Executive coaching
A major part of John Johnson's work with clients comes in
the form of coaching, either individual executives or managers
or teams of them or both.
John's coaching focuses on whatever the development needs
of the client might be, often times with technically competent
and productive individuals who are relationship-challenged
or are lacking finesse in handling people problems. Or he
works with individuals who relate well to others, but who
find it more difficult to be accountable for delivering projects
on time and on budget and difficult to organize themselves
and others well around specific work tasks.
There is one dimension in which John is seen as a rare coaching
resource, and that is his coaching in the area of strategy.
He is called upon to work with individual leaders to help
them develop their skills in strategic thinking. He does
not bring in a planning package that the leader can just
plug in and use by rote. He helps that leader understand
the dimensions of strategy, what it means to search for the
right strategic questions, and how to put together an approach
to strategic thinking, planning, and management that makes
sense for the specific organization.
Even when John works with a management team to facilitate
strategic planning, he really is coaching the team on how
to think about and execute their strategic choices. And he
is helping them have a good discussion on their most important
subjects. He is experienced enough with the general subject
of strategy that he recognizes what the group is avoiding
or ignoring, either because they don't know it's important
or because it is too controversial or too difficult. Then
he challenges them on the subjects that have been left out
of the discussion, and he challenges them on their decisions,
so that they can more readily stand behind those decisions.
He teaches leaders to become more strategic, to be able
to prepare a strategic vision and framework for the organization,
and to put together a strategic planning process that makes
sense for them at this point in time.
John is a coach for leaders on strategy, not simply a facilitator
of planning. The result is that the organization's strategic
capacity is increased, not just another cycle of planning
completed.
He is a general development coach, who brings the client some
unusual depth in learning about strategy and becoming more
strategic. |
