Frequently Asked Questions
This page contains answers to frequently asked questions about coaching.
1. What is executive assimilation coaching?
2. What is executive coaching?
3. What is performance coaching vs. mentoring vs. consulting?
4. What are some topics upon which Dr. Caesar speaks?
5. How do I find the right coach for me?
6. How do I learn about coaching as a profession?
7. What types of retreats do you offer?
8. What are the specific steps in performance coaching?
1. What is executive assimilation coaching?
Entering a new position or promotion can be an exciting and stressful event for both the executive and the company. Expectations are high and both parties want the integration process to be fast and successful.
In today’s fast paced world, the organization usually has too little time to help the new executive get up to speed which often produces frustration and “disconnects” during this critical stage of approximately 90 days.
Statistics show there is a 40% chance a person in a new position will not make it successfully beyond the first year without assimilation coaching. Success rates skyrocket with a 90 day executive assimilation coaching investment in what is probably your most valuable asset: key employees or “top talent”.
Executive assimilation coaching usually involves a process of clarifying expectations, establishing credibility, followed by an “early impact” strategy and game plan. Identifying stakeholders and their individual needs allows the client (and their executive assimilation coach) to focus on the highest leverage use of the client’s time and talent during this critical phase. Frequent feedback between the client’s sponsor, their stakeholders and the rest of the staff allow fast and fine-tuned adjustments to be made on the spot, supporting optimized assimilation and retention.
2. What is executive coaching?
Executive coaching is a developmental process for executives, professionals and other key contributors aimed at maximizing leadership results and/or resolving performance problems. Executive coaching is often used to accelerate leadership development and to retain top talent.
The five phases usually involved in an executive coaching and/or leadership development process are:
1. Expectation setting
2. Assessment/audit
3. Action and implementation plan clarified and agreed to by all parties
4. Implementation of the above plan, focusing on progress at milestones during which reviews are often participated in by the client, the sponsor and the coach
5. Evaluation and follow-up
Benefits usually include:
- The retention and development of highly valued employees who are sometimes called “top- talent”
- Strengthened communications
- More synergy that allows more to get done with less effort
- Increased problem solving/learning effectiveness
3. What is performance coaching vs. mentoring vs. consulting?
- Performance coaching involves helping clients achieve clarity of where they are, where they want to be and helping them develop and implement a plan to get them there one step at a time, while bringing resources and relationships to the client’s journey.
- Mentoring is a process of supporting, empowering and facilitating clarity for those using a mentor. The mentee sets the agenda while the mentor consistently acts as a resource and sometimes an agent. It is different from coaching in that there usually are no clear results and milestones established, and there are usually no “sponsors” or other third parties involved.
- Consulting is usually the process of being paid to use one’s talent and time toward creating valid observations, conclusions and recommendations (called a deliverable) upon which the client has a choice to act.
4. What are some of topics upon which Dr. Caesar speaks?
PROFESSIONAL SPEAKING
Professional speaking in myriad settings has been part of our offerings for decades. Customized motivational, inspirational, and informational talks of 25 minutes to highly interactive 8-hour sessions are created to achieve client’s goals. Below are examples of some of the presentations we can deliver for you.
Balanced Life
Work and personal issues are not discreet and separate elements within a person’s life, they overlap. Events at work impact lives and personal life issues carry over into the workplace. Creating the work environment that enables staff to meet life commitments and work responsibilities is the challenge for today’s employers. It is a challenge that will become even more critical as we move further into the 21 st century. Vance Caesar, Ph.D., President of the Vance Caesar Group, speaks to all levels of executives from many industries. His extensive background includes experience as a coach, mentor, team builder, entrepreneur and publisher. Previously, Vance was the operating head of several publicly owned daily newspapers, owned his own group of community newspapers, and led groups of executives in many developmental situations. He holds a BS degree from the Citadel; a Master’s in Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University; is a graduate of the Stanford University Executive Program and has his Ph.D. from Walden University in Organizational Psychology.
This presentation/workshop is intended for all professionals interested in achieving balance. Individualized coaching toward fully integrating this workshop is also available.
The Keys to Career Success
Our Book, “Uncommon Career Success”, includes nine well-researched articles published in The Franklin Covey magazine “Priorities,” from which this keynote is taken; after it is customized to meet your audiences needs.
Happy High Achiever: How to assure you are both a High Achiever and are happy!
The secrets of super successful executive and entrepreneurs
Nine out of ten very successful executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders of all types are not happy, according to ours and others’ research. This high energy keynote delivers the secrets of that 10% who are truly happy: The Ultimate Success.
Delivered to leader groups (and often their spouses) throughout America, this is a thought provoking, common sense based program audiences constantly say changed their lives.
Our recently published book, “The High Achiever’s Guide to Happiness”, is the cornerstone of this keynote. It may be ordered by calling 562-795-5560, on this web site, or through www.corwinpress.com or on Amazon/Barnes and Noble.
Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent: Keys to Optimizing your Competitive Edge
Recent results from researching why a few organizations constantly succeed at recruiting and retaining top talent have resulted in five keys critical to optimizing your competitive edge in the area central to success.
In conjunction with Pepperdine University doctoral student research and their primary research with VCG clients, we are able to share with audiences this ground breaking research and easy ways to integrate it into any organization.
Power: How to Get It, How to Use It
Power is the ability to create or destroy. Leaders and managers have power, some more than others because some know both how to get it and how to use it.
This high energy keynote is a favorite of managers new to their profession and those in staff roles like H.R., legal and marketing communications.
The “Critical Care” Marketing Tool That Results in your Being Irresistible to Prospects and Clients
There is abundance-based and scarcity-based marketing. Abundance-based marketing includes critically caring for yourself and your clients integrating our “Verbal Business Card” concept into one of the most powerful and effective marketing approaches. This highly interactive experience results in participants having clarity and simplicity that is unusually empowering, enlightening and very memorable.
The Six Keys To Business Success
This high energy presentation is based on over a decade of experiences with “winning edge” organizations that are in the top 3% of their class and continue to earn over 50% market share. Superior career and business plans are based on these six keys.
High take home value with specific action items come out of this memorable experience.
Executive Coaching Today
It works! Executive coaching is booming because of a myriad of changes in our society and our organizations. Learn how these changes increase the usefulness of executive coaching while getting updated on this fast growing profession by Dr. Vance Caesar, the founder of PCMA (Professional Coaching and Mentoring Association).
Temperament Indicator
The MBTI Meyers-Briggs temperament indicator is perhaps the world’s most widely used assessment tool for individuals and the organizations in which they work. This four-hour high energy workshop has been used by Deloitte & Touche, Boeing, Habitat for Humanity and many emerging organizations wanting to get more done easier.
As a follow-up to our presentations and workshops, individualized “integration-coaching” is available as the most serious participants establish integration practice sessions during the ensuing weeks to optimize the R.O.I from their time and financial investments in presentations and workshop.
5. How do I find the right coach for me?
By asking for referrals followed by interviewing the top 2-3 prospects. Doing reference checks and agreeing to a trial period are also wise.
6. How do I learn about coaching as a profession?
Explore websites like pcmaonline.com, coachu.com, icf.org, newventureswest.com and hudson.org before conducting informational interviews and reading books like “The Handbook for Coaches” by Frederick Hudson. There are other coaching books listed in our Suggested Readings. There is other information in our Published Articles and Coaching Materials. We also teach some classes which can be found in our Courses section.
7. What types of retreats do you offer?
Customized Leadership Retreats
Customized leadership retreats held at our mountain conference center usually focus on the participant reviewing, renewing, and recommitting to a life that will give them more joy with tools to assist others toward the same destination.
Centered around a facilitated learning community model, leaders return to their lives full of heartfull focus on those priorities that will get them more of what they want with less effort.
Typical groups are 8-12 successful senior executives and entrepreneurs who convene Friday evening over dinner and return home Sunday in the early afternoon.
Strategic Planning Retreat Facilitation
Individualized programs for boards, leadership teams and project teams who want clarity of expectations, success milestones and a renewal process, around which tactical goals and budgets are structured.
Our fast-paced strategic planning process effectively uses SWOT analysis and other proven techniques to create clarity of destination, roles and responsibilities, and self-learning processes that help organizations focus and succeed.
8. What are the specific steps in performance coaching?
The six steps in performance coaching are:
1. Where are you?
2. Where do you want to be?
3. What is your plan to get there?
4. How can I as your coach help you hold yourself accountable for staying on your plan?
5. What resources* can I (your coach) bring to your journey?
6. What relationships can I (your coach) help you build that will assist you on your journey?
*books, articles, videos, seminars, etc.