What is I-O?

The demand for ECs has skyrocketed over the past 5 years. As with most emerging professions, the rules and guidelines for how to make executive coaching work have been scanty at best. This gap has been felt by executives seeking help, their organizations, and the scores of people putting up shingles as ECs. At the same time, a cadre of other types of coaches is trying to catch the coattails of the popularity of executive coaching. 

A Year of Defining and Guiding

A group of professionals in the executive coaching field from many leading businesses and consulting firms around Boston have spent the last year beginning to address the needs arising out of the growth of executive coaching. This group is forming a professional association called The Executive Coaching Forum of Boston (ECFB). They have just completed the first edition of the Executive Coaching Handbook. The Handbook is geared to all members of the coaching partnership. That partnership consists of the executive, their coach, and the other people in the execs organization supporting the coaching (the boss, Human Resources, Executive Development, etc.). It is a no-nonsense practical guide on how to make each step of executive coaching work. Rather than try to market the Handbook, since the ECFBs primary mission is to advance the profession and provide support to execs and their coaches, the publication is not being sold, but rather, distributed at no cost via e-mail to professionals throughout greater Boston. 

The Handbook

There are four sections to the Executive Coaching Handbook: An Introduction to Executive Coaching, a Set of Working Definitions, Basic Principles to be followed, and a comprehensive set of Guidelines for Practice. The intended value of the Handbook, besides providing practical how-tos, is to give guidance and standards for execs seeking coaching and the coaches providing it. It also aims to maintain a high level of professionalism for the field. Effective ECs need extensive training and experience in business management, organization development, and psychological applications in business. The Handbook will help guide qualified coaches and the executives and organizations they serve to conduct coaching that really makes a difference while doing no harm. 

Defining Executive Coaching

The following are ten core elements of the definition of Executive Coaching as presented in the Handbook:

1. A collaborative partnership between an executive, his/her manager, HR, a professional EC, and others

2. To facilitate an executives and his/her organizations learning and to achieve identified business results

3. Primarily based on one-on-one interactions between a professional coach and an executive and supported by others as needed

4. With ground rules, time frames, and specific goals and measures of success

5. Using tailored approaches

6. Following seven steps, from needs analysis and planning to transitioning to long-term development

7. Applying a variety of practices such as problem solving, feedback, dialogue, leadership tools, and referral to other developmental resources

8. Focusing on leveraging the executives strengths

9. Paid for by the executives organization

10. Guided by the executives personal values and experiences and ensuring the welfare of the executive and his/her coworkers

These definitions help to focus executive coaching and differentiate it from other forms of executive development and other kinds of coaching (personal coaching, career coaching, performance coaching, etc.). 

Overarching Principles

The Principles and Guidelines sections of the Handbook each provide seven sets of how-tos. The seven Overarching Principles are covered:

1. Systems Perspective

2. Results Orientation

3. Business Focus

4. Partnership

5. Competence

6. Integrity

7. Judgment

Practice Guidelines

The seven sets of Guidelines cover specific methods for each phase of executive coaching. They include how the executive, EC, and other members of the executives organization can best:

Manage Confidentiality

Conduct Precoaching Activities

Complete Contracting

Assess the Executive

Set Goals for the Coaching

Conduct the Coaching

Transition to Long-Term Development 

Moving Forward

The Executive Coaching Forum of Boston (ECFB) is making electronic versions of the Handbook available to executives, coaches and others involved with executive coaching. The copyright on the Handbook allows for duplication within organizations as long as those copies are not sold nor distributed for profit. The ECFB has many other activities underway to help advance and raise the standards for the professional practice of executive coaching. These activities include dissemination of the Handbook, public speaking, focus groups, networking and collaboration with other professional groups, and putting the standards of the Handbook into practice.

For more information about the Executive Coaching Handbook: Principles and Guidelines for a Successful Coaching Partnership, and regarding the Executive Coaching Forum of Boston (ECFB), please contact: Dr. Lew Stern, President, Stern Consulting, or by e-mail stern1@gte.net.