Two Types of Executive Coaching

I read something recently that suggested there were 12 different types of executive coaching relationships.  I’ve been doing this for three decades, and I disagree. That’s making it too complicated.  

I see two types: behavioral change coaching and highly sophisticated “sound boarding.” Both are, of course, strictly confidential.  Behavioral change coaching - typically over a several month period - focuses on changing one, no more than two, behaviors that are handicapping the leader’s effectiveness.  Such behaviors may be being too steeped in the weeds, too steeped in the forest, inability to organize sufficiently, difficulty supporting team members, or any one of a gazillion others.    

Highly sophisticated “sound boarding” - often for an extended period - focuses on providing regular, highly educated, experienced, honest feedback to the executive on virtually any issues the executive wants to discuss (and sometimes issues the executive does not want to discuss but the coach believes they should).   This relationship provides critical input that the leader is not receiving from peers, subordinates, boards, investors, or any other constituents.  The effectiveness of this relationship depends upon the coach being extraordinarily - even extremely - experienced in business and leadership.  

With both types, it is best preceded by a leadership assessment to gauge how the leader is doing as measured by the people they are leading. See www.traversi.com/what-we-do.