How do you help leaders succeed? Give them some coaching,
that's the widely accepted solution. Then why do some
executives give up on coaching programs designed to help
them improve?

Executive coaching offers a tremendous opportunity to
leverage leadership talent and resources. Coaching is no
longer reserved for problem leaders. It is more frequently
sought by top performers whose organizations value their
management and growth potential. Yet, sometimes coaching
programs just don't work. Why?

Why Leaders Give Up

When it comes to change, some leaders lose motivation and
fail to "stick with the program." Marshall Goldsmith, the
renowned executive coach who has worked with many Fortune
100 leaders, reports on several reasons why leaders give up.
Regardless of the coach's competence, failure to achieve
goals may occur for several reasons:

1. Ownership: The more leaders feel the process is being
imposed upon them or that they are just casually "trying it
out," the less likely the coaching process will work. If
leaders are simply "playing games," with no clear
commitment, their bosses must be willing to discontinue the
coaching process-for the good of both the company and the
coaching profession.

2. Time: Goal setters have a natural tendency to
underestimate the time needed to reach targets. Busy,
impatient leaders can be even more time-sensitive than the
general population. Ordinarily, our behavior changes long
before our coworkers perceive any change.

3. Difficulty: Goal setters' optimism applies to difficulty,
as well as time. Not only does everything take longer than
we think; it also requires hard work! Long-term change in
leadership effectiveness takes real effort. For example, it
can be challenging for busy, opinionated leaders to have the
discipline to stop and listen patiently while others say
things they may not want to hear.

4. Distractions: Leaders have a tendency to underestimate
the distractions and competing goals that will invariably
surface in any given year. By planning for distractions in
advance, leaders can set realistic expectations for change
and, consequently, will be less likely to renounce the
change process.

5. Rewards: Leaders tend to become disappointed when
achievement of one goal doesn't immediately translate into
achievement of other goals. If leaders think skills
improvement will quickly lead to short-term profits,
promotions or recognition, they may become disappointed and
give up when these things fail to materialize
instantaneously.

6. Maintenance: Once a leader has put forth the effort
required to achieve a goal, it can be tough to maintain
behaviors that incorporate the new changes. Leaders must
recognize that professional development is an ongoing
process, with a lifelong commitment. Leadership involves
relationships-and relationships and people change.
Maintaining positive relationships requires long-term
effort.

Coaching can be daunting for some leaders, as they must be
willing to be vulnerable and open. It is exhilarating for
those who embrace it and commit to change. Unlike management
science or academic theory, coaching is an exciting
interpersonal journey.

Coaches and their clients form strong bonds built on trust,
openness, confidence and achievement. For coaching to work,
the connection must be firm and the coaching program must
operate with clear ground rules.

Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D. writes articles for business and
executive coaches and consultants. She provides articles on
leadership and executive development for sale, and formatted
into customized newsletters. Get Patsi's Secrets of
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