Why do star athletes and CEOs of major corporations have coaches when they are already at the top of their game? Because no matter our role or level of experience, we all have room to grow, and we all can benefit from someone helping us to achieve our full potential and become even better at what we do.

According to Bill Gates, “Everyone needs a coach.” Even Michael Jordan said, “A coach is someone that sees beyond your limits and guides you to greatness!”

We are often asked what coaching looks like for a leader. Coaching looks different for everyone since each leader is unique, but here are the four different types of coaching and what you can expect from each.

What are the different types of coaching?

Coaching can be for everyone. In fact, 40% of Fortune 500 companies use coaching for their organizations and leaders in a variety of ways. Here are four types of coaching.

1. Executive/Owner Advising

This type of coaching provides a senior leader or owner with a trusted advisor to serve as a safe sounding board as well as to offer professional advice. Executive leaders can confidentially share ideas, ask questions, and gain development skills that can help them lead their organizations to success.

2. Developmental Coaching

This is where an experienced coach guides a leader or a team in advancing their leadership skills to grow in their career, in a specific project they are working on, or in ways that they have not yet been able to tap into within the organization.

3. Corrective Coaching

In this type of coaching, a supervisor asks us to come alongside a manager or leader who is not meeting the expectations of the leadership or the needs of the organization. It is a great opportunity for these individuals to share where they need help and support in an unbiased environment. As a coach, we will see if we can help this person grow and course correct into the leader they need to be.

4. Career Coaching

Career coaching gives you the opportunity to think through where you are in your career journey. Whether you are being transitioned out of a job or are no longer energized by the job you currently hold, it can be hard to know what to do next in your professional life. Coaching can help you discover your passion, gifts, and future career direction and how to pursue it.

What does coaching include?

Once we know the type of coaching, we then develop a customized coaching approach which often includes the following four components.

1. Assessments to Identify Strengths & Growth Areas

We use research-based tools to identify the behaviors individuals bring to the job, determine the driving forces that motivate them, and gauge their emotional intelligence. We also employ 360-degree feedback to identify strengths and growth areas and to help leaders understand how others perceive them.

2. Leadership Development Resources & Guidance

Each coaching plan is individualized and customized based on the professional and personal goals of the leader. The coach will help you think through where you are trying to go next. A coaching plan allows you to have a starting point, a place where you want to land, and a way to measure your progress along the way. It is common for a session to include pre-work which could involve reading articles, chapters of books, or watching short videos as a basis for discussing leadership topics during the session.

3. Advising on Real-Time Management Issues

We move from principles to practice by discussing real-world challenges and issues that the leader is dealing with at this time. As much as possible, we try to encourage self-reflection and learning by asking thought-provoking questions rather than just through “teaching.”

4. Encouragement & Goal Setting

All leaders need encouragement. The coaching space is a sacred space. It is a space to ask questions, share ideas, set goals, and receive encouragement and development in areas that you may not otherwise be able to. We want you to succeed.

Former NFL coach Tony Dungy said, “The secret to success is good leadership, and good leadership is all about making the lives of your team members or workers better.” And that is what coaching is all about. Our leadership coaches have years of practical experience on the front lines of organizational leadership as well as in helping good leaders to become even better leaders.

If you’re interested in learning more about coaching for you, your team, or someone on your team, we’d love to talk with you! Contact us. You can also learn more about our coaching solutions here.

Toni Scialanca is a Consultant at The Center Consulting Group. She holds an M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Cairn University and is currently pursuing a Doctorate degree in Strategic Leadership from Regent University. In addition to her work with The Center, Toni also serves as Board VP Chair for a global nonprofit encouraging leadership development in young girls. Toni’s previous work experience included various areas of supply chain, customer experience, and product deployment as well as in church leadership and management. Her consulting expertise includes strategic planning, leadership coaching, team building, and customer experience.

Gray Wirth has served more than 30 years as a leader in corporate, nonprofit, small business, and military contexts. He has successfully led organizations ranging from 100 to 3,100 employees. Gray has lived and worked in five different countries, been a CEO, and accumulated more than 25 years of experience on nonprofit and for-profit boards. He brings experience in executive coaching, strategic planning, and advising boards of directors and business owners. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®), Gray helps business owners plan in advance for future transitions to ensure that their business, personal, and financial objectives will be achieved. Gray is a U.S. Army veteran and holds a B.S. from Cornell University, an M.B.A. from Harvard University, and an M.A.R. from Westminster Theological Seminary.