Sparring and Executive Coaching
My understanding of Executive Coaching is the high-end version of an intensive dialogue. Two or more people have a highly professional, very trustful conversation, allowing all levels of human decision-making. Such a conversation is called “sparring” when it is meant to be challenging, i.e. when it contains elements of great clarity, which are sometimes hard, but always appreciative, opening new doors for the dialogue partner, facilitating changes of perspective, and making different realities visible.
In an organisational perspective, execcutive coaching describes an experiential and individualized leader development process that builds a leader’s capability to achieve short- and long-term organisational goals. Often it is conducted through one-on-one interactions, driven bei 360° feedback (or other data from multiple perspectives) and started by a triangle: the organisation, the executive, and the executive coach work in partnership to achieve maximum impact. It is based on mutual respect and, more, on trust.
Typical motives
top- Personal and psychological issues such as personal changes, crises, work load and work-life balance, feelings of burnout, self-organisation, diversity.
- Executive issues and leadership such as stakeholder management, leadership with scenarios, conceptualisation and execution of processes of change.
- Management issues such as the first 100 days on the executive board, transition and change of company
- Systemic perspective such as the inner order of the company, organisation development and change of leadership.
- Operative, strategical and political issues such as the creation of transparency, clarity and distance in the daily business routine.
- Fast vs. slow thinking: use your emotions and tacid knowlegde as a part of fast thinking (which is always available) and enrich your (sorry!:) slow logical thinking (that is helpful but overcharged as the main decision maker).
- Spiritual elements such as consciousness, awareness, further development, access to inner guidance, the noble goal, the vision for one’s own life.
- Transition of female leadership from industry to strategy, from “doing better” to making the point. How to be female but powerful at the same time could be a transition from princess to queen.
This concerted work can happen on occasion – as a kind of “pit stop” or “petrol station” –, or as a supportive process over a longer period of time, for example in preparation for a new challenge (transition), or according to a change management or reorganisation. Whether it is short- or medium-term: you always work towards your defined goal. Mostly the firm is involved sometimes in a three-way, sometimes with a statement of work or other forms of clear objectives.
The first step
Make an appointment for a conversation about a coaching contract. Please expect a duration of two hours, on your premises if you like. During this time, the possible mandate will be clarified, and the goal and duration of the cooperation will be defined, as well as the measures, extent, costs, and work rhythm.