Defining Coaching Presence

by Seth Sinclair

Coaching presence is a very important tool, perhaps the most important tool, in a successful coach’s arsenal.  The International Coach Federation (ICF) describes presence as the “ability to be fully conscious and create spontaneous relationships with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible, and confident.”

Great coaches all have great presence, but what does that really mean?  I like the brief definition on Mike the Mentor’s blog.  He defines presence as the ability to be with someone in such a way that the person comes to know himself or herself better. A coach who is present in a meeting with a client, whether in person or on the phone, has put aside his or her own problems and issues and is giving the client his or her full attention.

Coaches with presence listen intently and effectively.  They concentrate on the speaker’s words, watch for body language to help them interpret those words, keep their thoughts from wandering by mentally paraphrasing what the speaker is saying, establish and maintain a pattern of eye contact, and ask questions summarizing what they have heard.

They are real and caring, listening to what the client says without forming opinions of their own; are genuine and authentic in their responses and actions; and have a passion for learning about and understanding the ideas and thoughts of others.

They stay grounded during difficult conversations.  A coach with a strong presence will not be knocked off balance when emotional or challenging topics arise during a coaching session.

They want to be doing what they are doing.  They enjoy closely observing the lives of others and helping them see their actions from a different point of view; offering alternative choices for future actions and behaviors; and helping their clients reach their goals, whatever they are.

And they believe in themselves.  They’ve had enough training to know that they have the right tools to take advantage of teaching situations that come up—and that when the moment is right, they will use those tools to best advantage.

When clients work with coaches with great presence, they grow to believe their coach is fully committed to them and their issues.  As a result, they open themselves more fully to the coaching process, to learning more about themselves, and to the possibilities of change.  We wrote in a previous post that the major reason a relationship fails is the absence of trust: great presence is a sure way to build and maintain trust between a coach and a client.

Some people believe presence is an inherited skill, and that it cannot be taught.  I believe otherwise.  Coaches, like anyone else, can learn to become better listeners.  They can learn to focus better.  And they can, and should, be observed by other professional coaches on a regular basis.  These observations should include an evaluation of how “in the moment” a coach is, how confident the coach is, and how effective he or she is in choosing the right strategy when the opportunity arises.

Whether coaching is done face-to-face, on the phone, or even via email, one thing is absolutely clear: for coaches to help clients grow and change, a strong presence is indispensible.

The Importance of Trust in Coaching

by Seth Sinclair

According to The Executive Coaching Forum (TECF), the most common reason a coaching engagement fails is the breakdown of trust.  Trust between a coach and a client is highly correlated to ethics, especially around the issue of confidentiality.

In nearly all coaching relationships, a coach is the recipient of important personal or sensitive professional information about a client.  Sometimes, that information might be damaging if it falls into the wrong hands.  Those being coached must trust that any personal information coaches are given access to will be kept safe and secure, and will not be discussed with any unauthorized parties.  In our blog on establishing the coaching agreement, we discuss the importance of defining how confidential information will be handled before the coaching process starts: once the process begins, that agreement must be fully respected. 

Ensuring confidentiality may be the most important aspect of building a relationship based on trust, but there are some other things coaches and those being coached can and should do to develop and maintain trust in their relationship.

The first of these is for coaches to do what they say they will do, by arriving at face-to-face appointments on time, or calling at exactly the designated time; by noting agreed-on follow up items, such as reports or reading material, and providing them promptly; by offering prompt feedback; and by living up to their word in all of the ways dictated by the coaching session.  Modeling trustworthy behavior positions the coach to hold the client accountable for being on time for coaching sessions, rescheduling sessions, if necessary, well in advance; and doing their “homework” so they are fully prepared before every coaching session.

Trust is also built by active listening.  Coaches need to make an active effort to hear and understand what their clients are saying—not only the words, but also the whole message those being coached are trying to impart.  That means paying careful attention at all times; avoiding distractions, noticing body language, emotions, and context. Asking questions, or summarizing what’s been said, is another way in which coaches demonstrate they are fully involved in the conversation.

Finally, coachees need to trust that their coach supports them without judging them.  Great coaches become partners with those they coach—helping them achieve their personal and professional goals, increasing their confidence and self-awareness, and improving their leadership skills.  They use all their coaching tools to get those they coach to take action themselves to improve their performance.  Without a foundation of trust, the relationship will not reach the level of partnership needed to achieve transformational results.

Establishing the Coaching Agreement

by Seth Sinclair

In previous posts, we’ve discussed the qualifications of coaches and explained how to find a coach that’s right for you and for your organization.  Once you’ve found your coach, it’s time for one of the most important parts of the entire coaching process—establishing a coaching agreement.

The coaching agreement is basically the process through which the relationship between a coach and client is designed and planned.  According to Mary Beth O’Neill, author of “Executive Coaching With Backbone and Heart,” the conversation that precedes drawing up such an agreement allows coaches and clients to “establish the goals and parameters for the coaching relationship and set expectations that drive the remaining phases.”

Working through a coaching agreement offers an opportunity to set a foundation for success by addressing several critical factors early in the relationship:

·      Goals – This conversation is an initial opportunity to lay out personal, professional, and organizational goals for the coaching engagement.  The goals may be focused on specific leadership competencies or behaviors as well as organizational outcomes.  While the goals can be dynamic and may be further refined through assessments or subsequent development plans, it is important to start with a baseline from which to work and measure.

·      Process – If the client is new to coaching, the coach should provide an overview of how coaching works, what to expect in coaching sessions, and the ways they client can anticipate learning from the experience.  This is also an opportunity to identify and agree upon what will remain outside of the coaching relationship.   Finally, the coach can describe any assessments or evaluations included in the scope of the engagement.

·      Ownership and Commitment – Building on the discussion about the coaching process, this is an opportunity to further expand upon into the roles in the coaching relationship.  More specifically, it is important for the coachee to acknowledge that he or she is ultimately responsible for staying engaged with the program; taking responsibility for follow-up, and testing new behaviors.  In other words, the client has to be willing to do the hard work that may be needed to accomplish his or her goals with the coach serving as a trusted partner.  O’Neill describes this as the client’s ability “to own his part of the issue,” and the ability of a client to understand that he or she may be part of the problem is critical to the success of any coaching program. 

·      Trust and Confidentiality – At this stage, important building blocks for the entire coaching process begin to take shape, such as establishing trust, communicating effectively, and the ability to speak plainly to each other.  The agreement conversation can accelerate this by address expectations regarding confidentiality (link to post on Trust) and other communication norms for the engagement. 

·      Logistics – This is also an opportunity to address the way in which coaching sessions will be conducted (face-to-face, by phone, or in other ways); the number of coaching sessions that will be accomplished, and the intervals between each session; the availability of the coach to the client in between scheduled sessions, and agreed to procedures for rescheduling. 

Some coaching agreements are for larger groups, or even for entire organizations: if this is the case, the contract should spell out what the organization hopes to accomplish, and what senior leadership will do to support the coaching process.  It is also important to note that the agreement may be supplemented with a separate coaching contract to address fees for services and assessments as well as any other terms for review and acknowledgement.

Whether the agreement is for an individual or group, it should explain the process that will be followed, and what the coach will focus on in working with the client or clients.  Some coaches even put their philosophy of coaching in the document.  Agreements built in this manner will increase the probability of success for the coaching relationship.

Ethics of the Executive Coach

by Seth Sinclair

Executive coaches come to the profession having had different academic backgrounds and training for the job.  Whatever a coach’s background may be, there are standards of behavior every client or an organization should expect of any coach. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) has a code of ethics professional coaches accredited by the federation are required to uphold.  The entire code can be found here. 

Here are a few highlights of the code:

First, executive coaches must maintain the highest levels of confidentiality for all of the information with which they are entrusted, and must have a clear agreement and understanding before releasing any information to anyone else, unless the law requires that such information be disclosed. All records they create must be maintained, stored, and disposed of in accordance with applicable laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Second, coaches must always behave professionally with clients by not

“overpromising” results, either from the coaching process or from their own abilities.  They must never give false or misleading advice; and must respect the client’s right to end the coaching relationship at any time--subject, of course, to the provisions of their contract.

Coaches should make sure, at the beginning of the relationship, that both the client and the organization who hire them fully understand what coaching is and does, the extent to which the relationship is confidential, and any other terms of the contract.  Throughout the coaching process, the coach should look for signs that the client is no longer being helped by coaching, and should make it known when that becomes the case.

And finally, coaches must “seek to avoid” any conflicts of interest they may have—and openly disclose any such conflicts.  They must offer to remove themselves when such conflicts arise.  They must also “not knowingly” take any personal, professional, or monetary advantage from their relationship with their clients, except for whatever compensation is agreed to in their contract.

ICF accredited coaches are required to pledge their agreement to the organization’s code of ethics—but whether a coach is accredited by that organization or not, clients should expect that whoever they choose to work with will meet these standards of behavior.  If there’s any question in a client or an organization’s mind that a coach may not be able to meet these standards, the client should spell out requirements in the employment contract—or simply hire a different coach. 

  

What To Look for When Hiring A Counselor

by Seth Sinclair

If you are looking for an executive coach, either for yourself or your organization, what should you be looking for? 

First, you need to look at the education and work experience of the coach.

Usually, coaches come from one of three kinds of backgrounds.  Some are former leaders themselves, or experts on an industry or profession, who have chosen to focus on coaching others at this time in their careers.  They offer a “been there, done that” level of expertise and support.

Others come from a Human Resources background.  They offer special skills and knowledge in managing people, building team cultures, successful interviewing, and managing performance. 

Still others have a background in psychology, which enables them to support strategic decision-making, help executives manage stress, and mediate disputes.  

There is no one background that is “right” for a person or an organization—but it is important to know the background of the coach you are hiring before deciding whether a coach is the proper fit for you.

Second, look at the specific training the coach has had in the area of executive coaching.  Executive coaches, like executives themselves, are made, not born, and coaches who have completed accredited training programs have a strong foundation of both theoretical and practical knowledge to draw upon. 

Some training programs are intensive and comprehensive, requiring as many as 175 contact hours and the completion of an examination before a certificate is granted.  Others focus on specific coaching techniques and skills.  (We’ll look at what these are in a future post.)

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) offers coach-specific training programs, an official accreditation program, and continuing training programs for coaches.  If you’re interested in learning more about the different types of training they offer, there’s a chart on their website at http://www.coachfederation.org/program/landing.cfm?ItemNumber=2146&navItemNumber=794.

Finally, most leading coaches are credentialed by a professional organization, indicating they have met certain education and experience requirements; have committed to high professional standards and a strong code of ethics; and have demonstrated proficiency in various coaching skills.  ICF’s credentialing program is widely recognized, and offers three levels of credentialing.  Information about the skills required at each level of coaching, and about the certification process in general, can be found here: http://www.coachfederation.org/credential/?navItemNumber=502

Coaching isn’t an easy job—and no one credential or specific background assures that someone is a great coach. Reviewing the overall education, training, and credentialing of a coach you are considering hiring is well worth your time.  There are many good coaches in the executive coaching field.  Finding one that is the right fit for you or your organization can make a world of difference.

Coach or mentor: which is right for you?

by Seth Sinclair

In my last post, I described the work of an executive coach by using the International Coaching Federation’s definition of the coaching process: “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

One useful way to further explore coaching is to contrast it with another common   approach to leadership development – mentoring.  While both services can overlap and lead to results, it is important to understand the similarities and distinctions when evaluating which of these approaches will best serve you in achieving your goals.

Coaching

Coaching is a learning process.  Coaches don’t solve problems for their clients: instead, they use powerful questions and active listening to help their client gain insight through self discovery.  Coaches offer support and objective perspective to clients with a focus on gaining clarity on values and priorities, and better alignment of personal and professional goals.

Top-level coaches are professionally trained and may be certified by a credentialing body such as the International Coaching Federation.  Their educational backgrounds and career experience may vary widely.  Some coaches are experienced professionals who have transitioned to full-time coaching; others utilize coaching in the context of organizational development or psychology.  Because the focus is on the client, executive coaches don’t have to offer direct experience in the client’s work or industry to be effective. 

Coaching relationships are typically structured, with clearly defined goals and defined periods of engagement.  For example, a coaching relationship may include bi-monthly sessions over a six or twelve month period.   Coaching may be provided for an individual or programmatically for a cohort of leaders within an organization. 

Some situations where coaching might be especially effective include: a desire to reach a stretch goal, taking on a significant new challenge, an imbalance between personal and professional goals, a need to make a “breakthrough” in leadership abilities to meet goals, and a need to better manage conflict and relationships.

Mentoring

The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes a mentor as simply “a trusted counselor or guide,” but in a good mentor-mentee relationship, a mentor is much more than that.  A mentor shares his or her knowledge, experience, and wisdom with a mentee, in hopes the mentee will benefit from what the mentor has learned over the course of his or her career. 

Many mentors are role models, displaying the kinds of actions their mentees should adopt through their behaviors.  They often have specific knowledge of the industry mentees are in, and can both share that knowledge and use it to open doors for those with whom they are working.

Mentors can introduce their mentees to others who will help them get ahead; share information about the industry they are in; and advocate with senior leaders on behalf of their mentees.  They know the “politics” of organizations and industries, and can provide specific strategic advice. 

The relationship between a mentor and a mentee tends to be informal and in most cases is voluntary.  The frequency of contact and topics discussed may vary significantly.  Mentoring relationships may last many years. 

Situations where mentoring might be most effective include: the need to increase organizational knowledge, a desire for advice on how to solve problems, a need to expand relationships and political savvy. 

Summary

Both coaching and mentoring can offer significant benefits to a leader.  Coaching is focused on the client, with an emphasis on building leadership capacity.  Mentoring is centered on the transition of knowledge from the mentor to the mentee.  The table below provides a brief summary of some of the key differences:

	Coaching	Mentoring
Focus in on	Goal setting, learning, change	Transfer of knowledge
Provided by	A trained/credentialed coach	A respected, senior-level, role model
Methods	Active listening, reflection, exploration, accountability	Advice, problem solving, networking
Format	Formal, structured, time bound	Informal, long-term

Depending on your needs and resources, one or even both of these services together can effectively help you to reach your goals.

What an executive coach can do for you

by Seth Sinclair, Member

George Whitfield, Jr. calls himself a “quarterback builder.”  Every year, he works with about 70 quarterbacks, from middle-schoolers to professionals, helping them play better in the position some have called the most difficult in sports.

Mr. Whitfield does not roam the sidelines of any team on Saturdays or Sundays, however.  Instead, he is hired by individual players and their families to help young athletes reach their full potential.

“He sees every motion, every movement,” Drew Brees, the quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, told ESPN. “He makes sure that everything is perfectly organized, exactly in the right place.”

Although Mr. Whitfield wears sweatshirts and shorts to work, and his office is a playing field, he is a true executive coach; helping those who lead the offenses of football teams to do their jobs better.

What is an executive coach?  The International Coaching Federation defines the coaching process as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

At Sinclair Advisory Group, we believe the “partnering” aspect of coaching is of paramount importance.  Coaching is not a process in which the client has questions about particular issues he or she is facing, and the coach provides answers: instead, it is about the kind of work Mr. Whitfield does with young quarterbacks: offering support and objective perspective, helping clients gain clarity on their values and priorities, and building alignment between their organizational and life goals.

We believe coaches should be partners in the journeys of those they coach towards becoming more thoughtful leaders, helping them face their most challenging problems with a clear mind and with measured thinking.  Executive coaches help define goals, ask questions that help their client understand all aspects of issues, and support their clients as they develop a plan of action to “quarterback” their team to solve those problems.

Most clients know the answers to the problems they face at work.  However, their perspective on these issues may be limited, and they don’t have a clear view of how to use their knowledge to get the results they want. Good coaches do not solve their clients’ problems, but facilitate a thinking process that makes solutions evident to clients themselves.

Good coaches also look at their clients’ interactions with others: how their personalities, communication style, and actions help or hinder them in getting their work done.  No leader can succeed without the support of his or her teammates, including subordinates, peers, and supervisors.  If leadership style is getting in the way of that support, the coach can identify the problem and suggest possible changes.

And good coaches look at their clients’ entire life and lifestyle, and identify problems that are holding them back in those areas.  Wellness is an essential part of leadership effectiveness: someone who is in poor health or out of balance will not be able to maximize his or her leadership potential.  At SAG we consider it part of our job to help our clients understand and become aware of the relationship between leadership and wellness.

A good coach asks questions that can help clients’ themselves determine why they may be unhappy in their jobs, or with their career paths; and if they are unhappy, the coach works with them to explore the underlying causes.  The coach can foster better awareness of choices or opportunities that might be available, then work with the client to design actions that can get them out of the ruts they perceive themselves to be in.

Not everyone has the potential to become a professional quarterback—but the methods Mr. Whitfield and skilled executive coaches use can make anyone better able to maximize their professional potential.  Executive coaches make great partners in the game of life, and can make the difference between winning and losing in every field of endeavor.

Is There A Substitute for Experience?

by Seth Sinclair

On August 26, 2013, the Washington Post published a story that foretold a grim future for the operations of the United States government.  The story told of a “wave” of retirements among senior federal employees: nearly twice as many as four years ago.

By 2016, wrote the Post, more than a third of the federal workforce will be eligible to retire.  Nearly three in five members of the Senior Executive Service, and nearly half of all the senior managers in government, are among that group.  As a result, the General Accountability Office has put the pending loss of experienced workers on its list of high-risk future challenges.

This accelerated departure of experienced managers means that the government will lose exactly the type of people it cannot afford to lose.  In times of short funding, accelerated cycle times, and increasing demands on agencies and people, employees with proven management and leadership skills are vital to the success of every government agency.  Yet they are precisely the men and women whose years of service offer them the opportunity to retire.  Thanks to years of no pay increases, and fewer and fewer bonus opportunities, many senior leaders are taking that opportunity.

Those who will replace these retirees (if budget constraints permit them to be replaced at all), will inevitably be less experienced, less knowledgeable, and less able to respond to the challenges their predecessors routinely handled—at least until they gain their own experience.

The old adage “there is no substitute for experience” is true: but there is a way for these new leaders, and new managers everywhere, to fast track the process.  Coaches and mentors provide leaders—new and experienced--with the support and information they need to identify and implement their goals; to balance their work life with their home life; and to transform the way in which they think, feel, and act.

There is a difference between coaching and mentoring, however.  Most mentors have “been there, done that, and got the t-shirt.”  They directly transfer their experience to those they are mentoring, model positive behaviors, and help to guide career development.

Executive coaching, on the other hand, is a more subtle process, and can be accomplished by coaches without direct experience in the field those they are coaching are in.  According to Mary Beth O’Neill, author of “Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart,” a trained executive coach helps leaders work through challenges so they can transform their learning into results for the organization.

In addition, coaches:

·      Share conceptual frameworks, images, and metaphors with executives;

·      Encourage rigor in the ways clients organize their thinking, visioning, planning, and expectations;

·      Challenge executives to expand their learning edge and go beyond their current level of competence; and

·      Build clients’ capacities to manage their own anxieties in tough situations.

The Sinclair Advisory Group has the depth to provide both experienced leaders to serve as mentors and professionally trained and certified coaches.  In many cases our resources are cross-trained and have the ability to “switch hats” between mentoring, coaching, and consulting in alignment with client needs.  We understand how to identify which approach will best serve the client; both together can offer a ray of light that can alleviate the gloom and doom the Post and others foresee.

In future blog posts, we will delve further into the subject of leadership coaching: how it can be done successfully; what it can accomplish; and what leaders should look for and expect from an executive coach.  We hope both new and experienced leaders will use this information to make informed decisions about choosing mentors and coaches, and to get the greatest value from the men and women they choose.  We’d welcome your thoughts, comments, and suggestions.