Statement of Understanding of Executive Coaching
A statement of understanding of executive coaching concerns the clauses and informational handbook that will be presented by the executive coach to the client. By this statement the client will agree to abide by the policies that have been established by the executive coach. The statement of understanding should be submitted with the organization’s signed original application ("Statement of Understanding Law & Legal Definition", 2016). It is now time to examine what executive coaching is and who needs executive coaching.
What is Executive Coaching?
Executive coaching is defined as a professional relationship that is built between a trained coach and a client. The client could be an individual or a group with the goal being the enhancement of the client’s leadership and/or management performance and development (Rein, 2013). This is a very important relationship as executive development is an essential aspect of all organizations and is needed for the growth of the organization. The process is essential as organizations depend greatly on leadership to lead the followers while also ensuring that the organization achieves the goals that have been established for the sustainability of the organization.
Executive coaching is needed for different reasons. There may be times when leaders do not know what to do in order to enable the organization to move forward. This is really a serious problem if there is no one at the leader’s level which means there is no one who the leader can share confidential conversations with; therefore, there is no one available to assist the leader. The executive coach focuses on assisting individuals to move forward reaching the goals of the organization while also reaching personal goals of growth and leadership skills. This process is vital to the success of the leader professionally and personally.
The Benefits of Hiring an Executive Coach
There are several benefits to hiring an executive coach to include (1) the one on one interaction between an individual that is outside the organization can enable a better focus for the individual needing coaching without the fear of being judged; and (2) the executive coach can focus on what the client wants while having the ability to process how the client is learning and using what is being taught (Rein, 2013). While the client determines the goals and also commits to those goals, the coach can hold the client accountable which benefits the client in achieving the goals. This is yet another positive influence that enables the success of the individual personally and professionally.
Who Needs Executive Coaching?
Any individual who is in the position of leadership can benefit from executive coaching; however, the individual must understand that the executive coach cannot fix the problem but will enable the individual to become aware of different solutions that can enable the individual to correct the problem. There are a series of questions that an organization or individual can ask before making the decision to hire a coach to include (McKenna, 2009): (1) is the individual’s performance as well as potential important to the organization? An executive coach is expensive and will need time to make the coaching process successful. The coach must have the experience to understand the leader’s situation, challenge any assumptions, assist the leader in learning how to make the right choices, and help the leader to build confidence. The coach and the leader must match which is the greatest part of the process; (2) what is the present challenge that the individual is facing? This is the immediate problem that needs to be solved. It must also be remembered that an executive coach is not a consultant and should not be used as such. The coach can assist the individual in thinking through the problem or issue and coming up with a resolution that will tackle the problem. The key is for the individual to be self-reliant, not dependent on the coach; (3) is the individual/leader willing to work with a coach? This is a very important question because if the individual does not want to change, there is nothing that the coach will be able to do to assist the individual/leader. If the coach has to work with an individual/leader that has been forced to get help, the battle has already been lost; (4) are there acceptable alternatives to coaching? The organization may decide that extensive training, reading, or mentoring can be used successfully; and (5) are the primary people within the organization ready to support the executive coach’s efforts to grow and change? Organizational change can be challenging for everyone from the C-Suite executives to the supervisors (McKenna, 2009): Under the best conditions coaching can be challenging; however, when people are ready to accept change the coaching relationship can grow enabling the success of everyone within the organization.
10 Point Statement of Understanding Concerning the Profession of Executive Coaching
As an executive coach there are several points that should be understood relative to the profession. While there may be other points to be understood, the ten points listed below are viewed as very important (Rein, 2013):
The executive coach must know exactly what the client is looking for in the coaching relationship – This process must be understood before the coaching process begins;
What the coaching relationship is and is not – The coach is present to assist the individual/leader in learning how to view problems thereby learning how to make quality decisions – not to make the decisions for the individual being coached;
The style of the coach and how that resounds with the client – The coach and the client must be compatible for the process to be effective;
Rules of engagement and protocol – This means that coaching is confidential with priority to the client and no one else;
The coach’s credentials must be relative to the client’s needs – The coach must have an understanding of what the client needs and how to meet those needs based on experience and/or training;
Timing and logistics of the coaching – The coach must be able to give a set time of completion and to meet with the client when needed;
Measureable process – The coach must create metrics that can enable an understanding of what is being accomplished and how it is being accomplished;
Agreement to move forward – The client must also have a clear understanding of what has been learned and what will need to be learned;
The ability to assist the client in understanding behavioral problems – This is a process that will take time but will be beneficial to the client in the present and future; and
The executive coach brings an awareness of perspectives while also enabling the individual/leader to change attitudes thereby allowing growth as a leader (Giesea, 2014). These are leverage points that are beneficial in allowing the organization to grow with a leader that can also enable company objectives to be met. While these points show the benefits that can be of importance to the organization, there may be times when there is resistance to the hiring of an executive coach.
Why Some CEO’s do Not Want Executive Coaching
A study was performed by the Stanford Business School with the revealing of some very interesting information. Approximately two-thirds of Chief Executive Officers do not receive any type of coaching or leadership development. Surprisingly almost 100 percent of these CEO’s stated that they would like coaching so that they could become more effective in their jobs (LaBier, 2013). This is interesting because even though the CEO’s say they would accept coaching, they do not seek that assistance.
There appears to be a gap when viewing desire versus action. Many CEO’s have the view that this is a process that is not an immediate need. Because of business being so very challenging in today’s market, many executives are more concerned with the environment and how to make the business continually successful in that environment. Other executives believe that coaching programs mistakenly conspire with CEO’s views that self-awareness is considered irrelevant to leadership or is viewed as only a minor concern.
An executive coach can support executives in becoming more self-aware thereby learning how to do an honest self-appraisal concerning emotional strengths and weaknesses, understanding of personal values as well as attitudes, and learning how to handle conflict. This is about an individual learning how to deal with the total person. Executives in higher positions within organizations deal with psychosomatic and relational issues thereby requiring intelligence about others; but if an individual does not understand self, it becomes very difficult to understand others. This means that these leaders’ emotional and strategic personal drivers relative to self-knowledge and awareness must be understood. Having an executive coach could mean that the changes that would be required for the growth of these individuals may not be welcomed.
10 Top Ten Business and Ethical Aspects of the Executive Coaching Profession
One of the main aspects that is of importance in business to include executive coaching is business ethics. While ethics is discussed in books, journals, magazines, and other articles there must be an understanding of its importance to business and in this instance, executive coaching. Ethics is the basic concepts and principles of human conduct and is viewed as most important relative to all people, obedience to the law, and concern for the health and safety of people and the environment (Passmore & Mortimer, 2011). There are many concerns for the person holding the position of executive coach; however, 10 important business and ethical aspects include (1) beneficence and non-maleficence which means that the executive coach strives to benefit the client. The executive coach must ensure that the client is treated with respect and that individual rights are also protected; (2) fidelity and responsibility which allows the executive coach to establish relationships with trust thereby speaking the truth at all times thereby building stronger trust; (3) integrity which is the coach promoting accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness at all times; (4) justice which is the coach practicing fairness and justice in every aspect of the coaching process; (5) respect for people’s rights and dignity thereby keeping all information confidential; (6) competence as the executive coach is being paid for specific services that will add value in the continuing development and training of the individual; (7) ethical behavior which means the executive coach will arrive on time for all scheduled appointments, will be available when needed and will uphold every part of the contract with the client; (8) understand the organization’s corporate values and will have respect for those values when coaching any individual within the organization; (9) identification of general principles that will lead to fair business practices thereby assisting the individual in understanding the importance of those business practices for the success of the organization; and (10) ensuring that every aspect of coaching encompasses honesty between the executive coach and the client ("Entrepreneurship Classroom Activities: Ethical behavior is good business", 2016). Ethical business practice has many benefits to include the building of a good reputation, a good name, and building trust. These are traits that will enable the executive coach to remain successful and to build the business in a positive manner which will ensure business sustainability.
Conclusion
The executive coach must have an informational handbook that defines the business and what the business represents. The executive coach builds a relationship with a client that will enable the client to become a better management professional while at the same time learning information that will benefit him/her personally. Since all organizations need strong leaders to enable the successful growth of the organization, an executive coach can assist the leader in growing and having a better performance level relative to management.
Organizational leaders may need executive coaches for different reasons to include assisting leaders in finding solutions to recurring problems, new problems, or in handing unusual situations that can occur within an organization. There are many benefits to hiring an executive coach to include having the ability to have a one on one relationship with the client with a focus on the client’s leadership needs as well as metrics that can be put in place to enable the individual/leader to see his/her progress. This process will provide long lasting results.
Any individual who is in the position of leadership can benefit from training given by an executive coach. If an organization needs to determine if an executive coach is needed there are questions that can be asked and answered enabling the organization to make the right quality decision relative to this process. There are ten points that if understood will enable the executive coach to perform the job in excellence relative to the client.
Lastly, the practice of ethics should be of concern to every organization to include the executive coach. Ethical business practices allow the building of trust and honesty which is necessary for the continued success of any business. The position of executive coach is vital to the success of leaders for any organization and can be of benefit long after the executive coach has completed the task.
References
Entrepreneurship Classroom Activities: Ethical behavior is good business. (2016). Entre-ed.org. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from http://www.entre-ed.org/_teach/ethics.htm
Giesea, J. (2014). 12 Ways You Just Might Benefit From Executive Coaching. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140205155921-19987-12-ways-you-just-might-benefit-from-coaching
LaBier, D. (2013). Why CEOs Don’t Want Executive Coaching. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/douglas-labier/why-ceos-dont-want-execut_b_3762704.html
McKenna, D. (2009). Forbes Welcome. Forbes.com. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/04/need-executive-consultant-ceonetwork-leadership-coach.html
Passmore, J. & Mortimer, L. (2011). Ethics in Coaching. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from http://www.mysgw.co.uk/Images/368/Passmore%20&%20Mortimer%20(2011)%20Ethics%20in%20Coaching.pdf
Rein, L. (2013). What is Executive Coaching? - Design Intelligence. Di.net. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from http://www.di.net/articles/what-is-executive-coaching/
Statement of Understanding Law & Legal Definition. (2016). Definitions.uslegal.com. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from http://definitions.uslegal.com/s/statement-of-understanding/
