Spring 1997, Vol. 6, No. 1

The practice of executive coaching and consultation

By Len Sperry, M.D., Ph.D.

Executive coaching and consultation is an individually-focused organizational intervention that organizational and occupational psychiatrists can practice in a wide variety of organizations: service, high tech, manufacturing, family businesses, as well as community and professional organizations. Because executive coaching and consultation is similar to, but different from individual psychotherapy, psychiatrists need to recognize and respect these differences. This article will briefly compare psychotherapy with coaching and consultation, describe coaching and consultation, and provide resources for further reading.

Comparisons

Comparing coaching and consulting with psychotherapy strikes as the heart of the difference between the roles of clinician and consultant. In most forms of psychotherapy, the clinician may function primarily in a process-oriented and non-directive role, whereas in executive consultation the consultant may utilize a more expert-oriented and directive role. Psychotherapy tends to occur on the clinician's turf where the usual supports and rules of the clinician prevail. However, consultation tends to occur on the executive's turf with none of the clinician's usual supports, and thus the consultant must negotiate the "rules of the game". The agenda in psychotherapy is usually negotiated by both client and clinician, whereas in consultation the client sets the agenda, and the duration is often much longer than the 50-minute psychotherapy hour. While the focus of psychotherapy usually involves "working through" characterological issues and past events, executive consulting often "works around" characterological styles and emphasizes here-and-now concerns.

Beyond these differences there are similarities between executive consultation and psychotherapy. First, is the matter of confidentiality. While confidentiality must be observed in both instances, maintaining confidentiality in consultation is much more complex than in psychotherapy. Second, effective consultation, like effective psychotherapy, is not possible without engaging the executive in a close, collaborative relationship. The clinician must establish a bond that is friendly without becoming a friendship, whereas friendship is an option for the consultant.

Executive coaching

Coaching involves the consultant working with executives to help them lead and relate more effectively to others, learn or modify specific skills such as assertive communication, active listening, negotiation, or handing difficult employees. In the process, they are helped to see themselves as others see them, and they are encouraged to explore new ways of behaving. Throughout, the emphasis is upon non-evaluation feedback given to the individual. A second important feature is the joint exploration of alternative behaviors. The consultant responds to the executive's questions such as ''What do you think I should do to improve my performance?'' by suggesting alternatives raised by the executive himself or herself, and assists the executive to evaluate the costs and benefits of the various alternatives. The consultant stresses that implementation of any behavioral change is the executive's responsibility, and that the consultant's role is to provide accurate feedback by asking questions and increasing the executive's choices.

Executive consultation

Executive consultation is less concerned with the executive's leadership and relational skills and more with the executive's own concerns. The consultant's role is rather one of listener, confidant, and personal adviser. Essentially, the consultant serves as a sounding board and as an objective and trustworthy source of feedback. Such consultation sessions consist of directed discussions initiated by the executive who sets the agenda. Discussion might focus on a staff conflict, morale in a division, a merger, office relocation, or a personal concern. The session might last 20 minutes or 6 hours. Although they usually take place in the executive's office, they might take place on the phone or at the executive's club.

Resources

Special Issue: Executive Coaching, Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, Spring 1996, Volume 48, Number 2.
This is an exceptionally useful resource. Besides being recent, it is one of the only ''how-to-do-it'' collections in print on this topic. Probably the most noteworthy article is by Harry Levinson, Ph.D., the ''dean'' of executive coaching and consultation. In it, Levinson details his approach to coaching executives from start to finish. Here is a listing of the articles: ''Foreword: Executive Coaching as an Emerging Competency in the Practice of Consultation'' by Richard R. Kilburg, Guest Editor. ''An Iterative Approach to Executive Coaching'' by Richard C. Diedrich. ''Coaching at the Top'' by Fred Kiel, Eric Rimmer, Kathryn Williams, and Marilyn Doyle. ''Executive Coaching at Work: The Art of One-on-One Change'' by David B. Peterson. ''Coaching Executives'' by Lester L. Tobias. ''Business-Linked Executive Development: Coaching Senior Executives'' by Thomas J. Saporito. ''Coaching Leaders Through Culture Change'' by Judith H. Katz and Frederick A. Miller. ''Executive Coaching'' by Harry Levinson. ''Executive Coaching: A Continuum of Roles'' by Robert Witherspoon and Randall P. White. ''Toward a Conceptual Understanding and Definition of Executive Coaching'' by Richard R. Kilburg.

Special Issue: Consulting to Senior Management (l991), Consulting Psychology Bulletin, Volume 43, Number 1.

Sperry, L. (1996). Chapter 7: ''Executive Dynamics;'' Chapter 8: ''Executive Consulting, Psychotherapy and Coaching.'' Corporate Therapy and Consulting. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

 
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