| My team of three analysts had just spent three | | | | by phone and without having to travel. |
| months and countless hours benchmarking a | | | | A wide variety of executives were looking for |
| healthcare organization's productivity to determine | | | | coaching, although they didn't use the word |
| the opportunity to improve. We had developed | | | | "coaching" too often (and neither should you, if |
| reams of PowerPoint documents with charts | | | | you happen to be an Executive Coach). |
| comparing the system to dozens of other, similar | | | | The problems they faced involved the following |
| healthcare systems nationwide. We had | | | | issues, among others: |
| databases, Excel Spreadsheets, comments from | | | | • Gain more influence in their organization. |
| the system's management, hundreds of Medicare | | | | • Launch a new initiative. |
| cost reports, and up-to-date input from a | | | | • Get commitment and build alignment among |
| network of leading clinical managers from around | | | | their executive team. |
| the nation. Our analysis was sound, complete, and | | | | • Improve their business relationship with their |
| better than any other consulting firm could have | | | | boss. |
| provided. | | | | • Implement difficult changes. |
| We discovered that the hospital had the | | | | • Grow their organization. |
| opportunity to save about $12 million in costs | | | | • Improve their leadership skills as they |
| without hurting quality. | | | | ventured into new, unfamiliar areas. |
| The COO had just reviewed this material with | | | | • Quickly gain knowledge about new functions |
| me, and looked across the table at me. | | | | (e.g., marketing, finance) where they lacked |
| "That's about right," he said. "I was guessing $10 | | | | experience. |
| to $15 million." | | | | • Make a transition to a new role or |
| This COO had just spent about $250,000 of his | | | | organization. |
| organization's money to come up with a number | | | | • Avoid burn out and balance work, family, |
| he already knew. But we both already understood | | | | hobbies, and health. |
| that he had to use an outside firm to justify his | | | | • Make decisions with incomplete information. |
| instincts to his Board and management team. | | | | • Get clarity about organizational strategy and |
| Then he surprised me. "I didn't hire you for this | | | | direction. |
| analysis," he said. "And I didn't hire you to help us | | | | • Make improvements in response to negative |
| achieve our cost target, because my | | | | feedback from colleagues. |
| management team can do that without you. I | | | | Usually they had good instincts about what to do |
| hired you because I need someone to walk me | | | | and needed someone like me to listen to their |
| through the pain that this change program is going | | | | concerns, serve as a sounding board, debate with |
| to cause. I need someone I can trust, who will | | | | them, ask probing questions, and - when |
| support me when the going gets tough." | | | | appropriate - to offer advice and insights. |
| It was at that point that the power of Executive | | | | I helped in other ways as well. I interviewed |
| Coaching became clear to me. | | | | colleagues and constituents to gather input and |
| The executives I had been working with were | | | | advice in a safe, objective, and confidential way. I |
| competent, and usually knew what they had to | | | | structured and facilitated short meetings with a |
| do. But they needed someone who could serve | | | | Board of Directors or management team to |
| as a sounding board, provide insights, and help | | | | gather ideas and develop consensus. Sometimes I |
| them to stay focused and resilient in the face of | | | | led training sessions and workshops with |
| enormous challenges and pressure. | | | | management and up-and-coming managers about |
| Many of these executives perceived more value | | | | key management topics. |
| in a few 30-minute meetings with a trusted, | | | | I would never go back to traditional consulting |
| supportive advisor than they did in a quarter | | | | work. Executive Coaching is far too rewarding, in |
| million dollars worth of highly-educated analysts on | | | | terms of both value to me and value to my |
| a consulting team. They knew ahead of time | | | | clients. |
| what the analysts would find. What they needed | | | | What about you? Are your ready to jump in and |
| was someone who could help them make | | | | start earning the income you deserve, without |
| toughdecisions and do what it took to improve | | | | excessive travel, office expenses, or burdensome |
| performance. | | | | hours? To read about <a rel="nofollow" |
| So I tried an experiment. I started focusing more | | | | onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', ' |
| on Executive Coaching, and less on analysis | | | | outgoing/article_exit_link']);" href=" armpits< |
| consulting. | | | | a> and <a rel="nofollow" |
| The results were excellent. I did less work, made | | | | onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', ' |
| more money, and had more fun - without the | | | | outgoing/article_exit_link']);" href=" smell< |
| hassles of managing teams of consultants. My | | | | a>, visit the <a rel="nofollow" |
| relationships with clients got stronger, and I could | | | | onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', ' |
| work with more executives than before. I | | | | outgoing/article_exit_link']);" href=" Pain</a> |
| worked on more interesting engagements, often | | | | site. |