Executive Coaching

Overview

What you can provide as a coach – and what a good coach can provide for you and your organisation

Will I benefit from coaching? How will I measure the benefits – and will they be lasting ones? How do I choose the right coach and how can I get the maximum value out of the process?

This book – by an insider with plenty of experience of hiring coaches and acting as a coach – provides a pragmatic insight into executive coaching for those who:

• are contemplating a career move and becoming an executive coach
• are considering using the executive coaching process for their organization
• are considering using – or asking their organization for – an executive coach for themselves.

The author emphasizes the importance of commitment from coach, individual and sponsor [the organization] if coaching is to be of real benefit.

Content

Introduction

ONE What is executive coaching?

• So, what are the pieces of the coaching jigsaw?
  
• The role of the Human Resources function
  
• What will success look like?
  
• Creating a coaching environment
  

TWO The organizational context

• Identifying the need
  
• Feedback

THREE Where executive coaching makes the difference 

• Assimilation coaching
  
• Performance coaching
  
• Career coaching
  
• Coaching during projects
  
• Inbound coaching
  
• Coaching during mergers and acquisitions
  
• Coaching to non-executive directcors
  
• Coaching during outplacement
  
• Coaching teams
  
• Enhancing manager’s skills
  
• …And the ones that get away

FOUR How does it work?

• Preparation
  
• How will we work together?
  
• What will success look like?
  
• Delivery
  
• Coaching teams
  
• Closure and sign off
  
• Tools and techniques
  

FIVE The coach as consultant

• Initial contact
  
• Issues for the internal coach
  

SIX What to look for in a coach

• Coaches to avoid
  
• What works?
  
• Is who you see, who you get?
  

SEVEN What to look for as a potential coach

• What are the reasons for your interest in executive coaching?
  
• How much do you know about executive coaching?
  
• Training to be an executive coach
  
• Market research
  
• Working as an executive coach

EIGHT Making this book work for you

• Does your organization need executive coaching?
  
• Finally
  
• Further information

APPENDIX ONE British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

APPENDIX TWO The British Psychological Society Code of Good Practice for Psychological Testing

APPENDIX THREE The European Mentoring and Coaching Council

Bibliography

Reviews

‘This is an important, timely and very practical book on a topic of increasing interest to many people in business. McAdam is both a good writer and an original thinker. He has written not a skills book but one which looks at the whole process of coaching in an organisation to see how it ‘fits in’ with all aspects of training and development. The book asks all the relevant questions and provides sound, sensible advice succinctly.’

Prof Adrian Furnham, Dept of Psychology, University College

‘Stuart McAdam’s comprehensive study of the coaching environment will guide coaches and participants to focus on the benefits and avoid the dangers of this aspect of people development.’

Martin Powell, Managing Partner, Withy King Solicitors

‘As an experienced executive coach I found this book a refreshing read. It highlights many underestimated aspects of Executive Coaching and offers a practical framework and tools.’

Dilly Hallett, Consultant Psychologist and Executive Coach

Author

Stuart McAdam

Stuart McAdam has worked as a coaching gamekeeper and poacher: he spent eight years as a principal consultant with KPMG Peat Marwick, was Group Human Resources Director at M&G Reinsurance and Global Head of HR at Swiss Re Life & Health. He is a Director of 365 Coaching and a Chartered fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development.