Transitioning into and through the various levels of leadership require that we adopt new mindsets and new behaviors. It may be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve one’s full potential as a leader without examining the forces that have shaped one’s leadership, establishing a clear sense of purpose, creating a sense of direction, and channeling energy into actions that will result in greater impact.
Coaching for greater impact involves a series of sessions usually combining in-person and virtual discussions designed to fully ground one in what is necessary to have the level of organizational impact that is needed and desired. While every coaching engagement is unique, a typical program may contain the following:
Introductory call
It is critical that you are comfortable talking with your coach and that you are confident the coach can add significant value. This 45 minute call is to build rapport, understand your needs, understand the style of the coach and determine if it is a good match. You will determine if you are comfortable with your coach and your coach will determine if he/she is a good fit for your individual needs. If both parties agree, we move on to…
Contracting
The objective of this call is to:
- Align on desired outcomes and measures
- Agree on the terms of the engagement
- Gain buy-in and support of key stakeholders
We highly recommend that coachees involve their key stakeholders in the coaching process to ensure alignment on goals and to gain support for implementation. A portion of this call will be with the coach, the coachee and a key stakeholder who will serve as the sponsor. This leads us to…
Data Gathering
While it is helpful to know what others perceive as your areas of strength and areas where you could enhance your effectiveness as a leader, the real value is in understanding how you impact others. Do you help them get done what they need to do or are you doing things that make it more difficult for them to be successful? That is, does your leadership add value? Data gathering can take place through a combination of select assessments and/or through interviews with key stakeholders conducted by the coach.
We are not in the business of selling assessments.
Many organizations have their own preferred assessments and we are happy to work with your data. We also have assessments that we have vetted and that we trust. Over four decades of experience, we have found:
It’s not the data that’s important. It’s the story behind the data.
We specialize in understanding the story, making it relevant to you, and exploring ways of changing the story to achieve more of your potential.
Debrief and Action Planning
What do the results of the interviews and assessments tell you about the level of impact you are currently having as a leader? What’s getting in the way of your effectiveness? How do these results fit into the overall context of your leadership journey?
Are you leading from a sense of purpose?
This session is designed to help you establish meaning from the data and to pinpoint where further investment of your time and energy may enhance your level of effectiveness as a leader both now and in the future. Together we will create a plan of action that focuses on high priority changes and measurable results. In some cases, you will share your plan with your key stakeholder(s). This session will be 2 to 4 hours in length depending on the number and type of assessments.
In a series of calls on an agreed upon schedule, we assist you in
- gaining clarity of the challenges you are facing
- providing a third-party perspective on the level of impact you are having
- holding you accountable for the agreed upon action items
- adding insight on specific capabilities and skills needed for success
Depending on the length of the engagement, we may have a mid-point progress review with your key stakeholder.
As we reach the end of our work together, we will pause to determine the degree to which your objectives have been met, whether or not you desire to continue the coaching relationship, and, if applicable, close out the arrangement with both your key stakeholder and/or you.
Team coaching
Coaching for coaches
Examples of results from coaching
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