Will I benefit from having an executive coach?

In research conducted by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), 99% of respondents who had been coached were “satisfied,” and 96% said they would repeat the process if given the chance. While executive coaching will not work if the client does not want to be coached, all other clients will experience significant results.

When is the best time to get a coach?

Are you looking for support but not quite sure what kind of support you need? Perhaps you are seeking a promotion or will soon be relocated to an overseas office. Maybe you wish your staff were more engaged and motivated. Possibly you went through a recent 360 feedback process at work and would like to change some of the peer perceptions that came out in the results.

Executive coaching can help with all of these situations—and more. While executive coaching can boost your performance at any point in your career, there are 2 instances when it is especially helpful to hire a coach:

1. When facing a new circumstance that requires you to develop a new capability.
2. When something is breaking down, or you feel “stuck.”

What is going to happen?

Clients who have been skillfully coached experience a greater sense of fulfillment, engagement, and meaning. You will develop in ways that you can imagine, and also in ways that you can’t. People that are important to you will notice and comment on it. When your coaching is finished, you will likely view it as one of the most important things you have ever done for your professional and personal development.

How can I find and choose a coach?

For someone who has never had a coach before, finding and choosing a coach can be daunting. Here are a few tips:

1. Look for executive coaches that hold professional certification from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). While this doesn’t guarantee quality, it does mean that the coach has gone through a certain number of hours of prescribed training and adheres to important ethical standards such as confidentiality. Beware of those calling themselves coaches without any professional certification, as there is no assurance that what they are doing is actually coaching.

2. Contact a few executive coaches and ask for a “good fit session.” Most coaches will speak to you free of charge so you can asess whether you are the right fit for each other. At TERMA, we can arrange for good fit sessions with a variety of executive coaches that you choose from our extensive coach profiles.

3. While it’s important that you feel comfortable with your coach, remember that you are hiring an executive coach and not a friend. During your good fit sessions, keep an eye out for a coach who offers a blend of challenge and support appropriate for you and your situation.

4. Do you feel like your coaching session ended too quickly and wish it had been longer? Are you excited to speak to your coach again? If so, that is a good indicator that the coach suits what you’re looking for.

What if I’m not sure I have enough time for coaching?

We understand that all executives are seeking to maximize their time. During a typical executive coaching program, you will meet with your coach about once a month for 60-90 minutes. There may be fieldwork between sessions, but only to the extent that you wish to practice what you are already working on with your coach. Ultimately, coaching will help you free up more time, so “I’m too busy” is actually an excellent reason to hire an executive coach.

How can coaching be used in my organization?

The traditional relationship between a company and its employees has changed. Because the increasing automation of business processes has contributed to global downsizing, outstanding employees are in high demand and quick to switch jobs for a higher salary, exciting assignments, and flexible work arrangements.

In order to keep these high performers, organizations increasingly provide attractive compensation packages with more self-development opportunities like coaching. Research shows that the average return on investment for executive coaching is 700%, meaning that a company can expect a 7x return on the investment of hiring an executive coach.

How much does executive coaching cost?

Research suggests that clients can expect a return on investment of 5 to 10 times the price of coaching. In the context of the capabilities you wish to build and the goals you wish to achieve, you may find coaching surprisingly reasonably priced.

I need the managers in my company to be better coaches. What should I do?

Give us a call. A core part of TERMA's business is teaching coaching skills to managers, so that they can become more effective leaders for their teams. Managers who are skillful coaches will help their staff increase productivity, grow professionally, discover solutions to daunting challenges, and deliver business results that exceed expectations.