Executive coaching is used by 25% to 45% of the Fortune 500 companies according to a survey by The Hay Group. Training and Development journal reports that the executive coaching delivers a very high ROI. Fortune magazine suggested that executive coaching delivers an average return of $100,000.

Ten years ago, executive coaching was not the buzzword it is today. Yet, when we understand the true purpose of executive coaching, it is much easier to recognize the source of this highly effective performance improvement strategy.

Over 2,000 years, a philosopher by the name of Socrates, was probably the first executive coach. Socrates believed in creating a dialogue with his students. Dialogue means to build a relationship and that is exactly what executive coaches do build relationships. Through critical reasoning, Socrates was able to help his students, friends and even strangers come to a better understanding first of themselves and then of themselves in the context of their performance within the world.

Socrates held to 3 key principles through his Socratic dialogue:

1. Truth
2. Kindness
3. Necessary

In todays world of executive coaching, the executive coach helps the client to discover the truth that in most cases resides within the individual. The coach in many instances just coaxes it out. Sometimes this is a painful process for the individual because facing fear and self-limiting beliefs is not easy.

Through this process improvement strategy, the coach always remembers to be kind, yet firm. She or he believes that negativity serves no purpose and is counter productive to discovering the truth.

Finally, the executive coach holds true to the purpose that united the coach with the client. The executive coaching process was determined to be necessary so that the client could achieve her or his goals and overcome those repetitive obstacles.

Executive coaches who truly understand the Socratic dialogue are indeed practicing a centuries old proven process. Hopefully, they will not be asked to drink hemlock as they help their clients understand what is holding them back from achieving their goals.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Good Day. Thanks for visiting. I hope that you have enjoyed my articles. In 1999, I founded ADVANCED SYSTEMS because I saw that performance could and should be doubled in warp time. Individuals, small and large businesses could not afford expensive solutions that may or may not deliver improved results in 12 months.

From my corporate, small business and education experiences, I recognized the individuals must have opportunities for connecting their passion to their purpose to secure the desired performance results, but many lacked the necessary skills, strategies and tools.

With over 20 years in sales management and 10 years in education, I understand how to unite productivity with profitability by developing a proactive working culture. My previous experiences resulted in cost savings through one of the first implementations of a computer software in a wholesaler distributor to the creation of a vendor performance assessment.

Since facilitating over 500 sessions, developing and editing over 25 training programs and writing numerous articles focusing on performance improvement, I bring a results focused approach to my clients. Also, I am proud to be one of the first five nationally certified facilitators of America?s Rising Stars (a Student Leadership developmental curriculum).

My passion is to help others connect their passion to their purpose to double performance. As The small business coach in Chicago, my clients have easily doubled their performance. Since our greatest resource is our young people, I am now working with large urban schools to generate the same results.

Education Background

• Graduated with honors from Purdue University with a B.A. in Education
• Earned M.S. from Purdue University in Instructional Design and Curriculum
• Published in the national trade journal, The Supply House Times, and numerous national newsletters
• Developed seminars and training on diversity, communication, leadership, sales, effective trade show behavior, networking, knowledge management, goal setting and improved educational outcomes
• Co-authored M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential: 7 Capicities for Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement, to be available in 2006
• Working a another book focusing on performance in public education
• Speaker in a national bureau - Resource Associates Corporation