Who utilizes executive coaching?
Typically mid-size to large organizations who are committed to investing in their present and future executives’ abilities to lead the organization and its functions utilize executive coaching. This requires a significant investment of time and money to optimize the success of the company. Organizations therefore typically provide coaching to leaders who are, or are expected to be, critical to the company’s future success. Leaders, for their part, need to be fully committed in the executive coaching engagement to realize maximum ROI.
What is the return on investment from executive coaching?
There are a number of measures of ROI, including financial results, retention of the client’s peers and subordinates, achievement of team goals, and employee satisfaction. Proponents of coaching claim that coaching provides a return on investment of anywhere from two to twenty times the cost of the engagement, depending on the breadth and depth of the client’s impact on the organization. The truth is that these measures are difficult to specifically or directly attribute solely to the coaching engagement. One of the most commonly used measures is feedback from supervisor, peers, and subordinates and the client herself/himself on performance and behavior pre- and post-coaching engagement.
How do I go about finding and choosing an executive coach?
While degrees and credentials provide some assurance that the coach has the requisite training to provide effective service, they are certainly no guarantee of the coach’s effectiveness for your organization’s coaching needs. Look for an executive coach who has provided effective coaching in a situation comparable to yours (e.g., accelerating the development of a high potential leader, coaching an executive through a turn-around effort, etc.). Experience in your industry and/or an organization comparable to yours may be helpful, but is not necessary as a pre-requisite. In fact, some coaches contend that effective leadership and management is independent of the nature and type of organization or industry. Coaching focuses less on technical/industry expertise and more on enhancing the performance, effectiveness, and results achieved by the client within and for the organization.

With so many coaches and coaching companies offering their services, you should be able to find coaches who are both skilled and effective in general and who are a match for your particular needs. The best way to find the right coach for your coaching engagement is references from trusted members of your network who have successfully utilized coaching services. Ask, “For another assignment in your company, would you use this coach or coaching company again? “ “Why, or why not?”

Is there one model, modality, or approach that is typically or generally used in executive coaching?
No. Coaching models or approaches vary greatly among coaches and coaching companies. Modality and approach also vary based on the specific requirements of a particular coaching engagement. Some coaches and coaching companies provide primarily one-hour phone sessions on a monthly/periodic basis. Other coaches and coaching firms provide primarily face to face sessions with the client and extensive contact with other organization members throughout the coaching engagement resulting in many days of (and often diverse modes of) service to the client and her/his company over the course of the engagement.
What is the difference between coaching and mentoring?
Coaching is based on an engagement between a professional coach and her/his client to develop and enhance the performance, effectiveness, and results achieved by the client within and for the organization. The coach in effect acts as an objective set of eyes and ears for her/his client – observes and elicits others’ observations and perceptions of the client, and provides feedback based on these observations. Mentoring is based on a relationship between a senior leader and a less experienced leader. The senior leader shares her/his understanding of the company, its culture and its people and serves as a guide to operating within the organization and the industry.
What is the difference between executive coaching and executive education or training?
Executive coaching is designed to address the particular and specific development needs of an individual executive. It is based on extensive observation, discussion, and conversations with and about that particular individual executive. All real executive coaching is therefore customized to address that individual’s goals and performance needs. Coaching may address specific tasks, projects, plans, job performance, career goals, but it is always about that individual’s developmental progress. There are a number of very well-regarded executive education and training programs in universities and other organizations, both in the U. S. and other counties. These programs provide a wealth of knowledge and potential understanding of organizations, industries, economies, and leadership. They are also often excellent sources of networking opportunities.
What is the difference between coaching and counseling?
The goal of coaching is to develop and/or enhance the client’s leadership and management effectiveness and results. Coaching focuses on the skills, competencies, and strategies needed for further and future success in and for the organization. The goal of counseling is to address and redress personal, interpersonal, and social problems that affect the client’s psychological health and quality of life.
How confidential is executive coaching?
This varies by the nature of the specific coaching engagement and coaching agreement. In most cases, the coaching engagement has three parties – the coach and/or coaching company, the individual executive who receives the coaching services and the company or organization which is retaining the coach and paying for the services. What is communicated and how it is communicated among and between these parties should be specified and agreed to prior to the inception of the coaching engagement. Conversations between the individual executive and her/his coach may be absolutely confidential with only information agreed to by both parties shared with anyone else. Other agreements specify that the individual client’s supervisor or coaching sponsor will be informed on the progress of coaching (frequency and length of meetings, adherence to scheduled sessions, or more specific coaching objectives). In most cases, arrangements for three-way communication or communication between individual executive client and her/his supervisor is specified in the coaching plan.
What if, in spite of due diligence and careful selection, the coaching engagement does not appear to be working out?
Not all coaching engagements, even with the best of intentions, will work out or produce the desired results. Sometimes what appeared at first to be a good match between coach and client runs into obstacles or differences that derail the engagement. Sometimes the client’s situation or circumstances change making further effective coaching unlikely. With this in mind, look for a coach and coaching company that recognizes these facts and will make appropriate adjustments of services and fees. A reputable coaching company will allow early termination of an engagement for any legitimate reason; some allow termination simply based on one to three months’ notice for a one year engagement, without cause.
What are typical fees for executive coaching?
Fees vary widely based on type coaching services and across coaches and coaching companies even for comparable services. Some coaches advertise hourly phone coaching for as little as $50 to $100 per hour. Coaches and coaching companies who provide time extensive coaching engagements over a period of many months and who are in high demand may charge $50,000 to $100,000 or more for one coaching engagement. A recent survey of executive coaches by Harvard Business Review found the average executive coaching fee was $500 per hour, with a range from $250 to $3500 per hour.