Executive coaching creates competitive advantage

Executive coaching is a management development approach that involves personal interaction between a coach and an executive to improve job performance. Like personal trainers hired by athletes to enhance their competitive capacity, coaching has become the tool of choice for helping executives and managers adjust to the challenges of today’s demanding business environment. 

Executive coaching typically consists of a series of one-on-one interactions between a coach and an executive or manager that focuses on the components of job performance. Coaching typically involves an initial assessment, face-to-face discussions, telephone conversations and email communication. Coaches serve as trainers, facilitators, motivators, moderators, sounding boards and confidantes. Although not a substitute for psychological counseling or substance abuse treatment, coaching assists individuals in addressing crucial managerial weaknesses and can empower executives to higher levels of performance.

While coaching was originally intended as a mechanism designed to save problem managers, it has become the central process for enhancing performance of key personnel throughout the organization. Because of the effectiveness of this one-on-one approach to management development, companies like Coca-Cola have made coaching central to their management development process.  

Although large organizations have adopted comprehensive coaching initiatives, executives and managers of small and midsize companies find even greater success with coaching efforts. Because executives in these organizations generally have limited developmental resources, coaches offer the objective perspective that only an outsider can provide.


This blog post is provided by Allen Miller and Business Advantage International. For assistance in dealing with human resources issues including organization effectiveness, training, compensation, and compliance, call Allen at 801.444.9919.