Someone to Watch Over Me

Computerworld - There are four Primary reasons why people use executive coaches, according to a survey conducted by the Washington-based International Coach Federation - for advice, inspiration, friendship and a guardian angel.
"An executive coach is like having a personal fitness trainer working for your career advancement and improvement," says Laura Berman Fortgang, president of LBF InterCoach Inc. in Montclair, N.J., and author of Take Yourself to the Top: The Secrets of America's #1 Career Coach (Warner Books Inc., 1998).
For the most part, IT leaders want coaches with a proven track record in their profession to provide practical, actionable advice.
Actionable Advice
Tom Roach decided to use a coach after undergoing a 360-review process by his staff, peers and management. "I found that my perceived strengths were not necessarily my true strengths," says the vice president of IT in charge of worldwide film distribution at Los Angeles-based 20th Century Fox.
Roach hired Susan Cramm, president of Laguna, Calif.-based Valuedance, a coaching firm for IT executives. After four years at the company, Roach had transitioned to a new position in which his peers also reported to him.
"Susan helped me build relationships with my peers, and pretty soon a tough situation began going much more smoothly," says Roach.
Cramm, a former CIO at Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell Corp. and chief financial officer at a division of Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo. Inc., began coaching IT executives after she made her own life-changing choice.
"At the end of 1997, I learned my mother was terminally ill. I resigned my CFO position to spend time with her," Cramm recalls.

			Executive Coaching Basics • How much do executive coaches cost? Coaches charge by the hour, by the month or by the project. Expect to pay the equivalent of a management consultant's fee. Rates run $150 to $375 per hour. • How long does a coaching relationship last? Most coaches ask for a commitment of six months. • How is the coaching delivered? In general, most executive coaching is delivered over the telephone in half-hour or hour-long conversations several times a month. CIOs, however, seem to prefer face-to-face consultations of about an hour and a half once or twice per month. • Where can I find a qualified coach? Most people meet their coaches through personal referrals. The International Coach Federation (ICF) sponsors a referral service. Visit its Web site at www.coachfederation.org or call (888) 236-2622. • What kind of people hire coaches? Most are professional people whose average age is 41 and who have college or advanced degrees. • What are the results of working with a coach? According to the ICF, clients report the following outcomes as a result of working with a coach: • Self-awareness 67.6% • Setting better goals 62.4% • More balanced life 60.5% • Lower stress levels 57.1%