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Picking the Right Executive Coach: A Guide for HR and Business Leaders
When selecting an executive coach, it’s important to think strategically. Coaching is more than skill-building—it’s about creating breakthroughs that align individual performance with the financial and strategic goals of your organization.
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Understanding the Types of Coaching
Coaching objectives vary. Some engagements focus on improving communication or enhancing organizational skills. Others aim to build relationships or optimize program management. These are valid goals, but they reflect different priorities depending on the coach’s specialization.
For HR, the process starts by asking: What does coaching mean at your company? Is it primarily for skill development, or is it a tool to drive leadership transformation? Are you focusing on high-potential directors or senior executives who shape the broader organization? The answers will define your search.
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The Shift from Teacher to Advisor
At more senior levels, the nature of coaching shifts. For directors and senior directors, this is where we first see the transition from skill-building to strategic advising. At these levels, leaders face broader responsibilities requiring sharper judgment and alignment with business strategy.
As executives rise, skill-building fades. By the VP level and above, coaching is almost exclusively advisory. It’s about refining ideas, clarifying strategic thinking, and pressure-testing decisions.
I once worked with the president of Europe for a large manufacturing company. His concerns ranged from Brussels’ policy shifts to euro monetary policy. His focus was on strengthening board relations and integrating his chief of staff with regional leaders. This engagement wasn’t about frameworks or models—it was about understanding everything from geopolitics to employee demographics.
In the end, we collaborated on government affairs and secured a policy shift worth $100 million to the parent company. The executive led the effort, while I served as a sounding board on strategy. This underscores the value of coaching at senior levels—it’s about facilitating substantial outcomes, not incremental progress.
At this stage, the coach cannot be less competent than the executive. Senior leaders operate at the edge of complexity. A coach must bring broad insight, serving as a trusted advisor rather than a procedural guide.
The difference is clear: A teacher follows a method. An advisor follows the client.
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Characteristics of an Effective Coach
The best coaches share common traits:
- Depth and Curiosity: They engage deeply, asking insightful questions that shift perspectives.
- Experience and Breadth: With experience across industries, they bring diverse insights.
- Business Acumen: They understand how the business makes money and guide leaders to refine performance in ways that align with commercial success.
For directors, coaching may still involve skill-building, but as leaders move up, the role shifts steadily. By the time someone reaches the C-suite, advisory coaching is all that plausibly applies.
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Maximizing ROI
Coaching is expensive, and ROI comes from measurable results. The test is not whether the coachee feels more capable but whether their performance visibly enhances the business. Selecting a coach is more like hiring an executive than investing in training.
When evaluating coaches, HR should ask:
- What substantive changes will this coach drive?
- How will these changes improve team or business outcomes?
- How does this align with the company’s bottom line and growth?
Without this alignment, coaching risks becoming a costly development exercise with limited impact.
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HR’s Role in Selecting the Right Coach
At the senior level, coaching reflects directly on HR. The right coach elevates the executive—and HR’s credibility. A coach’s success strengthens HR’s standing as a strategic partner aligned with the company’s core objectives.
When HR places the right coach with the right leader, the entire organization benefits. This partnership enhances leadership, drives results, and positions HR as a key driver of long-term success.
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Checklist for HR – Selecting the Right Coach
- Clarify Goals: Is the focus skill-building or strategic advising?
- Match the Level: For VP and above, prioritize advisory coaches over skill-builders.
- Evaluate Experience: Look for coaches with diverse, multi-industry backgrounds and a proven track record.
- Assess Business Acumen: Does the coach understand your company’s business model and industry landscape?
- Gauge Compatibility: Will this coach challenge and engage the executive at their level of complexity?
- Focus on ROI: How will success be measured in terms of tangible business results?
Final Thought: The right coach doesn’t just impact the individual—they shape the company’s future. HR’s ability to choose wisely determines how well leaders grow and, ultimately, how the organization thrives.
