Unlock Potential & Maximize Success: Leadership coaching offers a sounding board, fresh perspective to enhance existing skills.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy
• Position: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Effective leadership is paramount to the success of every business. The leadership work can be challenging, but coaching can create a safe space where leaders can think, explore who they are, and refine their professional endeavors. Today, an increasing number of executives and managers in Alaska are capitalizing on leadership coaching to enhance their expertise and create positive outcomes for their organization.

Leadership coaches serve a distinct role for executives, managers, and other leaders. They facilitate a process to help clients define their goals, generate insights, and initiate action and new ways of behaving, says Diane Decker, who specializes in executive coaching, career coaching, and leadership development. "Coaching differs from consulting or advising in that it is about helping a client identify solutions that work for them, rather than me simply telling them what to do," Decker says.

To Erin Sedor, founder of Black Fox Strategy, the primary role of a leadership coach is to support the client and enhance the skill and talent that already exists by providing a sounding board, fresh perspective, and--above all--an open and honest platform of communication. Sedor's niche consulting practice works with clients of all industries, sectors, and sizes. "With leadership coaching and development in particular, the goal isn't to simply provide an answer," Sedor says. "It's to help facilitate the discussion and thought process that allows a leader to expand their ability to find their own answers."

When working with clients, leadership coaches typically follow an agreed-upon contract to help individuals achieve their developmental goals and career objective, according to Theo Hunt, principal of Theo M. Hunt Consulting. The contract covers specific goals and objectives as well as the roles and responsibilities agreed upon by all parties. The responsibilities outlined for the coach could include a host of duties, including reinforcing and supporting the success of the leader; providing open and honest feedback on how the leader is "showing up"; challenging the leader's thought processes and perceptions; providing appropriate methods and learning materials; and keeping all conversations confidential.

Key Coaching Qualifications

Leadership coaches apply their unique insights, experiences, and expertise during the coaching process. Most coaches are certified by an independent coaching organization like the International Coach Federation (ICF) or the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). "This ensures they understand the context of coaching, have an opportunity to gain specific skills and abilities widely used in coaching, and uphold a code of practice for ethical behavior as a coach," Hunt says. "Often, coaches will then track the hours they coach with clients to provide a specific measure of their experience coaching."

In addition to certification, coaches are or were often in leadership positions themselves. However, Hunt says, having specific experience with the industry, role, organization, or problem being faced by the client is not necessary and can actually get in the way of coaching the...