For the past 20 years, High Performance Learning has trained and coached thousands of managers at more than 300 organizations. Many of these clients were looking to improve their leadership skills, with a focus on developing their ability to influence, motivate and produce results. We tailored each coaching session to their specific business challenges and provided feedback and guidance in real time in order to ensure that the coaching improved key competencies needed to achieve strategic business objectives. By utilizing such a specific and personalized approach, HPL's coaching services successfully developed leaders in the context of their current jobs without removing those leaders from their day-to-day responsibilities.

After seeing great success with the executive-focused coaching programs, HPL has recently expanded our coaching services to focus on leaders and managers at all levels. With a broader range of coaching services now available, HPL is pleased to announce the addition of Ann Rogers, a certified business coach and senior consultant, to our team. Ms. Rogers has more than 20 years of experience with organizations of all sizes. She specializes in coaching new managers as well as middle managers and senior-level leaders in industries including financial services, healthcare, high-tech, government, media/publishing, manufacturing and government. Her track record of connecting with all of her clients can be seen in the high level of success her clients demonstrate in implementing new skills and personal change, improving performance and enhancing employee engagement.

The feedback from Ann's clients speaks for itself:

"I'll never forget my experiences in the coaching program under your leadership" said a senior manager at a marketing company. "I think everyone would join me in saying you've made all of us better leaders."

A new manager at a service company also spoke highly of Ms. Rogers, saying, "Your insight, questions and ideas were always really great. I'll value the experience throughout my career and professional development."

Another client said, "Ann helped me to improve my employee engagement scores (related to how employees perceive how they are being managed) by 10%!"

By using assessments prior to the coaching and then tailoring her services to fit the style and needs of each individual, Ann helps clients discover their strengths, goals, opportunities for improvement, and other personal development needs. She has a practical and personable approach that leaders and managers find helpful, engaging, and reinforcing.

But how do you know if leadership and/or manager coaching is right for you and your organization? We recently sat down with Ms. Rogers to discuss the intricacies of leadership and management coaching. The following are excerpts from our discussion:    

Ann, why is leadership coaching the right choice for me and my business?

The wide range of coaching services available will benefit both experienced and new leaders and managers. We can help our clients further develop their leadership skills in areas including decision making, problem solving, new skill development, teamwork, planning, communicating, conflict resolution and more. For new managers and supervisors, the lessons learned through their individual coaching sessions will help them transition smoothly into their new positions. For more seasoned or experienced leaders, coaching sessions will refresh their leadership skills and introduce them to new leadership techniques that can help increase effectiveness in engaging employees and achieving strategic business objectives.

How do I know whether someone is qualified to work as an executive coach?

Not every consultant is qualified to provide leadership coaching, as leadership coaches should be certified by an accredited organization. For example, I had already trained hundreds of leaders and managers in traditional classroom programs. I then completed an extensive year-long program at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, and earned a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching. Since then I have successfully coached more than 80 leaders and managers. I am also certified in the MBTI and Birkman assessments. Some of my private sector clients include Citizens Financial Group, Comcast, Fidelity Investments, Harvard Business School Publishing, New Balance, Reuters, State Street Bank, Tufts Health Plans and Vistaprint. Government clients include the Department of Commerce and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

What happens during these coaching sessions?

After an initial discussion, including an agreement to participate in the coaching process, the first official meeting is used to gather data from the participant, discuss initial goals, set up an individual coaching schedule and create an initial action plan. Before the subsequent coaching sessions we usually like to conduct a 360 feedback and/or assessments with others to obtain objective feedback. We always have the leader or manager receiving the coaching complete a self-assessment. We will use future coaching sessions to review the data that has been gathered, jointly develop action plans and a schedule for follow-up sessions. We then jointly track the progress at frequent intervals along the way.

What type of feedback does coaching provide?

HPL's coaching services provide feedback in a variety of ways. We like to use the 360 feedback method, which allows a group of coworkers to provide their view of a manager's performance. Interviews are conducted either in person or over Skype. We also conduct assessments using either the MBTI, Birkman, DISC and/or other assessment tools. The leader being coached can complete these self-assessments online.

In which areas will I see the benefits of the coaching sessions?

Because HPL's coaching services are customized, each participant will benefit differently from our sessions based on the organization's unique needs. However, below are several common areas in which our clients tend to focus their coaching sessions:

• Skill development
• Habit change
• Engaging employees
• Managing performance
• Developing and/or improving relationships
• Planning strategy
• Implementing strategy
• Transitioning to be a new leader
• Improving communication
• Managing change
• Resolving conflict
• Gaining personal awareness
• Clarifying roles/responsibilities

How does HPL tailor its leader and manager coaching process to me and my business?

We develop a unique approach for each business and each leader by providing coaching based on specific feedback we have received from others within the organization. Finally, we are able to tailor the coaching time frame to fit into the business or leader's busy schedule.