Organizational Behavior Strategies

Coaching

Our Approach

Often our clients have a preferred overarching approach to the coaching engagement, which we will follow. When they do not, or the approach is defined only at a high level, we follow the Columbia University Executive Coaching process. This highly practical, collaborative, and results-focused approach is grounded in the science of individual and organizational behavior. It consists of 3 phases:

1. Context: Client and coach agree on the focus and high-level goals of the engagement, jointly explore the current situation, and collect relevant data (e.g., multi-rater feedback, MBTI results, etc.).
2. Content: Client and coach review/analyze the data and consider its implications for action. The client identifies coaching goals and what would constitute success. Client and coach jointly create a plan that serves as the basis/focus of their work together.
3. Conduct: The client tries out new behaviors/approaches, reflects on results, makes adjustments, continues to implement the plan. The coach provides support, feedback, and "homework"; serves as a sounding board; and challenges the client to meet commitments. Client and coach jointly assess progress and results.

This structured and flexible process provides a discipline to the coaching while still allowing client and coach to work with emerging events and new information. It can work within the scope of an organization's internal coaching program.

Learn about Typical Client Needs »

Learn about Engagement Options »