Coaching Executives and Managers

Being a successful executive or manager requires skills that few of us are ever taught. They typically include leadership, communicating well with others, effective decision-making and problem-solving, and managing people. While you may have developed many of these skills, you might not be using them most effectively.

Also, most executives and managers have few people they can talk to about their hopes, concerns, and frustrations.

Many of Mark's coaching clients say that as a result of their work together, they make positive changes in many areas of their lives. Coaching can help identify ways an individual may be stuck, help them discover what's holding them back and devise a course of action to reach new goals.

Below are examples of how Mark has helped clients through coaching:

Being Less Overwhelmed

A senior executive was overwhelmed at work. Mark helped him identify and prioritize what was most important to him and his success on the job. One exercise included asking him to identify the things he had control over. Through their work together, the executive was able to take more control over his work situation, and he reported improvements in his personal life as well.

Improving Listening and Communication Skills

A company president was an excellent technician, but had few innate or developed skills to manage people. Mark helped him understand his management style and how it affected his ability to manage a specific senior staff person. Through their work, the president developed improved listening and communication skills, which helped the staff person to become less defensive. As a result, the president and his staff person were able to work much more effectively together.

Working with Difficult Staff

A university department head supervised an entrenched group of tenured professors who had difficulty communicating well with her and each other. One professor in particular was disruptive in staff meetings, which put the other faculty on edge. Through their work together, the department head gained confidence to set boundaries, which in turn decreased tension and helped all the faculty members work better as a team.

Delegating to Others

An executive director had excellent interpersonal skills, but her effectiveness was limited because she was disorganized, and she overly controlled her staff. Mark used her Myers-Briggs type to help her understand her many gifts and her challenges. Through their work, she became more confident in delegating, allowing her to rely on others as appropriate, thus freeing up her energy to capitalize on her own strengths.

Setting Boundaries

An executive director had difficulty setting boundaries with her board president, who continually made demands on her that were unrealistic, given their roles. Through coaching, the executive director found the courage to address her concerns with the board president. She reported that their relationship improved and she was better able to do her job successfully.

Mark Sachs
705 McNeill Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Phone 301-588-3858
mark@markasachs.com