Personal Branding – Coaching objectives

Posted by: Krishna De | Posted on: May 6th, 2006 | 0 Comments | Posted in: Personal Branding Tips

Last week a client contacted me and asked for some advice on how they might address a challenge they have with a new client.

Their client has been a successful Marketing Director then was appointed Managing Director in a small business for the last 8 years.  They had decided to appoint a coach to challenge them in their business.  Their training had been in blue chip organisations.

Their business has performed well and has growth objetives for the next year, but when feedback was sought from the coachees colleagues they could not report on anything that they thought he needed to address or improve on.

My client came to me for advice on how to handle this situation as they wanted to do a great job with their client and were feeling challenged by the fact that they used to be the boss of their client many years ago.

If you would like to see my comments and advice to my client you will find them here.

• Does he have a clear vision and strategy for the business including financial performance in the next 5 years?  What are the long term plans for the company - what options are there for mergers, buy outs – what do the investors want?  What role are they playing in the community or shaping the industry he is in through the relevant profesional associations and industry bodies?
• Have you got a clear sense of best in class for organisations in this sector – of not there may be a case for benchmarking key performance indicators from service levels, customer feedback, innovation, debtor days – key measures for them.
• On the employee front have they entered in for Best Comapnies to Work – if not it is a great structure to follow and independently adjudicated.
• For his own development has he considered joining a leading leadership development programme so he is in the company of peers to stretch his thinking – such as some of the INSEAD programmes.
• From 20 years of coaching in FTSE 20 companies, I’d suggest that where there is little feedback on what people could do to raise their game there is definately scope to raise the bar overall – the people who were asked for feedback perhaps are not aware of best in class or the art of the possible. 
• 8 years in an organisation of that size – what are his personal plans and personal vision?  If I were a headhunter and he has a vision of moving to a larger company he needs to be taking action soon as it could be perceived he has been there a considerable time already. 
• Provocatively – is he looking for a comfortable life and happy to be a successful big fish in a small pond. And without too much stretch for him – is that where he wants to be at the close of his career?

What advice would you have given my client?  Would you have taken on the assignment?