to doing additional work outside these
meetings. This work may be from 1 to 3 hours per week; it really depends
on your situation. You may pay anywhere from $200 to $600 per month or
more. A coach for a top executive will be much more.
Coaching is a relationship where you get what you put into it. So if you
meet with your coach and do nothing in between meetings, you are not
reaping the full benefit. If you show up and work with your coach and
work in between meetings you will get your moneys worth. If you are
doing the work and not perceiving benefit, you should discuss it with
your coach and either change how you work together or change coaches.
Q;
Should I only explore licensed or certified coaches?
A:
No. Before I proceed I should reveal my bias. I participate in coaching
education but I am not pursuing coaching certification through ICF. I
believe you should investigate coaches who are qualified to help you with
your specific career goals or issues. There are many excellent coaches
who are certified and many who are not. You absolutely should ask a coach
for their experience, their background and types of individuals they have
coached. Some coaches will be able to give you references. Others, due to
the confidential nature of their work may be less able to provide you
references. Select the coach who is the best fit and the one you will
trust to help you with your specific needs.