3: Opening the Door to Transformational Learning

When an executive enters into a coaching engagement the presented coaching issue often centers on dealing effectively with change. The external trigger events that spark that change can take a variety of forms. On the one hand, a leader may be adapting to a new boss, dealing with a management shake-up, or adjusting to a different organizational or national culture.

On the other hand, the change could involve the developmental stress that typically accompanies such “positive” events as leading a business start-up or transitioning into a higher-level leadership role. Regardless of the form it takes, the ability to successfully adapt to external change always includes a very personal, internal, dimension. In effect, it requires executives to be willing to step back and take a fresh look at themselves, reassess old ways of doing things, and experiment with new ways of leading and managing.