What Is Executive Coaching?
It’s not clear to everyone what executive coaching really is. Maybe there are so many kinds of coaches, and so many people adopting the name, that it gets confusing. An executive coach in Denver, Colorado tells us: “The integrity of executive coaching is being compromised by individuals who call themselves coaches and are really business consultants or trainers.”
Let’s draw some lines. There are three broad areas of coaching: sport, personal and business-related coaching. At Sherpa Coaching, we are all business, but we used the term ‘executive coaching’ to distinguish this activity from “business coaching”, which most commonly refers to consulting activities.
Here’s a widely-accepted definition of executive coaching:
“Executive coaching means regular meetings between a business leader and a trained facilitator, designed to produce positive changes in business behavior in a limited time frame.”
This definition clarifies:
- who coaches are: Trained facilitators.
- what coaches do: Produce positive changes in business behavior.
- when things happen: On a set schedule within a limited time frame.
Executive coaches, as a general rule,
- do not share their own experience (as do mentors).
- do not give advice (as do consultants).
- do not impart specific knowledge (as trainers do).
- avoid personal issues (the role of a counselor, therapist or life coach).
* definition from ‘The Sherpa Guide: Process-Driven Executive Coaching’ (Thomson 2005), used by
- Action Coach.
- Coaching News
- European Foundation of Management Development
- Executive Coaching Summit Australia
- Leading Coaches Center
- Organization Development Journal
