Demystifying Executive Coaching
Have you reached a point in your career where you’re considering hiring an executive coach? You’re not alone. According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the coaching industry generated $4.564 billion in revenue in 2023, a 62% increase since 2019.
While the coaching industry is certainly booming, there still seems to be some mystery and confusion around what executive coaching actually is and what it is not. To get the full picture for myself, I consulted with two experts in the field: WinShape Teams’ own Executive Coaches – Dr. Chris Auger and Charles Hooper, Jr., MCC
Read on as Chris and Charles unbox the executive coaching experience and explain what makes the WinShape Teams Coaching experience unique in this rapidly growing industry.
Executive Coaching is…
Empowering, not expert-led.
When seeking guidance in life or at work, there are likely a number of different support roles that come to mind — mentors, counselors, therapists, consultants, and pastors, just to name a few. In any of these relationships, the service provider is typically considered the “expert.”
WinShape Teams Executive Coach, Charles Hooper, believes the shoe sits on the other foot when it comes to coaching.
“In coaching, the client is the expert. They are the expert in the sense that they are familiar with the context, they’re familiar with their needs, they are familiar with the resources that they need to come up with a solution for themselves.”
Asking, not advising.
Coaching is all about discovery. Keith Webb, author and creator of “The Coach Model,” explains the difference between coaching and mentoring very simply: mentors “put in” while coaches “draw out.” The solutions are already within the client. It’s the coach’s job to draw those answers out by asking the right questions.
“A lot of people come to coaching thinking that you’re going to give them the secrets to success. And that’s not correct. We develop those together,” says WinShape Teams Executive Coach, Dr. Chris Auger. “Coaching is more about getting the client to look within themselves to find the answers rather than relying on others or even us as coaches.”
Charles adds, “When we simply give our clients solutions rather than working toward them together, they become dependent on us and don’t really grow as leaders.”
By asking the right questions and working toward a solution together, the client is able to take ownership of and responsibility for their own growth.
Direct, not directive.
A coach can help a client determine which resources can be used to best supplement their coaching experience.
“After we’ve brainstormed, problem-solved, and processed with the client, if there’s something that we can offer that would be helpful, we can, in a non-directive way, share ideas, resources, and books,” says Charles.
Our coaches offer a number of tools and resources to help clients on their journey. From podcasts and books to assessments to different planning and processing tools. Our coaches have an arsenal of quality resources and perspectives that they are able to offer to make the client’s coaching experience as effective as possible.
“Coaching is more about getting the client to look within themselves to find the answers rather than relying on others or even us as coaches.”
– Dr. Chris Auger
What makes WinShape Teams Coaching unique?
As a faith-based organization, WinShape Teams offers a unique blend of professional-level executive coaching through the lens of Christian principles and beliefs.
“If a client decides to work with a secular coaching firm, there are many great options out there, but they would miss out on the Christian world and life view. Likewise, they could go to a pastor or minister and be given spiritual direction, scripture, and prayer, but they wouldn’t get the professional development they may be searching for,” says Charles Hooper. “At WinShape Teams, we are able to bring both sides of this coin to the experience.”
Many clients come to us having never been taught the foundational principles of leadership. We believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of a servant leader. He led well, he teamed well, and he followed well. There is a lot to be learned from the way he modeled each of these aspects during his time on Earth.
“I believe working in Biblical truth gives us a strategic advantage,” adds Dr. Chris Auger. “Even if you remove faith from the equation and simply look at the Bible as a history book. What did Jesus do, and what makes these principles so effective that they still impact billions of people even thousands of years later?”
Another aspect that makes WinShape Teams Coaching unique is that while our primary focus is on professional development, our coaches believe that health in all aspects of life is key to success. When your personal health, spiritual health, or your family life is out of whack, it’s going to impact your professional life and vice versa. Most clients sign on to work with our coaches with the hope of becoming better leaders, but they walk away as better and healthier parents, spouses, Christians, and overall people as well.
