A Results-Based Model for Leadership Behavior Change
Traditional executive coaching models are often based on time spent or how well the client likes the coach. A more effective methodology for behavioral coaching ties payment directly to results. In this approach, payment is only rendered after the coaching client has achieved a positive, long-term change in key leadership behaviors, as determined by a group of key stakeholders one year after the engagement begins.
This "pay for results" model focuses accountability on what matters: measurable improvement in leadership effectiveness. A leader's time is more valuable than the coach's, so the goal is to achieve the desired results as efficiently as possible, not to maximize hours billed.
Qualifying the Right Leaders for Behavioral Coaching
Because this process is contingent on success, it's crucial to work only with leaders who are positioned to benefit from it. Several conditions must be met to ensure the coaching is effective.
When Behavioral Coaching Succeeds
The process is most effective when:
- The Issue is Behavioral: The coaching focuses specifically on observable leadership behaviors, not on strategy, life planning, or other areas.
- The Leader is Motivated: Lasting change is impossible for successful adults who have no genuine interest in changing. The executive must be willing to make a sincere effort to become a better leader.
- The Organization is Supportive: The leader must be seen as having a strong future in the corporation and be given a fair chance by their management to succeed.
When Behavioral Coaching Won't Help
This coaching approach is not a solution in all cases. Engagements are not accepted for:
- Leaders with Integrity Violations: Individuals who have demonstrated a lack of integrity should be exited from the organization, not coached.
- Unmotivated Clients: If a leader has no desire to change, the effort will fail.
- Pseudo-Coaching Engagements: Some organizations use coaching as a "seek and destroy" tactic to manage out an employee. This process is only for genuine development efforts.
The Critical Role of Key Stakeholders
Research with over 86,000 participants shows that the most important variable for leadership change is not the coach; it is the person being coached and their coworkers. The coaching process has evolved to spend the majority of time with the key stakeholders around the client, which dramatically improves results.
Stakeholders are asked to help the leader in four critical ways:
- Let Go of the Past: Focusing on future improvement is more helpful than dwelling on past mistakes. This process, called "feedforward," helps motivate people who are trying to change.
- Be Helpful and Supportive: Cynicism, sarcasm, and judgment are counterproductive. When leaders reach out for help, they must be supported, not punished, or they will stop trying.
- Tell the Truth: Stakeholders must provide honest assessments of the leader's progress. It is unfair to all parties to report false improvements.
- Pick Something to Improve Yourself: When stakeholders also commit to improving an area of their own behavior, the process becomes a two-way collaboration. This positions them as "fellow travelers" rather than "judges" and expands the value of the coaching process to the wider organization.
The 8 Steps of the Behavioral Coaching Process
Leaders who commit to the following steps almost always achieve a positive change in behavior.
- Define Desired Behaviors: The leader and their manager agree on the key behaviors that define effective leadership in their role.
- Identify Key Stakeholders: Together, the leader and their manager select the key stakeholders who are best positioned to observe and provide feedback on these behaviors.
- Collect Feedback: The coach interviews the key stakeholders to gather 360-degree feedback on the leader's performance related to the desired behaviors.
- Determine 1-2 Key Behaviors for Change: To ensure focus, the leader, manager, and coach agree on the one or two most important behaviors to work on.
- Respond to Stakeholders: The leader discusses their targeted areas for improvement with each stakeholder, apologizes for past mistakes where appropriate, and asks for "feedforward" suggestions for the future.
- Develop an Action Plan: The leader develops their own action plan based on the feedback and suggestions. The coach acts as a facilitator to help the leader commit to and execute what they know is the right thing to do.
- Implement Ongoing Follow-Up: The leader engages in a continuous, efficient follow-up process. This includes brief monthly check-ins and a focused mini-survey with stakeholders after six months to measure progress.
- Review Results and Repeat: After 12-18 months, stakeholders invariably report improvement. This success provides a foundation for repeating the process to address new goals and continue development.
The Value for Internal and External Coaches
While this model is proven with external coaches, internal HR professionals can also use it effectively if they have the time, are seen as credible coaches rather than judges, and their clients are receptive to their guidance. Whether internal or external, the business case is clear. For high-potential leaders, increasing effectiveness in leading people over a 20-year career has an immense impact. For senior executives, even a small positive change in behavior can have a ripple effect across the organization, and the act of trying to improve sets a powerful example for personal development.