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Sherpa Coaching Survey 2012
The most current research is available at www.sherpacoaching.com/survey.html

  SPECIAL REPORT - EXTENDED WEB VERSION  

What is Executive Coaching, Anyway?

With thanks to our university sponsors, the Sherpa Executive Coaching Survey is a research project now in its seventh year. In this report, we study executive coaching, the ultimate in leadership development. You will discover how to make the most of coaching as a service for your organization, or as a career for yourself.

Managers, executives, business and organizational leaders will find the first half of this report of particular interest, all the way through the sections on standards of practice and coaching processes.

Those in the coaching business will see that the second half of this report gives them what they need to know about their industry, from the inside out.

It’s not clear to everyone what executive coaching really is. Let’s draw some lines. There are three broad areas of coaching: sport, personal and business-related coaching.

In business, there are two general fields of endeavor, commonly termed ‘executive coaching’ and ‘business coaching’. At Sherpa Coaching, like many others, we work entirely in the realm of business behavior. We use the term ‘executive coaching’ to describe our work.

“Business coaching” has become a replacement term for consulting. For the first time this year, we created a new category for business coaches (working to develop client’s knowledge and skills) in addition to our category for executive coaches (working on business behavior). This allows us to produce our clearest distinction ever between executive coaches and others who come from HR and training, consulting and other professional positions.

Here’s our widely-accepted definition of executive coaching:  “Executive coaching means regular meetings between a business leader and a trained facilitator, designed to produce positive changes in business behavior in a limited time frame.” *


This definition clarifies:

  • who coaches are: 

Trained facilitators.

  • what coaches do:

Produce positive changes in business behavior.

  • when things happen:

On a set schedule within a limited time frame.

* Definition from 'The Sherpa Guide: Process-Driven Executive Coaching’ (Thomson/Cengage 2005), used by:

  • Action Coach

  • Coaching News

  • European Foundation of Management Development

  • Executive Coaching Summit Australia

  • Leading Coaches Center

  • Organization Development Journal

The Executive Coaching Survey:
Previous Article
Next Article

Chapter Selection:
Introduction
Summary
What is Executive Coaching
What Makes a Great Coach
Who Gets a Coach
Why Should I Have a Coach
Coaching Skills/Team Skills
Value/Credibility of Coaching
Coaching Delivery Methods
Executive or Business Coach?
Internal vs External Coaching
Training and Certification
Standards of Practice
Executive Coach Process
Networks and Communities
Licensing and Regulation
Training Trends
Professional Development
Length of Engagements
Coaching Assessments
Gender in Coaching
Survey Support
Conclusion
Survey Sponsors

Sherpa Executive Coaching 513.232.0002 info@sherpacoaching.com

This is an extended version of information contained in the seventh annual Sherpa Executive Coaching Survey.
The most current research is available at www.sherpacoaching.com/survey.html

This is one of a series of web pages designed to offer additional topics and commentary, beyond the basic report.

Media contact: For exclusive material and interviews: Karl Corbett, Managing Partner, Sherpa Coaching LLC, (513) 232-0002 USA,  kc@sherpacoaching.com

For a library of 60-second videos about executive coaching, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/sherpacoaching.