Question 1: Executive coaching is a complex process in which multiple factors and relationships are at play. Coaches must interact with their superiors, trainees, colleagues, and, in many cases, human resources staff. As such, executive coaching is demanding work and calls for a high level of knowledge and skill. An effective Executive Coach has the capacity to handle the demands of the job while teaching employees new skills, building successful teams, improving morale, and supporting strategic change. It is a process that goes beyond the individual coach and the things that coaches can observe. In short, executive coaching requires a high level of awareness, empathetic understanding, and keen insight.
In light of your understanding of the role of an Executive Coach, justify the following statement: "Coaching is a multidimensional process." What are the different roles that Executive Coaches must play? In what ways might these roles be in conflict? Your initial post should be a minimum of 300 words. Respond to at least two of your classmates' postings by Day 7
Question 2: Our attitudes, values, beliefs, worldview, and assumptions are deeply engrained and significantly impacted by culture. In many cases we react to others (i.e. colleagues, acquaintances, friends, etc.), based on our cultural norms. For instance, one might assume that an acquaintance lacks independence because he or she frequently relies on family input to make important decisions about his or her life. This assumption comes from a place of judgment in which one person's values are viewed as superior to another. To be effective, Executive Coaches must understand the relationship between culture, attitudes, values, beliefs, etc. In understanding these relationships, Executive Coaches can minimize the possibility of misunderstanding or misguiding a client.
After completing the assigned reading, address the following questions: What cross cultural competencies would you say are essential to effective coaching? Why? What is the connection between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and effective cross cultural coaching? Is there risk involved in working from the premise that all people are the same?
Question 3: You may have heard the terms "mentor" and "coach" used interchangeably. In fact, mentors and coaches serve different functions and the terms have distinct meanings. Coaches tend to have expertise in working with people, particularly to help them develop in a specific area. They are often skilled in the area in which they coach. For example, most NBA coaches are former NBA basketball players; most NFL coaches previously played in the NFL. While these examples relate to sports, this practice is true for organizations, as well. On the other hand, a mentor is someone who is willing to support and offer advice in a given area. For example, a mentor could be a business executive who mentors a young professional about the culture of the organization or about how best to make a presentation to the executive team.
After completing the assigned reading, differentiate between coaching and mentoring. Do coaches and mentors share common characteristics? In what situations might the services of a mentor be needed versus those of a coach? Is coaching superior to mentoring or is mentoring superior to coaching? Explain your answer.
Question 4: In the past, leadership focused more on telling individuals what to do than guiding them or teaching them the skills necessary to thrive in their respective positions. The benefits of the two-way learning exchange between the leader and employee were not fully recognized. Leadership theories now embrace a more collaborative approach to managing the work of others. Today, organizations search for leaders who have the capacity to ask questions and learn from those they guide and teach. To that end, organizations seek out leaders that are able to empower and engage others with the underlying purpose of facilitating change and increasing the capacity of people within an organization to succeed.
Dr. Gary Myszkowski, president of WiznamiInc, suggests a safe haven is necessary to help the executive engage in the coaching process.
Watch these two videos from Dr. G and continue to the questions below:
1. Video 2 Part 1 Executive Coaching as a Safe Haven for Learning (By Gary Myszkowski)
2. Video 2 Part 2 The Coaching Conditions Necessary to Create a Safe Haven for Learning (By Gary Myszkowski)
After watching the two videos: please address the following questions:
• How does Dr. Gary define "Safe Haven?"
• Why is the safe haven environment necessary to the successful exchange between the coach and the leader?
• Why is understanding how adults learn essential to the coaching process?
• According to Dr. Gary, there are several key differences between mentors and executive coaches. What are they and why are they relevant?
Question 5: Solution-Focused Coaching
Due by Day 3. Solution-Focused Coaching. Executive coaches have a range of information and skills from which to draw on to carry out their jobs. Among common skills needed are effective listening, open ended questioning, non-threatening approaches to interacting, and techniques to cushion constructive feedback. While these general skills can be utilized by all Executive Coaches, specific types of executive coaching methods have been developed to address the unique needs of organizations. After completing this week's reading, address the following questions: What are the tenets of solution-focused coaching? What are the benefits to organizations that employ this approach? Your initial post should be a minimum of 300 words.
Question 6: Coaching Women
According to the United States Census Bureau (2003), women now hold half of the managerial jobs in the United States and they continue to make advancements in this area. This stands in stark contrast with a time when women were rarely seen in leadership roles and the growing prominence of women in leadership positions presents a challenge to organizations that are often not gender neutral. Historically, norms, standards, structures, policies, and expectations were based on the male as the leader, manager, or executive. To deal with this challenge, many organizations have turned to Executive Coaches to train women in leadership or women taking on new leadership roles. After completing the reading assignments, address the following questions: What leadership challenges might be unique to women in management or executive positions? Should Executive Coaches take the gender of the trainee into consideration? Why or why not? Are there specific guidelines that a male Executive Coach should consider when coaching women? Your initial post should be a minimum of 300 words.
Question 7: Coaching Seasoned Executives
Organizations today recognize the need to cultivate and retain successful leaders. Some organizations choose to bring in and train new leaders, while others seek out those with a significant amount of experience. Nonetheless, even managers and executives who have fifteen plus years of experience can benefit from the services of an Executive Coach. Specifically, they can receive training to help them understand how to overcome some of today's complex issues, including the transition to business conducted on a global level. Seasoned executives find themselves facing distinctive challenges, including the belief that their techniques and management methods continue to be contemporary as opposed to outdated. After completing the reading assignments, address the following questions: Can a "one size fits all" approach to executive coaching be effective? Identify some of the challenges unique to coaching seasoned leaders/executives. Critique coaching methods specifically utilized with seasoned leaders/executives. Your initial post should be a minimum of 300 words.
Question 8: Psychological Skills and Executive Coaching
Executive coaching has only recently emerged as a professional field. As such, researchers, scholars, and practitioners share little agreement about whether executive coaching is more about learning or about facilitating change. Whatever the case, most would agree that executive coaching requires "a certain level of psychological skill and competence [in order for the coach] to operate effectively across a wide range of assignments likely to come their way" (Bluckert, 2005, p. 171). Among the skills identified to increase success in the field are listening, empathy, patience, being non-judgmental, and the ability to solve problems. After completing this week's reading, address the following questions: Can anyone with the ability to lead learn to be an Executive Coach? Would a trained psychologist make a better Executive Coach? Why or why not? What is the connection between psychological-mindfulness and executive coaching? Your initial post should be a minimum of 300 words.
Question 9: Coaching for Physical Well-Being
Researchers have produced convincing evidence that physical well-being is critical to sustainable leadership effectiveness. Yet many Executive Coaches may not see their role as being focused on a leader's physical well-being, believing that such responsibilities lie elsewhere, with health care practitioners or fitness trainers. After completing this week's reading, identify the compelling reasons why an Executive Coach should consider coaching for fitness. In particular, discuss the relationship between stress, physical well-being and leadership effectiveness. Outline the role of an Executive Coach in determining when physical well-being should be elevated to a critical coaching emphasis. Your initial post should be a minimum of 300 words.
Question 10: Future Trends and Challenges of Executive Coaching
For centuries, athletes across the world have relied on the support of a coach, a mentor, or a teacher to help them build confidence and achieve their full potential. Great leaders are much like athletes who need coaching, support, direction, and encouragement. To this end, Executive Coaches will continue to be needed in organizations across the United States. Address the following questions: What types of challenges might the future hold for Executive Coaches? What trends might be seen in the field? Your initial post should be a minimum of 300 words.
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Attachment:- Questionsforcoaching.rar