Executive Coaching & Mediation

Our clients come to coaching for a variety of reasons: They could be “stuck” and can’t think of what else to do in order to move their organization forward; there may not be anyone at their level in their organization that they can have confidential conversations with; they desire to change/improve something within themselves and further develop their strengths and improve upon their opportunities but their company doesn’t provide a focused development plan.  Potentially, the client is looking for change, a different or new perspective, or have important goals to reach.  LifeWorks executive coaching program focuses on helping our clients elevate themselves and their organizations from their current situation to their desired outcome.[1]

Distinct from other forms of training, coaching focuses on a specific way of “learning” for the executive. In our experience, the more that a client is involved in identifying problems, and creating and applying solutions for their situation, the deeper the understanding, self-awareness, and more complete and long-lasting the learning will be.  Given the right circumstances, one-on-one interaction with an objective third party, who is not tied to the organization or other executive or company influences, can provide a focus that other forms of organizational support cannot. Coaching develops the leader in “real time” within the context of their current job while allowing them to maintain their day-to-day responsibilities.[1]

“Unlike therapy, which goes into depth about various issues usually dealing with the past and consulting which generally results in giving the client answers, coaching is more action-oriented and focuses primarily on the present and future.”[2] Coaching focuses on what the client wants and utilizes a process through the one-on-one coaching sessions to enable the client to self-discover, learn and determine their own “answers”. It is the client who determines the goals and commits to their goal, while allowing the coach to help hold them accountable. Coaching allows the client to ask questions their coach questions, explore ideas and receive feedback from a non-judgmental third party who is not connected to their organization.[1]

Why Should You Hire An Executive Coach?

Today’s business environment is becoming more demanding due to increased competition in the market-place, flatter organizations, increased pressure to implement and adopt changes faster, and executives having a more taxing and dynamic role in developing and maintaining the “right” team for the job, etc.  Now, more than ever, executives have limited opportunity to devote time and energy to their own development as leaders. “Most executives struggle to fulfill the responsibilities of their positions and are too busy and too stressed to step back and learn from their experiences or to implement changes to satisfy best management practices.”[3]

“Worldwide, companies spend about $1 billion each year on executive coaches–people who work one-on-one with managers to help them better perform their jobs. Psychologists with expertise in both behavior change and business culture are uniquely qualified to fill this niche. Coaching links industrial-organization skills with counseling skills”, says University of Minnesota psychology professor Joyce Bono, PhD, who studies the executive coaching industry.

“Those who can bring these skills together provide a valuable service to organizations, which hire coaches to make good managers even better–by improving their interpersonal skills, for example. Or, more challengingly, companies may ask coaches to pull promising but troubled executives back from the brink of dismissal”, she notes. [4]

The reasons for choosing coaching go beyond the need to correct or resolve problem behaviors or poor performance issues. Executive coaching is also chosen to develop executive-level skills, developmental and growth needs which impact the entire organization.

In a study by Diane E. Lewis, respondents identified a variety of reasons for hiring executive coaches. [4]The reasons cited below encompass both problem solving and developmental emphases. They could also be described as change-oriented, with an emphasis on supplementing and refocusing the participant’s skills, or growth-oriented, with an emphasis on accelerating the learning curve for high-potential or recently promoted executives. The percentage of respondents citing that particular reason is in parenthesis:

• To develop the leadership skills of  high-potential individuals (86%).
• To improve the odds that newly promoted managers would be successful (64%).
• To develop management and leadership skills among their technical people (59%).
• To correct behavioral problems at the management level (70%).
• To help leaders resolve interpersonal conflicts among employees (59%). [1]

Organizational Mediation

Research has shown over and over again the benefits of mediation in organizational conflicts. There is a lot to gain and a large opportunity for employees to be able to talk about their problems and air their differences before going to file a grievance with the law. Often the procedures within an organization do not provide a neutral environment where work related conflict can be heard. Or, the formality of the procedures are daunting and cause more stress and anxiety for the employee causing him/her to seek outside counsel which tends to escalates the conflict. [6]

How We’ve Helped Past Clients

• Analyzed and diagnosed conflicts
• Designed an appropriate mediation process responsive to the organization’s needs
• Provided a safe, non-judgemental forum for parties to be heard
• Facilitated constructive discussions between parties in dispute
• Crafted appropriate language to reflect agreement, including communication protocols, ground rules for future behaviour and workplace accommodation plans
• Helped stakeholders receive closure and prevent future conflicts
• Guided parties toward rebuilding relations or learning from a conflict

How The Mediation Process Works

Conflict within organizations can be extraordinarily costly: low morale, low productivity, unhappy stakeholders, wasted resources and projects falling apart and not meeting deadlines. Left unchecked, conflicts can cause serious dysfunction and prevent an organization from achieving its potential. There’s huge value in taking a proactive approach to conflicts and disputes — before they lead to grievances and lawsuits.

LifeWorks enters these cases as an impartial third party with conflict resolution expertise — and without the baggage of an internal mediator connected to your organization. In our experience, organizational disputes are often complex, layered and rarely cut-and-dried. Politically and culturally sensitive issues may be at play. We don’t believe in bulldozing through: our approach is facilitative, respectful and calm. We allow parties to be heard, understand the causes of conflict and create durable solutions. Most conflicts brought to our attention have gone on for extended periods of time and everyone within the organization connected to the conflict are sick of the dealing with it and want it resolved as soon as possible. Working quickly and effectively to make things better is key.

When we’re brought into an organization, we’ll first work together to determine your goals and needs, what our role and mandate should be, and what kind of mediation process is most suitable to your organizational needs. To support the mediation process, we can also engage in group facilitation, fact-finding and evaluation of case dynamics and suggested solutions. Finally, we can help guide parties toward sustainable solutions, and provide ongoing support if needed.

Relationship Mediation

Couples will receive the following:

• In-take session
• Written documentation of differences, grievances and solutions for future
• Action-plan for couple to be able to implement resolutions and agreements after the mediation has ended and divorce is completed
• Written (non-legal, non-binding) document with laid out agreement for divorce (i.e., parenting-time, custodial rights, separation of assets, etc.)