The lessons of the 1980’s, 1990’s and more recently, clearly taught us that despite all efforts to cut costs, reengineer, acquire and merge, nothing correlates to business success so much as the quality of leadership. Continued globalization of customers, consumers, clients, suppliers and employees requires new and enhanced approaches to meet and exceed market demands. As competition raises the bar on expectations, an organization’s leadership team must be able to respond effectively to that challenge.

The Miles LeHane Group has established a strong track record of successful coaching relationships. The costs of finding and replacing key people are considerable. As a result, businesses are investing in executive development rather than replacement. Our typical clients are CEO’s, heads of major business functions, senior executives and high potential executives. Additionally, we provide focused coaching support for the unique issues of women, minority and culturally diverse executives. In fact, each coaching approach is customized and balanced to focus on the mutually “contracted” success objectives.

Coaching assignments are based on the needs and situation of the individual and the experience and expertise of the coach. Specifically, coaches help executives assess their effectiveness, obtain confidential feedback on individual strengths and weaknesses and learn new behaviors and skills. The key to our approach is not simply implementing a program, but developing a customized process focused on meeting stakeholder’s needs. The approaches that we utilize are based on sound principles of business, plus adult learning theory for sustainable success.

The process starts with Learning about the organization:

• Business environment
• Business goals and objectives
• Corporate culture/norms
• Organizational challenges

The process then continues with Learning about the executive:

With these building blocks in place, our coaches use a guided process for defining the participant’s goals and objectives; understanding and assessing values, needs and leadership style; obtaining confidential feedback from those with whom the participant interacts professionally; establishing an action plan he/she is motivated to follow; and based on the gap analysis, progressing toward maximizing sustainable leadership effectiveness.

Process Tools for the Customized Approach

There is a broad array of process tools readily available to the coach. Selection is customized to individual needs, and may include:

• Interviews
• Multi-rater feedback - 360˚
• Technology support applications
• Stakeholder input
• Psychological profiling
• Reflective feedback sessions
• Self-esteem/career management planning
• Short-term goal development
• Long-term goal development
• Personal action planning
• Stakeholder action plans
• Commitment to ongoing leadership development
• Review and ongoing support

Coaching Models

To provide the best services for the stated objectives, we offer three major models of coaching:

• Coaching for Leadership—Focus on leadership support at the top.
• Coaching for Development and Success—Focus on current and future assignments and opportunities.
• Coaching for Performance—Focus on enhancement for current or future challenges.

Implementation

These models are applied to the particular coaching situation that can be conducted as 1) individual face-to-face, one-on-one sessions, 2) in small group sessions, and 3) our newest coaching format, one-on-one telephone coaching sessions that deal with more personalized day to day business issues.

Miles LeHane’s Executive Coaching services are designed to enhance an individual’s contributions to the stakeholders objectives. By focusing on the “Dimensions of Leadership,” we customize and implement an Executive Coaching process aimed at individual and organizational objectives.

The Dimensions of Leadership model in the box below helps participants understand that they need to think beyond technical competencies as the primary criteria of determining leadership effectiveness.

And herein lies the essence of Miles LeHane’s inclusion of Critical Thinking into Leadership coaching.  Working with the executives, our coaches delve into the areas of questioning and analysis. By understanding how the individual views reality, how they function as a leader, and how they process current and future views of the business environment, we can help them broaden their perspective by developing skills in the areas of critical thinking and strategic thinking.