A Message From Jeff

Dear Friends,

I was speaking with the CEO of a prospective new client recently about the topic "The Results of Coaching" and whether there are any quantitative studies on the impact of executive coaching on executive transition. What this client was asking is whether providing the six months of executive transition support (which is part of our unique "blended solutions" model) really matters and really makes a difference.

While we have not conducted an actual quantitative research study to date, our overall results are very compelling. Since we initiated this new business model in 2002, less than 5% of the executives we have placed over the past four years have failed or left their positions within the first 12 months. Considering industry reports that 50%+ of executive-level hires from the outside fail within one to two years, our placements are doing very well.

We are beginning to see a lot of articles crediting executive coaching with making a positive difference in whether or not an executive succeeds in a new executive position. Our practical experience, placing more than 75 executives in the past four years, suggests that transition coaching support is very helpful--if not essential.

What our placed candidates have told us is: (1) they value having a confidential, personal coach to talk with who understands the company they joined and the industry they are working in; (2) they appreciate being able to obtain independent feedback (well in advance of scheduled performance reviews) on whether they are getting traction within the organization; and (3) they find the transition planning process helpful in prioritizing their opportunities, and gaining agreement with their hiring manager on key milestones and deliverables.

You can expect to see and hear a lot more about this in future editions of our e-zine. We have included an article in this issue by the writers at Claire Communications on the "Business Results of Coaching." We hope you enjoy this issue.

For our firm, the business results have been definitive and compelling. The vast majority (95% or more) of our placed candidates are still in place and performing effectively. The results of executive coaching for EC have also included a deepening of our ongoing relationships with both the organizations/clients who hire us to perform executive search and coaching services, and with the candidates we place into these assignments.

We look forward to interacting with you on this topic and others. If you have questions or comments, please e-mail us directly so we can address your question in a subsequent issue.

The market demand for top-quality executive talent remains high, so we wish you all continued prosperity in the balance of the second quarter, as well as the balance of the year.

All my best,

Jeff Gundersen, CEO
Executive Connections, LLC
jgundersen@executiveconnects.com
941-323-8300
Executive Search, Coaching & Consulting
http://www.executiveconnects.com

The Business Results of Coaching

Without a doubt, coaching is the hottest approach to enhancing the performance of the people in an enterprise--whether it's teams of coaches working with managers in a Fortune 500 company, transition coaching for new C-level executive hires, or coaches working with the owners of a small businesses or sole proprietorships. It is clear from the increasing acceptance and investment in coaching, among the broad spectrum of business in many countries, that we believe coaching works.

But how well does it work? And how hard is it to measure? Read the full article.

ASK OUR COACH

As part of our commitment to provide assistance and support to executives wanting to further their professional and personal brand, we have created the ASK OUR COACH email service where you can get confidential answers to your career questions. What's on your mind? Don't hesitate to ASK OUR COACH.

Here are answers to questions we received last month:

Q: What has been your experience providing executive coaching to an executive who is being passed over for a promotion but is still viewed by the organization as a high-potential employee? What are the impacts of coaching on the long-term retention and promotion/development of the executive?

--EVP, Human Resources of a regional bank

A: We can definitely say the impacts are positive, both in terms of employee retention, as well as subsequent promotion and development. In two recent instances, both in financial services, clients asked us to coach high-potential executives who were not promoted when SVP-level positions opened up. The clients were concerned these executives would leave if they did not get the current promotion(s), and they also wanted to send a clear message to each executive that they were willing to invest in their future development to help prepare them for promotion in the next cycle. Both of these executives have remained within the organization (two+ years), and one of the executives is about to be promoted to an SVP-level opening. So we would say definitely we see a positive correlation when organizations provide an executive coach to high-potential executives.

Q: I am considering changing categories. What is the value of hiring an executive coach to help me figure out how to maximize the value of my personal brand?

--CMO, real estate company

A: In the turbulent marketing world we are living in, where CMO tenure is less than two years (actually 22 months on average), successful CMOs need to apply the same marketing analytics, strategy and diligence in managing their personal brand as they have in managing the brand of their current (real estate) company. Personal brand planning is more essential today than ever. The involvement of the right career coach, preferably one with branding and marketing expertise, can make the difference between a shorter-cycle, highly productive search and a longer-cycle, less-productive process. Executives can sometimes grossly underestimate the effort and connections needed to get their personal brand effectively in the marketplace and on the radar screen of CEOs in the new categories/sectors they are interested in pursuing. While 50% of new opportunities at the C-level can be expected to come via executive search firms/consultants, the other half come through personal connections with Board members and senior officers of organizations. So marketing intelligence and a diligent process are required for success. Remember: what's at stake is maximizing the personal brand value of your next executive assignment. We recently shared this advice with a CMO earning $1.1-$1.2 million annually who is considering investing in hiring a personal coach. We also suggested that she hire herself a coach and have the company pay for it, since there may be/are opportunities for her to expand her role (i.e., COO) within her current company.

Please keep those cards and letters coming with more questions for future issues.

Your Feedback to Us

Dear Jeff, Just connecting to say that your newsletter gets better and better. I took a break this morning to read it. You gave me a fresh perspective that I need as I start another challenging day.

~ Christine Donohoo, President, Government Services Group, Summit Marketing

This next comment came in response to a "close-the-loop" email we sent to people who had given input to one of our searches:

Jeff, Thanks for your nice note. Virtually no one in your industry takes the time to do this. Much appreciated...and great marketing, as you know.

~ Peter Hess, President, Clearview Marketing, LLC

EC News

EC's Lorraine White Appointed to the Board of Wellness Community of SW Florida

Lorraine White, the Chief Coaching/People Officer with Executive Connections, was appointed to the Board of Trustees of The Wellness Community (TWC) of Southwest Florida, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support, education and hope to people affected by cancer. Lorraine is also the founder and past chairman of Future Possibilities, Inc., a worldwide non-profit children's coaching organization. For more on this, click here.

Connect with EC at These Conferences

On June 19, Jeff will be attending DM Days in New York City. You can read more about this direct marketing conference and obtain registration links on our website here.