While there are a lot of ways to talk about coaching in an executive context, I find that three are particularly helpful.
First is performance coaching. This type of coaching involves working on a skillset, like communication, without work on the person.
The other two focus on more fundamental personal changes.
Developmental coaching is what my coach Doug Silsbee focused on. The coach helps the client through predictable developmental stages, and their capacity to do certain things, like lead selflessly, automatically changes as they change and grow.
Transformational coaching is what some of my spiritual teachers do. It can help a person can make a sudden shift in how they see the world. This often leads to a paradox of feeling greater ease while having a greater impact. It can seem like magic when it happens.
The role of the coach, to me, is to sense the shift that is most available and helpful to the client at any given point.
If you want to become a better speaker, or to be better in front of your board, you might just need performance coaching.
But if you’re willing to do the work, if you see that better humans make better leaders, the personal journey is much more powerful.
And effective.