A - Z Guide

What is Executive Coaching?

Similar to Personal Life Coaching, Executive Coaching is specifically focused at senior management level where both business related topics and personal development topics are discussed in order to improve personal performance. This usually takes the form of personal executive coaching on a one-to-one basis rather than working with corporate groups. Within the Body Guide A-Z Guide, we also discriminate between Business and Executive Coaching. Business coaching also encompasses small to medium business owners and their staff if necessary, to help build and develop their business.

Executive coaching, in some form, has been around since the first successful manager produced the first successful team. The ability to bring together various talents, skills and personalities by training and coaching them through challenging new ideas and possibilities is not an original concept. However, the new and massive interest which business has in these skills, which are found. consistently in top managers, has produced some incredibly powerful and successful coaching models which can be used to help virtually any keen and applied executive make it to the top.

In the face of the increasing demands and pressures of the modern, rapidly changing, business environment, executive coaching is about helping you to achieve your full potential. Whilst improving your effectiveness in terms of leadership and decision-making is a key aim of coaching for the executive, business coaching can equally be about achieving personal fulfilment and balance for the individual.

The difference between personal and executive coaching

While there are many similarities between personal and executive coaching, there are also many differences. The goal setting aspect of the relationship will of course be more business orientated. It may be geared towards sales targets or people management rather than personal goals such as improving health and fitness. One of the great benefits of executive coaching is that a manager or leader can discuss and work on weaknesses in a confidential and safe one to one environment. Such weaknesses cannot generally be openly discussed in front of team members or more junior colleagues.

There are several areas in which executive coaching can be valuable. On this site we have focused on the following management and business disciplines and developed a whole section for each.

• Leadership Training - Develop effective leadership techniques and improve your personal impact. Training and development is one of the most crucial aspects of effective management.
• Financial Awareness - Improve your understanding of key financial concepts and tools in order to make better decisions.
• Management Training - Improve your people management skills so that you can achieve better results from your team or employees.
• Time Management - Learn how to manage your time more effectively.
• Project Management - Discover the building blocks, strategies and techniques to become a professional project manager.
• Team Building - Understand the key principles of how teams are formed and work together. Develop your own teamwork skills.

How does it work?

Coaching will usually be by telephone, and can be at your home or office giving you complete flexibility and maximising the efficient use of your time. You can even be coached on the golf course! Your coach is your partner, working with you to achieve the success you desire. Any information you share with your coach will remain strictly confidential. Your coach can act as an independent sounding-board for you to explore your goals, visions and ideas.

References: www.associationforcoaching.com, www.coaching-life.co.uk