Make the Right Call: Executive Coaching or Transition Coaching?

By Ronald Bossert, D.Ed.

Many executives are familiar with executive coaching, and some already receive guidance and feedback from an executive coach to help further their careers. But mention transition coaching, and many executives are at a loss for words. What is transition coaching? How is it different from executive coaching? Who needs which type and when?

Competition within and between organizations, shrinking talent pools and disruptive behavioral problems have all paved the way for executive coaching. Savvy organizations understand that the development of high-potentials and the continuous development of current executives’ leadership skills are critical to company-wide success. Companies have long used executive coaches to build and leverage the strengths of leaders at all levels while helping them navigate obstacles and avoid failures. On the organizational level, executive coaches help companies avoid costly management turnover, develop their most talented people and ensure that leaders perform at their maximum potential.

While executive coaching is typically seen as an ongoing relationship with no set time frame or definitive ending point, it’s not uncommon for the relationship to begin when an organization seeks the aid of an executive coach for a leader who needs remedial intervention. For example, the leader may have poor communication skills and is unintentionally undermining direct reports, which can lead to a loss of morale and retention issues. In corrective situations, the executive coach begins by completing a full diagnosis of the situation. The coach will help the executive see the need for change through the identification of undesirable behaviors, such as berating or blaming others, and demonstrate the consequences of these behaviors for the individual, as well as the organization. The coach then helps the executive identify practical ways, including readings for discussion and role-play simulations, to strengthen his leadership impact, provides direct and objective feedback, and ensures the executive gets back on track and stays on track.

Whether the relationship starts with a derailment situation or as part of a corporate-wide initiative, executive coaching covers a wide range of situations with one common goal: the personal development of a leader through the support of a professional relationship. Transition coaching encompasses this goal, but focuses on a specific niche—the newly appointed leader. Leadership transitions are among the most challenging and difficult situations executives face. For example, a leader might enter a new position thinking she already has all of the answers or, just the opposite, the leader might lack a clear understanding of the role’s expectations. The goal of transition coaching is to reduce the time it takes for new leaders to make a net contribution to the organization and establish a framework for ongoing success.

Unlike executive coaching, transition coaching is time-bound and short-term. Many newly placed executives fail within their first two years in the position for reasons ranging from their inability to adjust to a new culture and develop strong relationships to a lack of understanding of the business imperatives. What new leaders do during their first months in a new role greatly determines the extent of their success for the next several years. Since an unsuccessful transition can negatively impact an organization through poor financial results, decreased employee morale and costly turnovers, rather than to follow the sink-or-swim approach, organizations can improve the process with transition coaching.

If organizations use the right transition strategies when on-boarding leaders, including the utilization of a transition coach, they will not only help prevent failure, but also create additional value by accelerating the new leader’s effectiveness. Transition coaching uses a proven process to engage the new leader in the company’s corporate strategy and culture to accelerate productivity. Transition coaching has three overall goals: to accelerate the transition process by providing just-in-time advice and counsel, to prevent mistakes that may harm the business and the leader’s career, and to assist the leader in developing and implementing a targeted, actionable transition plan that delivers business results.

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