Terry DavidExecutive coaching that delivers results
Executive coaching has become a strategic tool for organizations and leaders who need fast, sustainable development.
When done well, coaching moves beyond generic leadership advice and creates measurable behavior change that improves decision-making, team performance, and long-term talent retention.
What effective executive coaching looks like
Effective executive coaching begins with a diagnostic approach. Assessment commonly includes 360-degree feedback, personality or leadership-style inventories, and structured interviews with stakeholders. These diagnostic inputs create a baseline and reveal blind spots that coaching should target.
Coaching plans are individualized and goal-focused. Typical focus areas include influencing up and across the organization, strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, stakeholder management, presence and communication, and navigating change. Coaches use a mix of skill-building, role-play, reflection, and real-world practice assignments to ensure new behaviors stick.
Formats that work
– One-on-one coaching: Personalized, confidential sessions that address specific leader challenges and stretch goals.
– Group or cohort coaching: Efficient for aligning a leadership team around shared competencies and culture shifts.
– Team coaching: Focuses on dynamics, decision-making, and collective accountability across a leadership team.
– Peer coaching: Structured peer-to-peer support that extends learning and reinforces application between sessions.
Remote coaching is widely adopted and can be as effective as face-to-face work when agreements, session cadence, and accountability structures are clear.
Measuring impact
Organizations increasingly demand clear ROI from development investments. Useful measures include:
– Behavioral change tracked through follow-up 360 feedback and stakeholder surveys
– Business KPIs tied to the leader’s remit (revenue growth, retention, project delivery timelines)
– Engagement and retention metrics for teams reporting to coached leaders
– Qualitative evidence such as improved board or stakeholder relationships and faster decision cycles
Selecting the right coach
Choose a coach who blends sector and functional experience with coaching expertise.
Look for credentials and adherence to professional ethics, and verify references. Important selection criteria:
– Track record of coaching leaders at similar responsibility levels
– A transparent approach to assessment, goal-setting, and measurement
– Cultural fit and ability to build trust quickly with the leader and stakeholders
– Clear confidentiality and escalation agreements
Best practices for maximizing success
– Set clear, measurable goals before coaching begins and align them with business priorities.
– Secure active sponsorship from the leader’s supervisor or a senior sponsor to reinforce accountability.
– Integrate coaching with other talent processes such as succession planning and performance management.
– Maintain a cadence of practice and feedback between sessions—behaviors change when applied consistently.
– Use a final evaluation that combines quantitative and qualitative inputs to confirm outcomes.
Common pitfalls to avoid
Coaching without clear goals, mixing coaching with performance management without safeguards, and insufficient stakeholder involvement can all limit effectiveness. Avoid short, transactional engagements that ignore follow-through; sustainable change requires deliberate practice and reinforcement.
Executive coaching that is strategic, measurable, and aligned with organizational priorities accelerates leader readiness and creates measurable business value. Organizations that treat coaching as an integrated development lever—rather than a one-off perk—see the strongest, most sustainable returns.