Defining the pitfalls of Executive Coaching

I've had 25 years of being a trainer.

Lots of that time has been involved with helping people unleash themselves and discover what's really, really important.

....and a lot of that work has been with me being hired in the corporate arena. They'd tell me - "This is our problem, this is the behavior and attitudes we want our people to adopt - deliver us a training that will do that."

I'd deliver the training and at the end, they would measure their attitudes and their behaviours.

But the funny thing was, that my agenda was always to unleash them and help them find what was really, really important. Somehow, by focusing on that, their attitudes and behaviours would change...or they would just get up and leave.

Strangely enough, the corporate culture was happy with either of these outcomes. It appeared to me that in this culture, they were happy if you complied and they were happy if you chose not to comply - that you just left.

In fact, I always suggested a "Needs Analysis" process to clearly define what change was needed in their behaviours, attitudes and skills. Surprisingly enough, pretty much all of my corporate and government clients just wanted to see headings and took the smorgasbord training approach - "that looks good, could you change the name of this one....."

But they knew what they wanted from their staff. And often I was taken to one side and asked to sort out this behavior or this attitude.

...and that's what an executive coach often gets. However, if you stay strong on not providing the board or CEO a report disclosing the contents of your sessions, you can do amazing work with your executives.

Real coaching isn't just about manipulating people to do what other people are paying them to do.

Real coaching is about setting people free and getting them in touch with their inner genius!

Email Mike...