COACHING AT A GLANCE
What is coaching and what do I have to expect?
Coaching, also known as “Executive Advisory,” can help you cope with the challenges of a leadership role, with the demands of a career step or transition into a new role in a very focused way. Career steps often occur after completing an MBA. However, even if you have not recently graduated, you will face changing demands as you move into new roles or lead people on a day-to-day business. The pressures of daily business life will constantly force you and your team to adapt, which can create friction.
Coaching can assist you during a professional transition or when facing a dilemma in your professional role. It can also be beneficial to reflect your work life balance or to build resilience. Overall, coaching aims to increase your overall impact as a leader.
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Common situations/dilemmas are:
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Reflection of the question: what kind of leader am I, do I want to be or have to be?
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Nonperformance of a direct report.
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Problems with your direct manager, based on your subjective assessment.
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Conflicts with team members that disrupt collaboration and productivity.
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Balancing the expectations of different stakeholders, such as upper management and your team.
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Navigating cultural differences within a diverse team.
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Managing resistance to change initiatives within your team.
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Struggling to assert authority and gain respect in a new leadership role.
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Dealing with ethical dilemmas that challenge your personal and professional values.
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Handling the stress and pressure of high-stakes projects or decision-making responsibilities.
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Addressing feedback from performance reviews that highlight areas for significant improvement.
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In all cases, it is crucial to quickly adapt and demonstrate the expected performance. You may have heard of the “100 days rule.” This concept refers to the initial period in which you are expected to achieve results and prove that the decision to hire you was the right one. Coaching can support you in meeting these expectations, much like a sports coach supporting an athlete during a top tournament.​
Career Coaching or Executive Coaching – What is the difference?
As you might be aware, INSEAD offers the opportunity for career coaching after the completion of an MBA. Career coaching helps MBAs articulate their career goals based on their value system and desires, whereas IAAG coaching gives you an opportunity to reflect on and explore your effectiveness in your professional role, which often involves leading others. These complementary approaches at times cover similar ground while working towards distinct aspects of helping you to be the best and most effective version of yourself.​​
How does Coaching work?
Your coach will ask you what you would like to discuss with him or her during each session. This is “contracting” that is being done each session, opening the space for you and your topic. Coaches provide space and attention; you provide the topic to talk about. This will help you take a step back from the tremendously busy day-to-day life of an INSEAD alumnus and help you act more strategically and reflectively. Reflection, looking inward, is a crucial aspect and necessity for a successful process. Coaching can be emotional, and you might discover sides of yourself that might trigger resistance and defenses, which is perfectly normal. However, you should be willing to be challenged and challenge yourself to grow.
Overall, the approach of IAAG coaching is similar to the coaching you might have experienced during a PLDP program or a similar coaching experience at INSEAD.
What is the difference between Coaching, Therapy and Consulting?
Coaching is not consulting, helping you to meet business goals or sales targets in the first place. However, you might become more aware of potential roadblocks in your team, your broader environment, or yourself and improve the bottom line indirectly by removing these roadblocks. Coaching also is not therapy. Sometimes, you might discuss very personal aspects of your life, when they are related to your experience in your professional role in some way. Nevertheless, we are not offering therapy that might be more helpful in some cases. If your coach thinks that this might be the case, he or she might suggest a transfer.