Executive coaching has become very popular over the past decade or so, and that’s for one reason: it works. But not all executive or business coaching is the same, though. Generally, there are five different types of executive or business coaching:
• Leadership/Behavioral coaching
• Career coaching
• Leadership development coaching
• Organizational coaching
• Strategic coaching
Leadership/behavioral coaching can be focused on either performance correction or performance enhancement – either reactive or proactive. Generally, its purpose is to improve or enhance the performance of an individual - typically a supervisor, manager or executive-level person – or a team. Most often there is some change of behavior desired, and the coach uses a variety of strategies to accomplish this.
Career coaching is aimed at individuals looking for, considering, or going through a change in position or career direction. Taking on a new role, the individual may require new skills or behaviors; if the individual has reached a plateau in one organization he or she may need to look towards other opportunities; learning how to manage one’s career – one’s political capital - as he or she moves up the corporate ladder. These are all areas a career coach can assist an individual to be more successful in their professional life.
Leadership development coaching is focused on creating an environment and system for the development of leaders within an organization. This may involve helping senior level managers and executives develop coaching skills themselves, while creating and implementing a program for training more junior people in preparation for them to take on more leadership roles in the organization.
Organizational coaching is less focused on individuals, and more on the overall organizational success. It typically involves facilitating a process whereby the leadership team determines the organizational structure, or a re-structuring of the organization.
Strategic coaching is focused on leading or facilitating a leader or executive team through the process of strategic planning. A coach, whose purpose it is to ensure a successful result, but with no personal biases, provides the outside perspective needed to facilitate the strategic planning process.
Each type of coaching has it’s own place, and it’s practically impossible for one coach to be the best in all areas. The best coaches specialize in a certain area, or have a “sweet spot” for one or more.
And while some people are reluctant to have a coach work with them – because of the perception that only someone with “a problem” would need a coach – the most successful supervisors, managers and executives not only have coaches, but are committed to ongoing improvement. They see continuous improvement and learning as a key to their personal success, and the success of their organization.
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