Are Executive Coaches Improving Client Results Via Psychology?

How many executive coaches are utilizing psychology to improve client results?

Predictive analytics, data mining and psychometrics tools are just some ways coaches may aid executive clients.

Predictive analytics relies on capturing relationships among variables from past occurrences and exploiting them to predict future outcomes.

When Dr. Linda Henman, President of Henman Performance Group assesses people for hire or promotion, she uses highly validated instruments to determine analytical reasoning, quantitative skills, and general learning ability. “The ability to perform well on these assessments predicts how well the individual will be able to function in a new role. I use personality data to examine work-related personality dimensions such as achievement drive, integrity, dominance, and warmth,” she said.

Henman also uses interview and survey information about specific behaviors the individual has exhibited. These help her predict how a person is likely to behave in the future; she recommends changing course if past behaviors haven’t worked well.

With data mining, executive coaches can discover patterns that have existed in the past in order to make predictions about the future.

“I use data mining most extensively in succession planning for internal candidates. I aggregate data about how a person has behaved in previous jobs and look for patterns of behaviors,” said Henman. “I then give feedback to the person and the company about what I see. Often I combine assessment, 360 data, and shadowing the individual to provide the most meaningful information.”

Mary Hladio, founder and Managing Director of Ember Carriers Leadership Group, believes using psychometrics tools in coaching is essential.

“This prevents a one-size fits all approach to the coaching process. Know whether a client prefers data, facts, analysis and research vs. someone who requires more of a nurturing and partnership approach is key to successful outcomes with a coaching client,” Hladio said.
 
To teach psychological success-based behaviors, coaches must understand the difference between those skills that can be taught and learned, and those that cannot. Henman said coaching skills, delegation skills, communication skills, interpersonal competencies, and performance management skills can all be developed or honed, provided the individual is willing to commit to the work of changing behaviors. Sometimes training can develop specific skills, but more often one-on-one coaching with accountability proves the most successful method.

“Many coaches use some sort of behavior analysis or psychometric tool, like Insights Discovery, DiSC, MBTI II, Strength Finders, etc.,” said Hladio. “The next evolution is understanding the cause and effect of psychological success based behaviors when working with a client and determining outcomes.”
 
Not all improvements are coachable.

“Some require training and skills building, such as problem solving, conflict resolution, and strategy formulation. Some require behavior modification and therapeutic intervention, such as depression, bullying, and passive/aggressive behavior,” said Dr. Alan Weiss, an executive coach who has written 40 books appearing in nine languages.

Weiss said extraordinary coaches have a grounding in three areas:
 • Coaching state-of-the-art methodology
 • Organizational development and dynamics
 • Psychological principles (even if not degreed or credentialed)

Coaching must focus on observed behavior—evidence in the environment. “It should also focus on cause, not blame. Consequently, understanding that bullies seek to bring people down to their own level of perceived inferiority, or that the decision making process has not evaluated risk and solely benefit, or that the consistent failure to meet agreed upon deadlines is passive aggressive, provides a direction for the proper interventions,” said Weiss.

Some interventions belong to the coach, some to the trainer, some to the therapist.

“Successful behaviors are best conveyed by understanding what constitutes reward and enlightened self-interest, and superimposing positive behaviors that provide those ends over less positive behaviors,” concluded Weiss. “Using psychological approaches, coaching should focus on improvement and not merely remedial help. That’s why the best people should always be coached, because they provide the highest return on improved behaviors.”

Many executive coaches use behavior analysis or psychometric tools when working with clients and determining outcomes.

It is important for these coaches to learn about psychometrics tools, psychological success-based behaviors and how to integrate this knowledge into the coaching process.