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Personal coaching for executives in the fast lane
A personal trainer can teach clients how to be more effective in the boardroom, writes MARCIA KLEIN
The latest, launched in SA this week, is personal coaching. This is aimed specifically at helping top executives cope with boardroom politics, strategic thinking and tough negotiations. The coach gives executives the personal skills to handle the challenges of operating a business in the face of cost reductions, affirmative action, increased competition and new technology. Company executives hire a personal coach whose sole aim is to improve the individual's skills for the company's benefit. The company pays, of course, because it is important that the already substantial investment in the executive must pay off. It could be argued that if the person cannot do the job effectively he or she does not have what it takes to make it at the top. But Peter Hogarth, senior executive at UK-based The Change Partnership, says this is not true. His company is hired by many top executives across a wide spectrum of business. Hogarth, in SA this week to launch a joint-venture company locally, says as companies rightsize, become technology-driven and face political and economic change and increased competition, executives are expected to achieve more in a shorter time and with fewer resources. Most executives are working under extreme pressure, and many are failing. In line with the idea of a personal coach to enhance the body physically, The Change Partnership offers executives a personal coach to enhance those aspects which make the difference between an executive who takes the company forward and one who fails. The training does not come cheap. The Change Partnership charges 10% of salary. In the UK it has set a minimum of £10 000 and maximum of £25 000. In SA, it is thinking in terms of a minimum contract of about R75 000. The contract, which lasts a year, gives the director about 40 to 50 hours of personal coaching. "Each programme is designed for the individual. We start with a five-hour diagnostic phase, where we ascertain what the individual would like to enhance and what weaknesses he wishes to eliminate." A company often has an agenda, like when a person is promoted. The Change Partnership trains the person to grow into their new role. Hogarth says unlike a management consultant, who deals with issues like management changes, organisational changes and mergers and acquisitions, the personal trainer handles aspects like relationships at board level, negotiation skills, moving from management to leadership. The aim is to provide broadly based training which can range from strategic thinking to rehearsals for presentations. Hogarth believes even good leaders need his advice. "Our experience has shown that almost everyone finds it lonely at the top." The Change Partnership is not into therapy or counselling. It does deal with personal problems, but only if they relate to effectiveness at work. Personal coaching started in the UK five years ago. A team in the UK trains new consultants, who are drawn from major companies. Many of The Change Partnership's people have been senior business executives in companies like KPMG, Shell, GEC and Cadbury Schweppes.
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