Top Executives Need Coaches Too

BOCA RATON, Fla. - May 19, 2014 - PRLog -- Professional athletes use them, so do actors, models and performers.  Now, more corporate executives are hiring professional coaches to help them navigate the shark-invested business world, improve leadership and management skills and enhance decision-making abilities.

According to the International Coach Federation (ICF), which is celebrating International Coaching Week, May 19-25, their membership (comprised primarily of coaches) grew 46 percent from 2006 to 2011.  The organization has more than 20,000 members throughout the world, with more than half of them being credentialed by ICF.  Currently, there are close to 48,000 coaches worldwide, generating $2 billion in annual revenue, according to ICF.

One Miami executive, Nancy Allen, president of the Women Business Development Council of Florida, hired Executive Coach Monique Betty, the owner of Boca Raton-based CareerSYNC, to help her focus and pursue specific career and personal goals.

At the time, Allen was facing the high levels of stress common when nonprofits face board transitions and pressure to raise funds.  Weekly coaching sessions, she said,  allowed her to define and follow steps that allowed her to meet specific goals, gain confidence and stay focused.

“Monique’s coaching allowed me to achieve results on the job and at home that I would have never reached otherwise,” said Allen. “Most executives know what to do, but professional coaching helps them move beyond the minutia to set a plan of action and accomplish defined tasks.  It’s a holistic approach that allows you to mesh your personal and professional goals to be successful.”

Betty says that Nancy represents many of her clients, who simply want to stay sharp and focused in their careers and maximize their effectiveness on the job.   Historically, executive coaching was not always widely available or accepted by corporate America, she said, but today, the practice is more common.

“Gone is the stigma that executive coaching is used primarily for job placement,” said Betty.  “Today, executives who want to get ahead and be stronger leaders bring in experienced coaches to help them accomplish their goals and strengthen their skills.  Much like professional athletes, executives also have to do whatever they can to remain in shape and game-ready every day.”

Betty cautions, however, that hiring a professional coach should involve a careful research of the proper credentials and a clear idea of desired outcomes. She points to the ICF website (www.coachfederation.org) for a list of suggested questions to ask and other tips for hiring a coach.  ICF also offers credentialing to its members in an effort to ensure more executive coaches are properly trained.

As part of International Coaching Week, Betty is offering complimentary teleconference sessions for executives to learn more about how coaching can help them. For more information, visit www.careersync.com or contact her directly at 561-613-2866.

Background:

Originally started in 1999 by ICF Member Jerri N. Udelson, MCC, International Coaching Week is intended to educate the public about the value of working with a professional coach and to acknowledge the results and progress made through the coaching process.

The International Coach Federation is the leading global organization for coaches, with more than 20,000 members and 10,000 credentialed coaches in more than 100 countries worldwide. ICF is dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high ethical standards, providing independent certification and building a worldwide network of credentialed coaches. Coaching is a distinct service and differs greatly from therapy, consulting, mentoring or training. ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. For more information, please visit www.coachfederation.org.

Monique Betty spent more than two decades in the corporate world with such Fortune 100 organizations as The Coca-Cola Company, Eli Lilly and Company, and Abbott Laboratories before earning certification as a career coach.   Dedicated to working with women and minorities, Betty earned her bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and a master’s in business administration degree from The University of Michigan.  In the past nearly 10 years, she has supported hundreds of men and women executives in the United States and abroad with her coaching services.