Coaching & Executive Coaching

Coaching & Executive Coaching

yellow flower

"You learn nothing from your successes except to think too much of yourself. It is from failure that all growth comes, provided you can recognize it, admit it, learn from it, rise above and then try again." Dee Hock, Founder & Former CEO, VISA International*

As an executive, you may be familiar with the strategic importance of Executive Coaching. The best leaders and the best companies understand the need to teach their executives how to generate trust, loyalty and collaboration at the speed of business. For example, Business Week reported that many of the best CEOs in the country, such as Henry McKinnell, CEO of Pfizer, and David Pottruck, CEO of Charles Schwab & Co., rely on executive coaches to help them to understand how to maximize their talents and skills to inspire trust, collaboration and excellence.

An Executive Coach might, for example, determine that you are not trusted by some of the people in your organization. You and your friends have likely been dismissing these people's opinion, but as the author of 7 Habits, Stephen Covey explained - so long as you see the problem as outside yourself, that thought itself is the problem. Engendering trust is a skill of character that you can learn. Trust is the result of competence and character.

Stephen Covey's son, Stephen MR Covey wrote The Speed of Trust, and he explains that with trust, people naturally give each other the ability to collaborate and excel. The benefits show up on the balance sheet. But where trust is low, corporations are slowed down by office politics and the perceived need to check every fact. This too is reflected in the financials of the company. Here is one of his graphs:

leaf

Low Trust = Low Speed & High Cost

High Trust = High Speed & Low Cost

There are many studies that support this idea issues of trust significantly impact the company bottom line. As Patricia Aburdene, said in Megatrends 2010: “...values like trust and integrity literally translate into revenue, profits and prosperity."*

Covey explains that inspiring trust is something you can achieve, even if you don't have it now. He lays out a program of behaviors that are within your power to change that will create Trust in yourself and in an organization. And, the good news is, if you make these changes, they will help you in every area of your life. Here are some examples.

Talk straight: "Be honest. Tell the truth. Let people know where you stand. Use simple language. Call things what they are . Demonstrate integrity. Don't manipulate people or distort the facts..." p143

Demonstrate Respect: "Genuinely care for others. Show you care...Treat everyone with respect, especially those who cant do anything for you. Show kindness in the little things. Don't fake caring. p151

Create Transparency: "Tell the truth in a way people can verify. Get real and genuine. Be open and authentic...Operate on the premise "what you see is what you get. Don't have hidden agendas." p157

Right Wrongs: "Make things right when you are wrong. Apologize quickly....Demonstrate personal humility. Don't cover things up." p164

Confront Reality: "Address the tough stuff directly. Acknowledge the unsaid. Lead out courageously in (p191) conversation. Remove the "sword form their hands." Dont skirt the real issues. Don't bury your head in the sand.

Coaching and Executive Coaching bring out the best in you and in your staff. Your teams will move more smoothly towards your greater vision, with less emotional turmoil. Our experienced staff will help to foster a new character and sense of trust, with better communication and more collaboration throughout the corporation. You'll see the effects in the bottom line. Options: individual, or groups.

How does the Process Work?

Step 1: Understand the Truth.

Facing the truth about how you actually act and are perceived and then how you can become who you really want to be, is the first element in our System for Change. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said:

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop

to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."

At our first meeting, together, we'll clearly articulate your current situation: your existing strengths and weaknesses, your desired goals, and the personal and interpersonal barriers to success. We'll also focus on how you want to act and be perceived, versus how you currently are acting and being perceived. 2 flowers

Step 2: Implement Strategies for Success and Happiness

Next we'll design and implement effective strategies for obtaining the psychological and technological skills needed to achieve these goals.

Step 3: Accelerate Personal Development

Combining internal structural changes with feedback and insight, new attitudes develop and behavioral change occurs. At this point, people are often eager to learn a previously ignored subset of leadership or management skills. We teach skills and self-development strategies such as: establishing trust, building relationships, leading and nurturing teams, managing conflict, developing influence through authencity, and coaching skills.

Personality blocks often interfere with an individual’s ability to succeed. These blocks stop us from being as trustworthy as we need to be to succeed. By creating powerful change in an individual’s internal psychological structure, a new perspective emerges. What seemed defeating yesterday becomes an exciting challenge today.