Executive coaching

The IoD executive coaching team have a broad spectrum of industry experience, coaching expertise and skills.

It is important to seek a coach with these core credentials:

• A member of an established professional coaching body
• Have undertaken at least diploma-level training accredited by one of the professional coaching bodies
• Relevant experience and expertise
• History of successful coaching engagements
• Can provide references and testimonials if requested

Once we have identified one or more coaches that meet the above criteria, it is important to establish that you have the right ‘chemistry’ between you.

Research suggests that the single most important factor is the quality of the coaching relationship. Therefore, first and foremost you need to ask yourself, “Can I work with this person?”

We will encourage you to have an initial conversation with each of them and decide whether you feel comfortable enough to be really open and honest; while also feeling that the coach will give you the type and level of challenge that you’re looking for.

Once you can answer “yes” to both of these questions, you’re ready to go.

1. Assess – A 30-minute complimentary session with one of our professional development experts to identify your specific coaching needs
2. Identify – We will choose an appropriate executive coach to work with you based on experience, sector and compatibility
3. Set goal – You will set SMART objectives with your coach (including confirmation of the number of sessions required)
4. Prepare – Use action plans, diagnostic tools (optional) and assessment results to aid your coaching experience
5. Implement – Your coaching sessions will take place in a safe, comfortable environment over a period of dates/times that are convenient for you
6. Reflect/Debrief  – Evaluate, determine success and determine next steps
7. Perform – Take your career to the next level

A successful coaching relationship is built on trust, open communication, and mutual respect. Remember that coaching is a personalised process, not a one-size-fits-all approach.

You need to have an initial conversation with your coach and decide whether you feel comfortable enough that you can be really open and honest, while also feeling that the coach will give you the type and level of challenge that you are looking for.

Talk with the coach about what to do if you ever feel things are not going well; make some agreements up front on how to handle questions or problems.

Remember that coaching is a partnership, so be assertive about talking with the coach about any concerns.

The frequency of your coaching sessions depends on your individual needs and goals. While some clients find weekly meetings beneficial, others may prefer fortnightly or monthly sessions.

We recommend discussing your preferred frequency with your coach during your initial consultation. This will help determine the optimal meeting schedule to support your development.

Remember, the goal is to find a rhythm that works best for you and allows you to make consistent progress.

Choosing the right location for your coaching sessions is essential for creating a conducive environment for focused discussion. Ideally, the space should be quiet, free from interruptions, and conducive to open conversation.

Consider options such as:

• Neutral locations: Meeting rooms, business centres or other dedicated co-working spaces.
• Quiet areas within your workplace: If privacy is guaranteed, a meeting room or unused office can work.
• Virtual sessions: For added flexibility, consider online platforms for video or phone calls.

Ultimately, the best location is one where you feel comfortable and able to fully engage in the coaching process.

Yes, it’s essential to keep a record of your coaching sessions. This helps you and your coach track progress, identify key areas for development, and ensure accountability.

To create your own coaching session record sheet, consider including the following:

• Date of meeting: This helps track the frequency of sessions.
• Session number: Provides a sequential record of your coaching journey.
• Key discussion points: Summarise the main topics covered during the session.
• Actions to be completed: Outline specific tasks or goals agreed upon.
• Additional help, support, or recommended resources: Note any materials or information shared by the coach.

Regularly reviewing these notes will help you maximise the benefits of your coaching experience.

The key difference between a coach and a mentor is usually the ‘content’ or sector experience/knowledge, together with the purpose of the conversation and the way the person will work with you.

For example, if you want to become a marketing director in the FMCG sector, then you may look for someone who has a track record in these roles to give you specific advice and information on how to go about achieving your career goal – this would be a mentor.

However, if you are looking to have your thinking challenged or for someone to work with you to help clarify your career goals, you are more likely to work with a coach, whose expertise is in helping you explore and gain new insights about yourself and others, as opposed to giving you topic-specific information and advice.

Our mentoring offers

As an IoD member, you get free access to the IoD Mentor Connect platform which is designed to connect members looking for support and guidance on their leadership journey with those that want to share the benefit of their experience. Find out more here.

To find out about our discounted professional business mentoring offer from the Association of Business Mentors, providing IoD members with access to qualified mentors, click here.

The success of your coaching can be measured in two ways: external indicators of performance and internal indicators of success.

External measures may include the achievement of your coaching goals, an increase in your income/revenue, obtaining a promotion, performance feedback obtained from your direct reports, colleagues, customers, boss or personal and/or business performance data.

Internal indicators of success may include self-assessments that can be administered at the initial stages of the coaching and then compared to post-coaching self-assessment results to measure the degree of improvement in behaviour, performance and confidence.