One-on-one coaching of executives aims at maximising the impact of their leadership, at dealing with complexity and chaos, at developing their political acumen, and at managing their managerial loneliness.

Coaching missions range from "development coaching" to "crisis coaching" according to the company's context and the person's issues.

Development coaching is usually applicable in three situations:

1. Taking charge - the first 100 days: this coaching consists of identifying with the executive the issues to address in priority (alliance with N+1, political aspects, strategic issues, key stakeholders, communication and leadership styles, etc.), establishing an action plan, accompanying them while deploying the action plan, and helping them set up a reliable feedback loop to adjust the strategy whenever necessary. See a series of articles (in French) on this subject on www.first100days.be.
   
   
2. During one's mandate: this coaching aims at reinforcing the leadership by thoroughly assessing the various aspects of the leader's position (environment analysis, visioning, strategy, organisational structure, leadership style, cultural and political aspects, processes, etc.), by adopting more efficient behaviours, and generally speaking by bringing more flexibility in one's management.
   
   
3. Closing one's mandate: this coaching consists of helping the executive terminate their mandate at best, hand over to their successor in the best conditions, and prepare their next position.

Crisis coaching is primarily conducted in two cases:

1. Exogeneous crisis: when the executive must face a crisis of which the causes are outside their realm of influence, the coaching aims at helping them remain cold-blooded in front of the turmoil, having reliable indicators at their disposal, and staying the course.
   
   
2. Endogeneous crisis: when the executive must cope with a personal crisis or caused by themselves, the coaching aims at helping them making them own "survival kit", identifying major problems and their possible resolutions, analysing their systemic effects, adopting more efficient behaviours, establishing a roadmap and implementing it according to a trial-adjustment kind of approach.

The duration of one-on-one executive coaching missions varies from five to fifteen calls or face-to-face sessions spreaded on a period of 3 to 12 months depending on the context.

Sustaining coaching is also provided. The approach consists of monthly meetings where the person brings topics or concerns of the moment. This approach enables the leader to stand back versus critical issues and get a global view with the help of a professional coach in a secure environment (see Sustaining coaching).

top

See also:

- Individual Coaching Supervision - One-on-one Executive Coaching - Executive Team Coaching - Systemic Coaching of Organisations

- Presentation of Marc De Wilde - Practical Aspects - Articles and Useful Links - A Few Testimonials...

For further information:

Marc De Wilde
Executive Coaching & Corporate Counsel
Avenue des Croix du Feu 25
B-1410 Waterloo - Belgium
Tel/Fax: +32 (0)2 332.32.11
Mobile: +32 (0)473 94.21.47
E-mail : marc.dewilde@executivecoaching.be