What is executive coaching?
Executive coaching is a long-term relationship between a specially trained executive coach and a manager which is based on mutual trust, a professional approach, and active support for the manager's goals. Executive coaching provides a neutral and constructive setting which enables people to gain knowledge of and make better use of their strengths and opportunities, map their own expectations, and receive support to make their vision for the future a reality. Executive coaches work to mobilise the
creativity of individuals and help them to implement viable and effective strategies. Executive coaching can also be aimed at contributing to the solution of specific problems within companies and institutions.

How is executive coaching carried out?
Executive coaching uses a purposeful interview technique to increase the self-understanding and responsibility of individuals.
Executive coaching provides clients with a setting, support, and feedback to improve their own performance. Executive coaching is based on pointed and thought-provoking questions, interviews, projects, tests, exercises, 360 degree feedback, and instruction where the focus is on the manager. Use is made of a number of methods from Corporate Coach U, International Coaching Federation, SHL, FranklinCovey, Linkage, and more.

An agreement can, for example, consist in a subscription to three months of executive coaching which includes six interviews
with an executive coach, two basic tests / evaluation methods, access to articles and educational material, as well as phone calls with an executive coach as needed. Executive coaching can also be designed in more detail to fit the needs of individuals or companies.

Where does executive coaching take place?
Your conversations with an executive coach can take place in your office, in our meeting rooms, by phone, or via the internet. The conversations are based on a confidential relationship between the executive coach and the coachee, and are characterised by sincerity, respect, and professional work methods.

Who should make use of executive coaching?
Outstanding athletes do not go to the Olympics without a coach. They trust the coach to monitor and support their progress, give
advice for achieving better performance, and provide encouragement both on and off the field. The same is achieved using the methods of executive coaching: encouragement to achieve as much as possible, gain a competitive advantage, and get maximum results.

Who works in executive coaching?
They have extensive professional experience in Iceland and abroad and have worked for many years in management consulting, coaching, and even private therapy. Executive coaches are trained to listen and analyse as well as adapt their methods to the specific needs of each individual and work environment. They seek to create solutions and make their client's vision a reality. The work of an executive coach can be likened to a cross between the work of a management consultant, instructor, executive coach, and sports coach, but where the work is focused on each individual being able to make the best possible use of his or her professional knowledge to unleash more strength and creative energy. Certified executive coaches work according to the internationally recognised methodology of the International Coaching Federation and are certified as Associate Corporate Coaches (ACC), Professional Corporate Coaches (PCC), or Master Corporate Coaches (MCC). They have received comprehensive training at recognised institutions and work systematically towards increasing your knowledge of your own life and work.

What is not a part of executive coaching?

1. Executive coaching is not a one-sided motivational speech, not a self-image support course, and not a one-sided lesson in management theory or time management. You will however learn more in executive coaching about yourself, your workplace, and society than in any academic studies.
2. Executive coaching is not a quick solution to all your problems, it will not help you save the world in an instant, and executive coaching will not make you rich overnight. It will however help you to find and make use of your own resources to better deal with the world, your life.
3. Executive coaching is not for washouts—executive coaching is for winners—those who want to achieve maximum results. Outstanding managers pursue executive coaching.
4. Executive coaching does not start with analysing weaknesses and filling in the blanks. Executive coaching starts with defining an ambitious and effective vision for the future—and aiming for large victories.
5. Executive coaching does not focus on the obvious, but rather on possibilities and opportunities.
6. Executive coaching is not something which takes place for a few hours after an annual performance appraisal. Executive coaching entails constant support for an executive who wants to be creative and attain as much success as possible.

What is the difference between executive coaching and management consulting, management training?

Executive coaching is a specific method aimed at making individuals more capable of setting goals for themselves, getting results, and working on their own change processes. Executive coaching focuses on the vision, judgment, and goals of one
individual and/or groups and the performance of the person and/or groups in question. This type of consulting differs from others in the ways described below:

Management consulting. The consultant has acquired in-demand expertise in a particular field. Management consultants are more likely to analyse problems themselves and create solutions which are generally aimed at making the organisation succeed.
Executive coaching is based on each individual or group creating their own solutions through disciplined methodology and the secure setting provided by an executive coach. Furthermore, communication between an executive coach and a manager generally lasts longer – from decision to action.

Mentoring is based on the mentor sharing his or her knowledge based on extensive experience in the field which the person being mentored works within.

Training or instruction entails sharing specific knowledge with groups, where the instructor sets goals which are based on a curriculum and then a linear route to the goal.

Sports coaches have expertise which they use to guide and direct an athlete or team towards a goal. Executive coaching first and foremost places an emphasis on the individual or team defining their own goals and finding ways to achieve them in collaboration with the executive coach.

Is executive coaching comparable to treatment administered by psychiatrists and psychologists?
No. The fundamental difference lies in the fact that mental problems require a different kind of analysis, and the treatment most
often consists in consultation or conversation therapy, with or without medication.

Executive coaching does not deal with mental problems, but rather focuses on getting individuals themselves to analyse problems and harness their own knowledge and skills to solve problems related to aims in their professional and personal life. The executive coach does not necessarily have specialised knowledge in the field which the individual works in, but instead the coach uses tried and tested methods to give the individual an opportunity to harness his or her own strength and creativity which leads directly to action on the part of the individual.

What is my role when working with an executive coach? What do I need to do?
Executive coaching is about asking new and unexpected questions, not about giving answers. An absolute key point is for the manager to search for and find answers on his or her own. The individual shapes communication with the executive coach so that the goals become personally meaningful.

For this purpose, the executive coach works to make individuals:

• Look at themselves in the context of their life and work, ask themselves difficult questions, and face the uncomfortable in order to achieve success.
• Learn to analyse the behaviour and communication methods of others.
• Learn to listen to their inner voice, expectations and prejudices, and what influence they have on others.
• Strengthen self-discipline to analyse their own opinions, prejudices, and behaviour and develop new ways to achieve the best possible results.
• Use their own strengths and deal with their own limitations in order to develop a style which is most likely to be successful.
• Develop the habit of taking decisive decisions, even though they are uncomfortable and in spite of the individuals' own insecurity, in order to attain the best possible results.
• Stand by themselves while they try new ways of doing things or when they do not succeed, and support others in similar circumstances.
• Not take themselves too seriously and use humour to lighten the atmosphere.
• Maintain their calm in the face of adversity.
• Follow the guiding principle that in order to achieve maximum results, they need the courage to reach further, and they need to make sure their actions are not based on fear but on trust in themselves and others.

For whom is executive coaching?
Diverse reasons can influence why an individual or team chooses to work with an executive coach. Below are a few reasons, but the list is by no means exhaustive:

• Important and challenging tasks on the horizon.
• Lack of knowledge, skills, self-confidence, or resources.
• Requirement to reach a big milestone in a short period of time.
• Adversity or shock which requires a change in direction.
• Communication style of a manager hinders professional success.
• Lack of clarity concerning options.
• An individual has attained much success, but the success has a disruptive effect.
• A manager does not know his or her own strengths well enough, and how they can be used to achieve better results.
• Imbalance between professional and personal life which causes stress.
• Managers feel a need to be able to betterorganise their life on their own terms.

How long does executive coaching take?
The duration of executive coaching depends on the nature of the problem and the wishes of the manager and/or team. Sometimes it is considered sufficient to make a three to six month agreement, but those who request training often believe that a longer period is more suitable. The frequency of interviews varies, ranging from weekly interviews to occasional interviews, even a month apart. The duration is determined by goals, work methods of individuals and teams, and frequency of consultancy meetings. In addition, funding used for executive coaching determines frequency and duration.