What is Mental Strength Coaching – Part 2

Last week in “What is Mental Strength Coaching – Part 1” we began our discussion on mental strength coaching, what it is and how it differs from other forms of assistance like therapy, mentoring and consulting.

These are basic understanding and differences as defined by several coaching organization, like he International Coaching Federation.

Personally, I like to think that “coaching” is not so easily defined.  The intention of going through the differences is give you a basic understanding so you know the type of assistance that is best for you.

When people come out for my Warrior’s Quest, ultimately I have many roles that include guide, teacher, mentor, sponsor, shaman and awakener.

Now that we’ve loosely defined what mental strength coaching is, there are various types of coaching, many fall under the category of “life coaching” since all of it really about a person’s life.

What is the difference between an Executive, Corporate or Business Coach?

The client is the distinguishing feature of the above coaches. Executive coaches work with executives, usually senior executives in medium to larger sized companies.

They tend to be employed by either the executive themselves or the company. Either way they are most often brought in to coach on performance related or life/work/balance issues and they most often take the role of strategic partner to the client.

Corporate coaches also work with executives, usually in medium to larger sized companies. However they tend to be employed more often by the company and coach on company defined goals and targets.

They also take the role of strategic partner to the client. Business coaches can work with small business owners, entrepreneurs and managers of business units in companies. Depending on the client their role could be anything from life/work/balance to specific business building goals (for example, to increase sales by 50%).

Generally speaking corporate, business and executive coaches will have expertise in their area of coaching. Business coaches will have run a small business; executive coaches have often been CEO?s or senior executives themselves.

Although the coaching methodology does not demand this, there are two key reasons why it occurs:

1.) It helps to have an empathy or understanding of where the client is coming from, particularly in relation to culture and language. A corporate coach who has never heard of key performance indicators or doesn’t know the elements of a strategic plan will be more challenged.

2.) The second and main reason is to do with marketing. There is a saying in the coaching profession that all coaching is life coaching after the first 3 sessions. You may have been brought in to double sales, but you will find that very quickly the sessions become about relationships, communication, family/work balance and doubling sales.

So it is possible that a powerful life coach would do a great job at coaching a senior executive. In fact it is probably what he or she needs. But from a marketing perspective CEO?s of companies like to employ people who have come from that culture. Likewise small business owners like to know that their coach understands what it is to run a small business.

Why Companies Hire Coaches

The motivation for companies to hire coaches was revealed in a recent study conducted by corporate coaching firm, Manchester Inc. The study titled “Executive Coaching Yields Return On Investment Of Almost Six Times Its Cost” quantifies the impact of business coaching. The study included 100 executives, mostly from Fortune 1000 companies, who received coaching from Manchester.

Companies that provided coaching through Manchester to their executives realized improvements in productivity, quality, organizational strength, customer service, and shareholder value. They received fewer customer complaints, and were more likely to retain executives who had been coached.

In addition, a company’s investment in providing coaching to its executives realized an average return on investment (ROI) of almost six times the cost of the coaching. Half of the executives in the study held positions of vice president or higher (including division president, general manager, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief information officer, partner, principal, and practice leader).

Almost six out of 10 (57%) executives who received coaching were ages 40 to 49, and one-third earned $200,000 or more per year. The coaching programs that executives participated in were a mix of both change-oriented coaching — which is aimed at changing certain behaviors or skills — and growth-oriented coaching — which is aimed at sharpening performance. The coaching programs typically lasted from six months to one year.

Results of the Study

Manchester’s coaching programs delivered an average return on investment of 5.7 times the initial investment in a typical executive coaching assignment — or a return of more than $100,000 according to executives who estimated the monetary value of the results achieved through coaching. Among the benefits to companies that provided coaching to executives were improvements in:

• Productivity (reported by 53% of executives)
• Quality (48%)
• Organizational strength (48%)
• Customer service (39%)
• Reducing customer complaints (34%)
• Retaining executives who received coaching (32%)
• Cost reductions (23%)
• Bottom-line profitability (22%)
• Among the benefits to executives who received coaching were improved:
• Working relationships with direct reports (reported by 77% of executives)
• Working relationships with immediate supervisors (71%)
• Teamwork (67%)
• Working relationships with peers (63%)
• Job satisfaction (61%)
• Conflict reduction (52%)
• Organizational commitment (44%)
• Working relationships with clients (37%)

Now if coaching can provide there types of results for business and executives, imagine what it will do for you!

Coaching Models

Many coaches work to a particular model of coaching. A model is a system or set of steps that the coach can follow. Different coaching models have been developed over time by various coaches, each coming from a slightly different philosophical basis.

There are vast arrays of books available that outline the benefits of each coaching model, usually written by the coach who founded the method. Below is a list of some well-known coaching models and the name of the author or authors who developed each one.

• GROW Model (Landsberg, 1996)
• Single-, double-, triple-loop Model (Hargrove)
• Co-Active Model (Whitworth, Kimsey-House and Sandahl, 1998)
• Solution Focussed Therapy/Coaching (O?Hanlon)
• CAAACS Model (Auerbach)
• Eight Stage Model (Hudson)
• Stage of Change Model (Procheska & Norcross)
• Systems Perspective (Tobias, 1996)
• Systems & Psychodynamic Approach (Kilburg, 1996, 2000)
• Iterative Feedback Model (Diedrich, 1996)
• Multimodal Therapy Model (Richard, 1999)
• REBT (Anderson, 2002; Sherin & Caiger, 2004)
• Transformative-developmental model (Laske, 1999)
• Constructive-developmental theory approach (Fitzgerald & Berger, 2002)
• Action Frame Theory Approach (Cocivera & Cronshaw, 2004)
• Existential Approach (Peltier, 2001)
• Authentic Happiness Coaching (Seligman)

Most coach training schools train coaches in a specific coaching model. Graduates from these schools will often then go on to use the model that they have learned as part of their marketing brand.

For example, they may refer to themselves as a Co-Active Coach or an Authentic Happiness Coach.

Warrior Mind Coaching is unique in that I don’t  subscribe to a specific coaching model,  I believe that since people are all different, there is  no single model has all of the answers for all coaching situations and that most models have something of value to offer.

I do base all my coaching on TFAR.  Thoughts lead to Feelings, Feelings lead to Action and Action brings Results. If you don’t like the results you’re getting start with your thoughts.  As I go deeper in my coaching session ultimately we get to the belief level, this is the beginning place for thoughts. This leads to the development of mental strength.

Why Coach?

Mental Strength Coaching is a unique, relative new and exciting field to experience. If you’re feeling stuck, not getting the results you want, feeling lost or simply looking for an “accountability partner” coaching is a great way to move forward.

I realize that not everyone can afford coaching or perhaps are still nervous about the process. This is why I developed Warrior Mind Fundamentals.

Based on the TFAR model, Warrior Mind Fundamentals provides you with the information and tools to take control of your thoughts, hence your life.

Warrior Mind Fundamentals is an online multimedia training program that is available to you 24hours a day.  You can stop and star when ever you want and you can even take it over and over again.

To find out more go HERE now.

References

“Executive Coaching Yields Return On Investment Of Almost Six Times Its Cost”, 2001, Business

Wire E-Zine

Homer, The Odyssey, 800 BCE, translated by Samuel Butler

Reflection

• How can coaching best assist you?
• Do you know exactly what you want in the next year?
• Are you feeling like something is missing?
• What’s stopping you from live the life you want?

I know that the subject of coaching could go on and on with all the various niches.  I wanted to give a broad brush picture of coaching and relate it to some business situations.

If you look at almost any successful person I would estimate that almost 90% have been coached or have a coach right now.  So let me ask you, what’s holing you back?