What is executive coaching? A plain-English guide for leaders
By Zandra Montes, PCC · Founder, Montes Coaching & Consulting · San Diego, CA
Most leaders I talk to have heard of executive coaching. Some have been offered it. Some have suggested it to someone on their team. Very few can tell me what happens once the sessions start.
So here's the short version.
Executive coaching is structured, one-on-one work between a trained coach and a senior leader. The goal is to change how that leader thinks, decides, and leads inside their current role and company. Most engagements run 6 to 12 months, with a session every 2 weeks.
I've seen this from both sides. Before I started MCC, I spent 20+ years leading big enterprise-wide projects at companies like Bose, WD-40, Sycuan, and Roku. I watched smart, capable leaders repeat the same patterns for years because nobody helped them see it. Now I'm an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and I work with leaders at small and mid-size companies who want their teams to run smoother.
What does an executive coach do?
An executive coach asks questions, gives the work structure, and holds you accountable. You bring the real problems and do the thinking.
The most cited academic definition comes from researcher Richard Kilburg. He describes coaching as a helping relationship between a leader with managerial authority and a qualified professional, working toward goals they agree on together. The aim is better performance, more satisfaction at work, and a more effective organization.
In practice, I ask the questions and you do the thinking. That surprises people. A lot of leaders expect a coach to tell them what to do. I'll share a view when it helps. Most of the time, my job is to help you reach clarity you already have but can't get to on your own (usually because your calendar is full of other people's problems).
Who is executive coaching for?
Executive coaching is (typically) for people at the top of an organization: CEOs, COOs, founders, VPs, and department heads who make high-stakes calls. My personal take is that it’s useful for strong performers as well as struggling ones. Most of my clients are doing well by most measures. They want sharper judgment, more range as a leader, or support through a big change.
At a small or mid-size company, one leader's habits show up everywhere. If the founder is slow to decide, 3 teams wait. If the COO avoids conflict, the same argument comes back in every meeting. Coaching the person at the top changes how the whole team works.
How is executive coaching different from mentoring, therapy, or training?
Each one does a different job. Here's the quick comparison.
Executive coaching. Coaching focuses on how you lead in your current role, and you set the agenda. It's one-on-one. A typical cadence is every 2 weeks for 6 to 12 months. It works best when you need to change a habit or lead your team through a change.
Mentoring. Mentoring is usually informal and often unpaid. A mentor says, "Here's what worked for me." That's useful when you want perspective from someone who's been where you're going. A coach asks questions that help you find your own answer. You're the expert on your situation. My expertise is the process.
Therapy. Therapy diagnoses and treats mental health conditions, and it often looks at how the past shaped you. Coaching assumes you're doing well and focuses on what's next. If I think a client needs clinical support, I am transparent with them about it.
Training. Training gives a group the same content during dedicated sessions.
What happens in an executive coaching session?
A typical session is 60 to 90 minutes, one-on-one, and built around a challenge you bring that week.
Most engagements start with an assessment. That might be 360-degree feedback, a work-style tool, or short interviews with the people who work closest to you. I often use Working Genius here because it shows quickly which parts of work give a leader energy and which parts drain them. The assessment gives us an honest baseline, so we're not guessing.
Sessions are confidential. What you say stays between us unless you decide to share it. Leaders who know the conversation is private say things they won't say anywhere else, and that's usually where the most useful work happens.
How long does executive coaching take?
Most engagements run 6 to 12 months, with sessions every 2 weeks. They usually follow 3 phases:
Assessment and goals. We gather feedback and agree on how to measure success.
Active coaching. You try new behaviors at work, and we review what happened.
Consolidation. You build habits that keep going after we stop meeting.
C-suite leaders going through a merger, restructuring, or fast growth often go 12 to 18 months. I work with clients in person in San Diego and virtually across the US.
Does executive coaching work?
Yes, for most people who commit to it. The best-known numbers come from the ICF's 2009 Global Coaching Client Study, summarized by the Institute of Coaching:
80% of coaching clients reported more self-confidence.
70% reported better work performance, and 73% reported better relationships.
86% of companies said they made back their investment in coaching. The median company return was about 7 times the cost.
Two caveats. These results are self-reported, and the study is from 2009. I share them because they're still the most cited coaching numbers, and they match what I see with clients. Academic research points the same way: a 2014 meta-analysis by Theeboom and colleagues found coaching had a positive effect on performance, well-being, and goal-directed behavior at work.
Here's how one client described working together:
“I used to walk out of senior leadership meetings and hand my team whatever the executive team wanted that particular week. I never told them why, so of course they didn’t understand or trust it. Now I bring them the what and the why, and they tell me when they think I’m wrong. And that has made us a better team.” (R.J.)
When should you hire an executive coach?
Coaching works best at certain moments:
You moved into a bigger or more complex role, and what worked before doesn't work now.
A board member, a 360 review, or a trusted peer told you a specific behavior is getting in the way.
You're leading through a merger, fast growth, a restructure, or turnover on your leadership team.
You're doing well, you can feel a ceiling, and you want to push past it on purpose.
What coaching can't fix
Coaching won't fix a broken process, a bad hire, or a system that doesn't match how work gets done. If those are the root cause, coaching the leader alone won't solve it.
This is where my operations background comes in. I spent years in ERP implementations and PMO leadership, so I can usually tell when the leader is fine and the process is the problem. When it's both, we work on both: coaching for the leader, plus organizational effectiveness work on the systems. My Team Reset Protocol is built for that.
How do you choose an executive coach?
Start with credentials. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the most recognized credentialing body, and it has 3 levels:
ACC (Associate Certified Coach). The entry level. It takes 60+ hours of coach-specific education and 100+ hours of coaching experience.
PCC (Professional Certified Coach). The professional level. It takes 125+ hours of education and 500+ hours of coaching experience, with at least 450 of those hours paid.
MCC (Master Certified Coach). The top level. It takes 200+ hours of education and 2,500+ hours of coaching experience, and the coach must already hold a PCC.
All 3 also require mentor coaching, a recorded performance review, and the ICF exam (ICF PCC requirements). Quick note: the ICF's MCC credential has the same initials as my firm. Different things.
An ICF credential means the coach finished accredited training, logged verified hours, and follows a code of ethics. That's a big step up from a weekend course.
Then ask these questions on your first call:
What's your ICF credential, and how many senior leaders have you coached?
How do you structure an engagement, and how do you measure progress?
What does a typical engagement look like from start to finish?
What do you do when a client isn't making progress?
Finally, pay attention to chemistry. Trust and candor are what make coaching work. Ask for an intro call, and notice how it feels when that person pushes back on you.
Frequently asked questions
Is executive coaching confidential?
Yes. What you share stays between you and your coach unless you choose to share it. If your company is paying, agree up front on what gets reported back. That's usually progress toward goals, with session details kept private.
Can executive coaching be done virtually?
Yes. Many engagements are fully virtual or hybrid. I meet clients in person in San Diego and by video nationwide.
What's the difference between executive coaching and team coaching?
Executive coaching works with one leader. Team coaching and facilitation work with a whole leadership team on how they make decisions, handle conflict, and divide the work. I often pair the two: a coach for the person at the top and a workshop to get everyone moving the same way.
Is executive coaching only for leaders who are struggling?
No. Most coaching clients are high performers who want better judgment, need to grow into a bigger role, or are leading through change.
Should I hire a coach or a consultant?
A coach helps you change how you lead. A consultant diagnoses a business problem and recommends fixes. If your challenge has both a people side and a process side, MCC works on both.
Thinking about executive coaching?
The leaders who hire a coach are usually the ones who take their impact seriously and want to get better on purpose.
If you're weighing coaching for yourself or someone on your team, book an intro call. We'll talk through what's going on and whether coaching fits before you commit to anything. You can also see all MCC services or read the FAQs.
About the author
Zandra Montes is the founder and principal of Montes Coaching & Consulting in San Diego. She's an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), a certified Working Genius facilitator, and a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator, and she holds the CSCP credential. Before founding MCC, she spent 20+ years leading enterprise ERP and transformation projects at multiple companies. More about Zandra.
