Adopting an executive development program can be highly beneficial for a company. This type of training is aimed at the senior and C-suite leaders who make up the organization’s leadership. Executive development exercises and activities not only help solidify the foundational principles of the organization but also help leaders evaluate potential executive peers in the future.
When a company decides that its top leaders would benefit from executive development, the next step is to find the right coach or coaching organization to undertake these engagements.
Below, 11 members of Forbes Coaches Council share the most important things to consider when vetting potential coaches or coaching organizations to manage a company’s executive development program.
Forbes Coaches Council members share things companies should consider when vetting potential coaches for executive development.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Alignment With Your Values
The No. 1 thing to consider when hiring a coach is alignment. Does this coach align with who your company is and wants to be? Do they have similar core values? Do you both see eye-to-eye on the big issues you will be discussing? If they don’t have this alignment, it doesn’t matter how capable the coach is. You will not get the result you seek. – Cole Taylor, The Starting Line
2. Value Gained For Time Spent
Consider the value gained for the time they spend coaching. Too often, coaches and clients focus on spending an hour every week. That’s the wrong measure. If the coach is really good, there could be many sessions wrapped up in less than an hour. The value is in the progress, not the time. In fact, if meetings result in improvements sooner, they are even more valuable. Focus on the value and pay accordingly. – Kelly Tyler Byrnes, Voyage Consulting Group
3. Fees And Expected Return On Investment
Coaching is an investment, so any organization needs to understand the expected ROI. Therefore, knowing what the coaches or coaching organizations will charge as fees will be a key consideration to ensure the company allocates a sufficient budget toward this spend. – Rakish Rana, The Clear Coach
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4. Flexibility And Customization
Customization is key. The coach should possess both hard and soft skills, bringing with them specific strategies, tools and assessments along with emotional intelligence and adaptability. While leadership has standard principles, individuals are wired uniquely. To work effectively with a client, the coach must be able to accurately assess the style of a leader and flex to match. – Lisa Marie Platske, Upside Thinking, Inc.
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5. Trustworthiness And Credibility
For C-suite leaders, the coaches must have the trust and respect of the coachees. The coach must be perceived and received as credible. This may mean that they understand the industry, but it doesn’t have to. It may mean they were trained by an accredited coach training program, but it doesn’t have to. What matters most is that the leadership team is willing to let them fully in. – April Armstrong, AHA Insight
6. A Reputation For Excellence
Do they have a multi-year reputation for excellence? You need to know that the people associated with the group you may hire have a track record of excellence in coaching senior and C-suite people to succeed. Look at who they have helped and what those people say about the work. Don’t just look for “the latest” fad or idea, but rather for tried and true experience from the team. Shiny assessments are secondary. – John M. O’Connor, Career Pro Inc.
7. Individualized Connection And Fit
As with any partnership, you have to find the right partner for the endeavor to thrive. This means that fit between coach and client is critical when hiring a coach. Get to know a variety of coaches and coaching styles, and create a diverse bench of credible and credentialed coaches that your senior leaders can choose from. Connection and trust are key, and what works for one executive won’t fit another. – Melissa Eisler, Wide Lens Leadership
8. Ability To Consult And Coach
An effective executive coach combines consulting and coaching. Coaches must be outcome-driven, understanding both business strategies and how to build a culture of execution to achieve success. They must have a plan to address individuals and collectively challenge them to drive organizational change and success. They must understand organizational development and address emotional blocks and a lack of strategic experience. – Mark Samuel, IMPAQ Corporation
9. Real-World Experience
Two things are paramount: Does the coach have real-world experience succeeding in business, and do they understand your industry well? If they pass both of these tests, can they build a program that works at both the individual and the team level? – Nick Leighton, Exactly Where You Want to Be
10. The Chemistry Between Coachee And Coach
For it to be a successful engagement, selecting a coach ultimately comes down to the chemistry between the coachee and the coach. Cast the net wide and invite a diverse array of coaches to participate in the process across niche, gender, age, profile and geographies, which are just some examples of inclusion. An inclusive and unbiased vetting process will get the best possible coaching panel on board with your company. – Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory
11. The Ability To ‘Flex’ To Meet Your Needs
Will the coach or coaching organization be able to meet your leaders where they are? All too often, coaches have a one-way process that they implement with success in certain situations. Do they have the ability to “flex,” and do they have the tools available to focus on what is important to your leadership team? Ensure the coach has the right skill set to develop people where your organization needs them. – Bryan Powell, Executive Coaching Space
