Executive Coaching: The Key to Leadership Development

2008 Survey Spots New Trends

CINCINNATI, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's top line executives look
forward to retirement. A new generation of leaders is being groomed.
Increasingly, these rising stars get a boost from personalized leadership
development, in the form of executive coaching.
The Sherpa Executive Coaching Survey offers insight into this growing
profession. For the third year, this survey gathered information from coaches
and business leaders. Responses came from thirty-seven countries. The Center
for Executive Leadership at Texas Christian University collaborated with
Sherpa Coaching, a training and certification authority, to conduct the
survey.
Executive coaching is a maturing industry, with more veteran coaches
plying their trade than ever before. Those coaches are more highly trained,
too. The credibility of coaching is rising, and support for standards is
building.
In executive coaching, there are major moves toward:

-- In-person coaching.
-- Coaching for leadership development, rather than problem-solving.
-- Adoption of industry standards for training and certification.

The 2008 report answers critical questions about the industry:

-- Who gets a coach?
-- How do coaches learn the trade?
-- How much does coaching cost?
-- Is it worth the money?

The delivery of executive coaching is moving toward in-person encounters.
In-person delivery accounts for almost half of executive coaching, up sharply
from two years ago. 72% of executive coaches believe in-person delivery is
most effective, and 92% of HR professionals and coaching clients agree.
Not many customers measure return on investment from coaching, but a vast
majority see its value. Among HR professionals and coaching clients, 90% see
the value of executive coaching as 'somewhat high' or 'very high'.
Coaching is gaining in credibility. Despite a few self-styled coaches who
tap into 'energy centers of the earth', or even more exotic theories, belief
in executive coaching is on the rise. The number who rate the credibility of
coaching as 'very high' or 'somewhat high' has reached 73%, up seven percent
from last year.
Training and certification for executive coaches is building momentum. The
number of coaches who see formal certification as either 'absolutely
essential' or 'very important' stands at 75%. Among purchasers and clients of
executive coaches, 84% hold the same opinion.
Complete results are available for free download at
www.sherpacoaching.com/survey.html

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
appropriate link.
-Karl Corbett
http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=71953

SOURCE Sherpa Coaching

Karl Corbett, Managing Partner of Sherpa Coaching, +1-513-232-0002,
kc@sherpacoaching.com