Features

for spt More and more successful young executives are turning to professional coaches.

It’s lonely at the top. For a business executive, the higher up the corporate ladder you climb and the more critical your decisions become, the less likely you are to receive honest feedback and support.

Mistakes can cost millions. But who can you turn to for guidance? The problem is perhaps particularly significant in countries like Russia, where culture demands that seniority receive deference and respect, while what may be needed is objective criticism and frank advice.

And poor leadership costs. High staff turnover is only the most visible of the missed opportunities. Few people at work today will deny the stifling of creativity, commitment and motivation that a bad boss can bring about.

Getting the best out of people is a rare leadership skill, and it doesn’t always go hand-in-hand with the technical expertise and experience that may have fuelled an executive’s rise through the ranks.

Alla Kuznetsova, who has been coaching executives in Russia and Eastern Europe since 2005, told The St. Petersburg Times that one of the most conspicuous features of such growing markets is the young age of many senior managers, many of whom are under 30. “Very talented and ambitious, they very often lack the basics,” said Kuznetsova.

By way of illustration Kuznetsova tells the story of Andrei, a client whose last name was withheld as part of the company’s confidentiality policy, who at 28 years of age was appointed head of a strategic business unit in a global pharmaceutical corporation. Having previously worked as a consultant, his actual managerial experience was zero.

“The situation was sink or swim. To the credit of the organization they gave him a floatation device — a coach. Our engagement lasted for a year and turned out to be a real success story,” said Kuznetsova.

Andrei confirms: “These coaching sessions had a great impact on my ability to better understand people, respond with more flexibility, accommodate faster and influence people with diverse behavior and perception styles. Coaching contributed largely to the department’s increased operational efficiency by improving my ability to connect to people, understand their needs and better influence and motivate teams, managers and other stakeholders.”

So what exactly is coaching? In contrast to management consulting, which attempts to give expert answers to questions, coaching aims to facilitate behavioral change by identifying the pivotal questions. It provides a reflective conversation within an exclusive relationship that is trusting, safe and supportive. It is more psychological in nature than other training and development methodologies.

Coaching may also be contrasted with mentoring.

The knowledge residing within any organization is a key resource. Mentors, who are often senior managers within the organization, are engaged in knowledge management by passing down their experience and guidance.

Executive coaches, on the other hand, more commonly come from outside. An external coach can give the executive the chance to explore ideas and options in confidence.

Practitioners have a variety of backgrounds, including psychology and business, and may be PhDs or MBA graduates. Coaching programs are tailored to participants’ individual needs, and a wide variety of models and approaches may be used. Consequently, individual coaches practice in vastly different ways.

For Kuznetsova, a typical project might last six months to a year. “For behavioral change to become habit, an individual needs at least three months of diligent effort,” she said. “Given the complexity of an adult’s professional challenges (as there is usually more than one area that requires development) plus the issue of sustainability of new behavioral patterns, realistically one couldn’t expect results earlier than a period of six months.”

Barry Tomalin, Director of Cultural Training at International House in London, believes that the ability to build trusting relationships is also critical: “I’ve coached people all over the world, but mainly Europeans and Americans. One issue to be concerned about is the coachee’s fear of loss of face — in Asia, particularly. This means they may be afraid to put themselves in a position where they have to be open about their challenges.”

It is also important that the executive see the coach as an equal.

Kuznetsova, who has coached many nationalities, says: “Russians are more sensitive to status, gender, age and overall presentation. It is a high context culture, which means that everything matters. If you want to make a good impression you need to look good (quality attire, hairstyle etc.) and exude confidence.”

“We have a saying that we greet people based on how they look. Definitely Russian top managers will often try to test your durability by trying to intimidate you. Once you reiterate the rules of partnership and indicate that this engagement will be at an equal level or will not take place at all, it usually settles at that point.”

Clearly the best coaches need to be assertive when required. According to Tomalin, they also need empathy and the ability to listen. “It is important to listen, explore all options and not jump in with instant solutions, however tempting. The important thing is to ask questions which allow the coachee to find the answer to problems him or herself.”

Coaching first emerged as a leadership development practice in the 1980s and the sector is now reported to be worth $2 billion worldwide.

Last year, a study by the International Coach Federation reported that the profession continues to grow, with 47,500 professional coaches worldwide.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in the U.K. reported in 2011 that three quarters of their survey’s respondents used coaching, and that 84 percent are using it more than previously. Despite the current economic climate, expenditure is rising.

And is executive coaching growing in Russia?

For Kuznetsova the answer is a resounding yes. “I started in 2005, when we were not even allowed to say the word ‘coaching’ in some organizations. Now it is hard to meet people at the executive level at large companies that have never heard about coaching. All Russian big banks use coaching for their executives and even mid-managers. Many companies require 2-3 day courses on coaching skills for their top managers.”

According to Tomalin, with such a plethora of courses now available it is important to make sure a chosen course is suitable. “There are an increasing number of coaching courses available and the best way to check validity is to visit the ICF International Coach Federation website at www.coachfederation.org,” he said.

Keith Nelson leads training courses for would-be coaches at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education in the U.K. He told The St. Petersburg Times that demand is strong, adding that coaching is particularly suitable for those in middle age.

“We have found coaching to be attracting an increasing number of students,” said Nelson.

“This academic year we have launched a Diploma in Coaching, a higher level qualification than the Certificate which has been offered for a number of years. Coaching is an attractive career move, particularly for people in their 30s to 50s who are looking for a career change,” he said.