You or your manager may have a good idea about in what areas to focus on. However, we usually start with an in-depth assessment to make sure that we are working on the highest priority areas. Not only do we ask you what your weaknesses are, but we typically use a 360º feedback process that give you a confidential assessment of your strengths and weakness as viewed by your subordinates, peers, boss, and compare that to your self assessment. The most frequent need areas we find are: organization and/or time management, focus, accountability, business relationships, professional development, communication and presentation skills, negotiation skills, listening skills, and problem-solving.

Every client is unique and that’s why we customize every engagement. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach at Oakley Advisors. Typically a coach and client have three or four sessions a month. Our preference is face-to-face meetings. In our opinion there’s no better or effective way to help our clients. However, sometimes that’s not possible and we use other methods including phone, webcam, and email to supplement the process.

Coaches are frequently hired by people who are already successful. Top athletes have coaches to help them get an edge. Sixty seven percent of top leaders have coaches. People who are successful know that having “the edge” is important, and they know that a good coach can help them to get it. Your strengths got you to where you are, and working on your weaknesses will help you get to the next level.

• What did he/she do before they became an executive coach?

• Has your coach been a leader?

• How much coaching experience do they have?

• What level of executives have they coached?

• Has he/she been certified by a reputable organization?

• How much training did they receive to become a coach?

• Do they have a continuing education requirement?

• Do they follow a process?

• Does the engagement have a timeline?

• How much time do they spend with you face-to-face?

• Do they have training skills to help you increase your effectiveness?

• Are you comfortable with their style?

• Will they tell you what you want to hear, or can they give you honest feedback?

• Do they have references who are willing to talk about their results?

• What results have their clients achieved?

• Are they willing to do an interview call to see it it’s a good fit?

• Are they willing to let you to set the agenda? Is their process flexible?

There are many choices in the world of executive coaching. At Oakley Advisors, we have carefully studied what constitutes the best in premium professional executive coaching and incorporated those elements into our business.

➢ All OA coaches are former executives. In building the trust level that is so critical to the success of the coaching experience, there is no substitute for the credibility that comes from the coach having been in the client’s shoes.
➢ Because we have corporate backgrounds we can quickly understand the situations being described by our clients. We have a vast understanding of today’s talent management systems and performance appraisal processes.
➢ We use the Sherpa process as the starting foundation for our coaching engagements. All of our coaches are certified by major universities.
➢ Our backgrounds, experiences, and personalities are varied. Each client will be able to select the coach that is right for him or her. Our professional backgrounds allow us to align with nearly every professional environment. The different personalities of our coaches assure each client will find the right fit for him or her.
➢ When you hire an OA coach, you have, in some respects, hired them all. We work together to improve our individual skills and to leverage our combined skills for our clients. Each coach has access to the skills of the entire OA team to make sure our clients receive a superior coaching experience.

Each executive coach has his or her own style and approach.
There are a couple of areas worth noting that do differentiate coaches:

➢ First: The philosophical approach.
Some coaches work on enhancing their client’s strengths. They help the executive to understand what they do well and hone those traits for maximum performance.

Other coaches work on their client’s weaknesses. Their view is that the executive’s strengths got them to where they are and it is their weaknesses that are holding them back from maximizing their contribution. Addressing weaknesses takes more effort, and sometimes courage, on the part of the client. In our opinion, this approach delivers much greater return. Weaknesses that executives thought could never be changed are changed.

Many people ask which is the more effective approach – working on enhancing strengths or correcting weaknesses. Our view is that the two approaches are really just two sides of the same coin. Whether the coach is working on a perceived strength or weakness, the goal is the same – to modify a behavior to improve performance. A weakness in one business environment may be perceived as strength in another.

➢ Second: The coaching format.
Traditionally, executive coaches have used a “situational” approach. The client presents a challenge or a situation and the coach works through it with them. The problem with this approach is that the coaching engagement has no definition. Coaching sessions can go on indefinitely. The client will have an improved perspective, but only for that given situation. The client’s over all behaviors are not usually changed and their performance is not permanently improved.

Recently, there has been a movement to develop a process for executive coaching. Process driven coaching focuses on making permanent changes in client behavior and doing so in a specific period of time. Process driven executive coaching ensures that time is taken to cover every critical element in the coaching experience. A process approach operates within a specific time frame and thereby controls the indeterminate aspects of situational coaching.

American universities have kept a close watch on the efforts to develop an executive coaching process that can be taught as part of their executive coaching certification programs.

While some universities, such as Georgetown, have developed internal executive coaching certification programs, only one process methodology has met the strict standards of major U.S. business schools. It is the most comprehensive effort to date for an executive coaching process and is known as the “Sherpa method”. Sherpa is taught at major universities such as Penn Sate, Kent State in Ohio, and the University of Louisville.

The Sherpa process has three main parts:
1. It begins with an in depth self-assessment process for the client.
2. In the second part, it uses both traditional and customized tools to help the client address weaknesses and improve skills.
3. Finally, in the third stage, the coach and client use a series of techniques to make sure the changes will stay in place and that the client’s new behavior patterns are permanent.

Executive coaching works in two main ways.

➢ First: It provides an objective viewpoint to the executive.
Executives – especially at high levels – seldom have anyone to talk with. And, because they are in powerful positions, they are rarely challenged in their viewpoints.
An executive coach fills the role as confidential advisor and objective assessor, willing to challenge the executive on his or her behaviors and to provide insightful observations.
Only a trusted outsider can provide this type of objectivity.

➢ Second: It applies proven, time-tested tools.
Executive coaches provide the client with modification techniques that help them alter their behaviors. These modifications help the executive to make changes that were otherwise not possible.
Sometimes a management weakness that has been hindering the executive’s performance is eliminated or diminished. Or, a particular skill that the executive wants to improve upon is strengthened.
The result is performance that is visibly and, often dramatically, improved.

Executive coaching is a series of focused one-on-one meetings between a coach and client that are designed to produce specific and positive changes in professional behavior within a specific period of time.

Executive coaching is personal and customized to the client. It focuses on improving performance and results.

For the past decade, the most successful companies in the world have depended upon executive coaches to enhance the performance of their leaders.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a coach including their background, their qualifications to be an executive coach, and their approach.

However, the most important factor is comfort level. Interview the potential coach first. Make sure you are comfortable with them, as the two of you will be developing a deep working relationship.

Good executive coaches should possess a number of skills including:
• The ability to listen
• To objectively observe
• To be direct, flexible, and intuitive
• But far and above all else, the coach must be trustworthy. The entire success of the coaching experience rests on the trust bond between coach and client. Without it, there is no relationship and without the relationship, the coaching dynamic cannot take place.