During the last decade, the industry of coaching and the narrower segment of business coaching have both experienced rapid, almost explosive growth. When you think about it, don’t you encounter several people who introduce themselves as coaches every time you attend a networking event or party? Life coaches, spiritual coaches, financial coaches, relationship coaches, networking coaches, business coaches…coaches who do it all! Unfortunately, coaching’s current popularity, along with the ease of entry to become a “coach” have combined to precipitate very mixed results. On the one hand, the McKinsey studies conclude that coaching combined with performance feedback is among the most meaningful drivers of development. Further, the Corporate Leadership Council found in their leadership survey that executives ranked executive coaching ahead of any other formal developmental program. Yet, unfortunately, the “War for Talent” survey respondents evaluated only 35% of the coaching they receive as good-to-excellent. Why the disparity? Here’s how The Leets Consortium controls the variables to achieve all of the coaching objectives in 95% of our coaching engagements.

TLC Approach

Our Coaches. Most of our coaches have been successfully coaching corporate leaders for more than a decade. Their credentials include corporate leadership, advanced degrees, coaching certification and significant testimonials. And their diversity offers the opportunity for alignment with most client requirements. As you might guess, we compensate our coaches at a higher level than other firms because that is what it takes to ensure our clients receive the best coaching results...the highest return on their investment.

TLC’s Southern California coaching team ensures several optimal fits for every engagement, and includes: John Azzara, Karen Bading, Frumi Rachel Barr, Michael Brainard, Jennifer Buck, Cynthia Burnham, Scott Cody, Robert Dickman, Charles Feltman, Richard Flatow, Lillian Gorman Frank, Carol Geffner, Joe Herold, Jane Hard, Mario Itozu, Betty LaMarr, Peter Leets, Anne  Liljenstrand, Kim Malloy, Reri MacLean, Irv Margol, Ed Merino, Marie Moran, Rick Newman, Ken Ruggiero, Alandria Saifer, Bettye Thompson, Paul Walker, Nancy Wallis, Britta Wilson and Patsy Ziegler.

Commitment. We only engage when both the client company and the person to be coached are committed to a successful outcome.

Communication. We believe in confidentiality in the coaching relationship. We also feel it is critical to maintain scheduled, robust communication between the coach, manager and human resource executive. To this end, we schedule monthly conversations to discuss progress against the developmental plan. Our method of sharing observations and coordinating activities through three lenses focuses and accelerates progress, while diminishing stress on the person being coached.

Contract. Important aspects of the relationship are agreed upon during the early meetings. The contract will include at least two monthly face-to-face meetings lasting 1½—2 hours each. These meetings are normally scheduled at least 90 days into the future, ensuring consistency with meetings, development, and timely outcomes.

Assessment. Leaders became leaders because of strengths like tenacity, intelligence, persuasiveness, ability to achieve objectives, self confidence and intuition. Those strengths cause them to repeat what has worked in the past until they are provided with specific, irrefutable behavioral-based information which clearly illustrates what stands between them and their objectives.  Once they accept this information, or feedback, they will employ their strengths and adjust their behaviors to remove the obstacles or grasp the opportunities. For these reasons, we employ an “interview style” 360° assessment, routinely talking with 8-15 colleagues. Depending upon the situation, we also employ many other assessments and, from time-to-time, an industrial psychologist.

Action Plan. More than anyone, leaders require plans centered upon specificity, measurability, detailed task completion dates and benchmarks. Our coaches help develop plans that, when implemented, become the detailed pathway to successful outcomes.

Embedding Change and Ensuring Continuation. As the developmental plan objectives are achieved, the coach will provide methodologies specifically targeted at sustaining changed and/or learned behaviors. Additionally, the coach will provide follow-on conversations monthly for at least six months, helping to ensure long term success.

The TLC Advantage