In the traditional view of executive coaching, an executive, with her boss’s participation, takes personality assessments, receives 360-degree feedback, and creates and implements a development plan designed to address performance gaps, optimize her contribution, and prepare her for new responsibilities. This approach is based on the fundamental belief that enhancing performance in a role as currently structured, is the best way ahead.
When Coaching Finds That an Executive Isn’t in the Right Role
Sometimes, executive coaching reveals that the person being coached is in the wrong role. When this becomes clear, bosses too often prematurely conclude that they have to fire the person or that the coaching was a waste. However, instead of seeing this outcome as some kind of failure, a boss and an organization can instead frame the result of the coaching as indicating a different, but still successful, path. Consider moving the person to a different role more in line with their skills; for example, someone who gets bored by certainty might be a better fit in a more entrepreneurial unit. Or redefine their role; an executive with vision but who struggles with day-to-day management might benefit from hiring a chief of staff. A third option is to redraw the org chart so that reporting lines make more sense. It may seem risky, but it can be worth it.