Executive coaching surfaced as a leadership development practice in the early 90s and is now among the most widely used executive development techniques. The International Coach Federation (ICF) states that coaching is about “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” Executive coaching is about helping leaders engage with and work through their challenges so they can translate their learning directly into results for the organization. It’s a personal, one on one relationship and business partnership between the coach and the leader to supplement executive education and is firmly anchored in business results. The coach works within the client’s ecosystem, using more of a systems approach rather than focusing narrowly on the individual. It isn’t a substitute for performance management or a replacement for the reporting relationship between the leader and his or her boss.

Executive coaching helps leaders define and then face their challenges in real-time and can help open their eyes to how they may be hindering their own progress. It can help promote individual growth, improve interpersonal capabilities, and promote organizational change.