Questions, answered honestly
What is executive coaching, the way you practice? It's a confidential partnership with a leader in a high-stakes moment. We start with an honest look at how you're actually showing up, set development goals you and your sponsor recognize, explore the challenges in meeting goals and then apply that learning in real-time work between the sessions.
Who do you work with? Leaders in motion: high-potentials being prepared for bigger scope, newly elevated executives in their first 100 days, operators leading organizational transformations. Engagements are usually sponsored by a CEO, business-unit president, CHRO, or board committee.
What makes your approach different? I spent 35 years inside the process of executive search, in the room where boards and leadership decided who to select for a critical role. Consequently, the questions I bring to coaching are informed by decades of exposure to what those decision-makers weigh when making a selection.
How is an engagement organized? Typically, in four stages: Discovery (confidential 360-degree interviews plus any assessment findings), Goal setting (a Coaching Development Plan, sponsor-aligned), Practice (six sessions over three to four months, or ten over five to six; sixty minutes every other week), and Conclusion (a joint sponsor debrief and what comes next).
What stays confidential? The leader decides what, if anything, is to be shared with the sponsor along the way. Everything else stays between us. My credentialing log lists client names solely to document coaching hours, and nothing more.
What does it cost? Engagements are priced by structure — the six-session and ten-session architectures carry different professional fee schedules, payable in two installments. We'll discuss specifics in the first conversation, and have a written agreement before any work begins.
Are you certified? Yes. I'm certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the worldwide gold-standard in the field. My engagements adhere to the ICF's competency framework and follow its ethical standards.
Do you coach individuals without a sponsor? While most of my work is with sponsored clients, the coaching architecture is largely applicable to individuals, as well. If you're a leader seeking coaching directly, reach out; if the fit is right, we'll find a structure that is suitable.
Do you work outside the United States? My practice is mostly U.S.-centered and I'm based in the Baltimore-Washington area, but I've worked in many other countries and remain open to engagements elsewhere when the fit is strong.
How do I start? Book a conversation. Twenty minutes tells us both whether this is a fit; bring the situation and I'll bring the questions.