--- title: A working definition of our Executive Coaching description: "Big Blue Box Coaching Exploring a working definition of our executive coaching" --- # A working definition of our Executive Coaching ![Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [ Chris Dyson ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2024/10/21 - [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring) - [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) - [The Big Blue Box](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/the-big-blue-box) There are innumerable definitions of coaching, perhaps every practitioner develops their own. Coaching and mentoring have now become established, and perhaps even requirements in the support and development of skills in many professions and roles. It is not surprising that there are so many definitions. But they cannot all be appropriate to every application.    This is a working definition for our style of coaching: # Big Blue Box Executive Coaching is a confidential, catalytic conversation that creates the conditions for an individual to change. It is a very simple definition, shaped by our extensive experience working with many different clients since 2002. In that timeframe, coaching has become established in the corporate toolkit, changes within society and technology have been profound, but this working definition continues to capture the essence of what we do.   To refine this definition let’s break that down and explore the interpretation: ##### Executive Coaching ###### a)                  Context Our coaching client (or coachee) is an **individual senior executive in a leadership role,** within an **organisation** that sponsors their development and support. The coachee is the client. The majority of our coachees are found within **C-suite,** **senior leadership, emerging talent, and high-potential cohorts**. They are capable and ambitious, professionally highly skilled, seeking improved performance and further innovation, they are keen to learn. These individuals are typically in mid-life and mid-career, where the greatest pressures, challenges and highest expectations coincide. ###### b)                  Intention Our coaching intention is to **create the conditions for positive individual change** **to improve performance and behaviour **so** **that clients can successfully navigate their life, career, and role. The coaching is holistic, **diagnostic**, positive, **awareness-raising** and **enabling**, resolving issues **to** **unlock potential** and **‘to leave it better’ **and is thus **transformational** in its intent. ##### Confidential The **one-to-one** coaching conversation between the coach and the coachee requires **confidentiality. **Trust between the coachee and the coach is fundamental. These requirements will be clarified in the **contracting** and engagement process. ##### Catalytic A **catalyst is an agent of change** but is not itself changed by the process. The coach is the ‘catalyst’ whose **independent** **presence** facilitates insights that lead to enhanced self-awareness for the coachee. **Self- awareness **is a requirement for sustainable personal change**. ** Coaching further influences the pace and direction of the change but is not part of the ‘outcome’. ##### Conversation Our coaching conversation is a **2-way discussion** process - an informal, open and non-judgemental, ‘**adult’** exchange of thoughts, feelings, plans and experiences, ideas and information, that is flexible and dynamic, responsive and proactive. Whilst a coaching conversation will have purpose and outcomes, being **diagnostic** and **catalytic**, these items will **evolve** as the conversation progresses. The conversation should be as unboundaried as appropriate. ###### a)                  The coach’s contribution The qualities that the coach brings to the conversation include **confidentiality** and **trustworthiness**, **empathy**, **genuine curiosity,** **listening skills**, reflecting and summarising in the search for shared understanding. Further skills will include **enabling feedback**, **facilitation of insights**, **creating awareness**, identification and exploration of options, testing, challenging and even directing, and holding the coachee to account. ###### b)                  The coachee’s contribution Trust having been established, the coachee brings their **preparedness to engage**, their **openness** to reflect and share their awareness and insights, thoughts and feelings, with honesty and **accountability**. They also hold the responsibility for **communication** with the organisational sponsor, on the outcomes and potentially for a **re-contracting** with the sponsor as the coaching process’ outcomes are realised. ##### Creates Coaching is a **creative process** – it brings ‘things’ into existence, presence and awareness. The creation process is not predictable, and outcomes can occur in unexpected areas. ##### Conditions Effective coaching** creates the conditions for individual change**, through awareness, acceptance, intent, purpose and motivation, within the coachee, leading to action taken by the individual. ##### Individual Our **focus is upon the individual**, especially when working with groups, or teams within an organisation. ##### Change Our coaching **creates the conditions for individual change**, then influences the pace and direction of the change. **Facilitating change** within the individual coachee creates impact for those connected with the coachee, including colleagues, groups and teams and even the wider organisational culture. **Evaluation** of outcomes should be considered across **broad-based dimensions** including timing, duration, location, direction, scope and scale. ## Read On ##### [Listening: Using Emotionally Intelligent Social-Awareness](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-social-awareness) In this series I am using emotional intelligence to explore how to further enhance the coach’s... ##### [Listening: A Working Definition](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-a-working-definition) ##### [Listening](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening) *“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”* Quote by Stephen R. Covey I am reminded of... ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Chris Dyson", "url" : "https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson" }, "dateModified" : "2024-10-21T10:00:00.458Z", "datePublished" : "2024-10-21T10:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "A working definition of our Executive Coaching", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/a-working-definition-of-our-executive-coaching", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/hubfs/BBB%20Images/The%20Big%20Blue%20Box%20bitmap.jpg" }, "name" : "The Big Blue Box Ltd" } } ```