Leadership Coaching - Programme Structure
An Executive Coaching based approach to leadership development
Executive summary
Providing effective leadership is a challenging and difficult task. Many Leaders find themselves in a position where they need to gain insights into their own strengths and weaknesses in order to eliminate “derailing behaviours” that are blocking their progress or promotion prospects. Other times they may need support to confront difficult situations, motivate their team, implement a culture change or deal with uncertainty. One to one coaching is a bespoke, flexible and confidential way of providing this development. It can be used with people who are new to leadership to help them grasp the essential concepts; with people who are new to a role or an organisation to aid them to quickly ‘find their feet’ or with more experienced leaders who want to move up to the next level in terms of their capability.
At Boulden our leadership coaching starts with agreeing a ‘coaching contract’ between the leader, the programme ‘sponsor’ and the coach. This lays out how the coaching will move forward, how confidentiality will be maintained and how is progress reported.
The next step is typically a 360-degree feedback survey to highlight areas of need in an objective and impartial way. Based on the detailed debrief of the results and discussion of any other development opportunities that the leader is aware of we agree the goal (or goals) for the coaching.
This is followed by six, one to one, coaching sessions, each held about one month apart. During these sessions the coach acts as a ‘sounding board’ and guides, supports and challenges the leader as they develop their capabilities and work to achieving their outcome. After each session a short report on the ground covered and actions agreed is prepared and (after being approved by the leader) is sent to the Sponsor. The programme concludes with a final closure report that summarises the achievements gained over the life of the programme.
Engagement outcomes
This programme uses Executive Coaching to develop leadership capabilities in a bespoke, confidential and supportive way. The goal is to help participants to improve performance, maximise their potential and gain greater clarity of purpose in their leadership role.
Programme Structure
The coaching contract
The coaching contract spells out the relationship between the BEC Coach, the Leader (who is being coached) and the Sponsor. The Sponsor is the individual in the company who has commissioned the coaching programme and their role in explaining the reason for the coaching and monitoring the progress of development is an important part of the process. This coaching contract itself clarifies (i) the responsibilities of each of the parties, (ii) makes clear what is and what isn’t confidential and (iii) structures an overall timetable for the coaching, including the reporting process.
Identifying the leadership development needs: Needs Assessment
At Boulden we can identify an issue that a leader wants to work on by using a number of diagnostic tools and in this programme our preferred option is to use our online 360-degree feedback survey. This survey can use our ‘standard leadership competencies’ or we can adapt it to use customer competencies where the leaders’ organisation has an established set of leadership behaviours. The survey results provide an in-depth evaluation of current performance against leadership competencies, and gives a sense of perspective and objectivity about the individual leaders development needs.
Agreeing the outcome
The next step in the process is to give the leader detailed, face-to-face, feedback on the survey results and to agree a goal (or goals) for the coaching programme. At this stage the BMC consultant will also discuss with the leader any immediate challenges, projects or issues they face that may create potential obstacles or problems and that they may also want to address as part of the coaching.
The coaching sessions: six months
We will then schedule and hold six, one-to-one, coaching sessions (each held about one month apart) to support the leader as they work to achieve their set outcome. During these monthly meetings we will review the progress being made to date, discuss options for moving things forward and agree action plans. The BEC coach will:
- Be non directive
- Encourage creativity and strategic thinking
- Provide input on theories or ideas (where this seems appropriate)
- Challenge the leaders’ thought processes
- Motivate the leader to take concrete action
- Communicate progress to the Sponsor (in line with the need to maintain confidentiality)
Closure report
The closure report is part of our obligation to the Sponsor to demonstrate the value added nature of the coaching process and it explains in general terms what action the leader has taken to reach their outcome and the results that they have achieved. In line with the terms of the coaching contract personal or confidential Information is not revealed, but the business is entitled to some feedback on what has been achieved and this is what the closure report is intended to achieve.
Contact
Further information is available by contacting Boulden at:
email: coaching@boulden.net
Tel: 0844 394 8877
