Executive Coaching: In Search of a Model

Executive coaching is an emerging field with broad demand and subsequent growth in service providers. The International Coach Federation (ICF) reports a membership of over 5500 coaches, and there is likely a large but indeterminate number of practicing coaches that do not belong to that organization. Enterprises around the globe are utilizing the services of these executive coaches. The topic is receiving increasing coverage in a number of professional, technical, and popular periodicals and numerous books on the topic. Unfortunately, there is little agreement on what executive coaching is or who is qualified to provide it. Consequently, the skills and qualifications of self-proclaimed coaches remain indeterminate. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of these issues. We suggest an operational definition of coaching, including its goals and objectives, and identify suggested competencies and qualifications. We conclude with implications for Leadership Educators.