Can Your Executive Coach Be A Friend Too? They Better Be
Can Your Executive Coach Be A Friend Too? They Better Be
Our belief that there should be an effort for the executive and the coach to become friends is based on a healthy understanding of what friendship is. A healthy friendship - no matter where you find it in your life - has a number of common characteristics.
True friendship is based on mutual respect. Otherwise, it is a co-dependent relationship. Many coaches keep their ten foot pole handy - don't get too involved in the big issues facing the executive. Be cool and dispassionate. Keep your distance. That approach misses the point of the executive coach.
True friendship is based on a willingness to invest in the relationship. As soon as a relationship is strictly a job - many important benefits of a friendship immediately disappear. Friends want to see each other grow and develop as healthy and effective persons.
True friendship is based on persistence. That means the friendship is there for good times and the bad ones. Otherwise - you're one of those "fair-weather" characters.
True friendship is based on trust. This is especially critical for effective executive coaching. If the executive does not have a sufficient level of trust to discuss the real challenges, fears and opportunities he or she face - the coach will be only going through the motions.
True friendship has unconditional positive regard. That means that the relationship has at its core that I'm going to assume and encourage your best self. Does that mean you want fall down and blow it? Of course we all will. But as a coach - I'm here to encourage your potential and your opportunities to experience you best life experiences.
True friendship is accountable. For the executive - that means working on those challenges and opportunities that have been identified. For the coach - that means putting your all into encouraging the possibilities and potential in the executive.
A Friend In The Night
If there is a healthy friendship at work as part of the coaching process - then that means the coach sticks with you when the road becomes dark. The coach is your friend in the night who will not abandon you when times are tough. They walk along side you and share the road you must face.
A Friend In The Day
We often assume incorrectly that we need friends when times are tough. That's of course true. But we also need friends to walk with us during the bright days of our career and life. It is during the fair times that we must prepare ourselves for the inevitable tough dark days that are part of the mix of life.
A Friend In The Twilight
We all understand the good times and the dark days that happen in everyone's life. What is just as important is having a friend in the twilight. Twilight is that strange and dangerous time when we are between day and night. Our eyes have not adjusted to the darkness or the light during that hour. We can make some large mistakes when we are in the transition period between the good times and the bad. The good executive coach will stand with you during the twilight as your sun is rising or setting or if the clouds have overtaken your night sky.
Choose an executive coach who will value your friendship and who will work for you to succeed.
Can Your Executive Coach Be A Friend Too They Better Be - To learn more about this author, visit Grant Fairley's Website.
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Many executive coach programs are designed to keep a distance between the Executive and the Coach. We understand that. We just disagree. As our name suggests - The Fellowship of Executive Coaches - includes the concept of "fellowship." It has many layers of meaning but among them is the simple concept of two "fellows" in a "ship". Disregarding the gender - that means that the best executive coach is "in the boat" with the executive. We're not standing on the shore making suggestions and pointing out errors from the safety of dry land. Great executive coaches are in there with you - pulling together with you to navigate through the sometimes dangerous and sometimes still waters of your life and career.
Our belief that there should be an effort for the executive and the coach to become friends is based on a healthy understanding of what friendship is. A healthy friendship - no matter where you find it in your life - has a number of common characteristics.
True friendship is based on mutual respect. Otherwise, it is a co-dependent relationship. Many coaches keep their ten foot pole handy - don't get too involved in the big issues facing the executive. Be cool and dispassionate. Keep your distance. That approach misses the point of the executive coach.
True friendship is based on a willingness to invest in the relationship. As soon as a relationship is strictly a job - many important benefits of a friendship immediately disappear. Friends want to see each other grow and develop as healthy and effective persons.
True friendship is based on persistence. That means the friendship is there for good times and the bad ones. Otherwise - you're one of those "fair-weather" characters.
True friendship is based on trust. This is especially critical for effective executive coaching. If the executive does not have a sufficient level of trust to discuss the real challenges, fears and opportunities he or she face - the coach will be only going through the motions.
True friendship has unconditional positive regard. That means that the relationship has at its core that I'm going to assume and encourage your best self. Does that mean you want fall down and blow it? Of course we all will. But as a coach - I'm here to encourage your potential and your opportunities to experience you best life experiences.
True friendship is accountable. For the executive - that means working on those challenges and opportunities that have been identified. For the coach - that means putting your all into encouraging the possibilities and potential in the executive.
A Friend In The Night
If there is a healthy friendship at work as part of the coaching process - then that means the coach sticks with you when the road becomes dark. The coach is your friend in the night who will not abandon you when times are tough. They walk along side you and share the road you must face.
A Friend In The Day
We often assume incorrectly that we need friends when times are tough. That's of course true. But we also need friends to walk with us during the bright days of our career and life. It is during the fair times that we must prepare ourselves for the inevitable tough dark days that are part of the mix of life.
A Friend In The Twilight
We all understand the good times and the dark days that happen in everyone's life. What is just as important is having a friend in the twilight. Twilight is that strange and dangerous time when we are between day and night. Our eyes have not adjusted to the darkness or the light during that hour. We can make some large mistakes when we are in the transition period between the good times and the bad. The good executive coach will stand with you during the twilight as your sun is rising or setting or if the clouds have overtaken your night sky.
Choose an executive coach who will value your friendship and who will work for you to succeed.
Can Your Executive Coach Be A Friend Too They Better Be - To learn more about this author, visit Grant Fairley's Website.
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team culture consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. Dianne's contribution to the 2010 Pfeiffer Consulting Journal (an imprint of John Wiley and Sons Publishers) entitled TIGERS Hearted Teams is available in November 2009. Her new book TIGERS Among Us: 5 Winning Business Team Cultures And Why, Three Creeks Publishing will release in March 2010. To receive publishing discounts, subscribe to the free TigerTracks Newsletter here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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