Executive coaching is one of the most lucrative niches in the coaching industry. But it requires a different approach than coaching individuals. Executives have unique pressures, limited time, and high expectations.
What Makes Executive Coaching Different
- Higher stakes - Decisions affect hundreds or thousands of people
- Limited time - Every minute is valuable
- Multiple stakeholders - HR, boards, and organizations involved
- Isolation - Executives often have no safe space to be vulnerable
- Confidentiality concerns - What they share must stay private
Common Executive Coaching Topics
- Leadership presence and influence
- Strategic decision-making
- Managing up, down, and across
- Work-life integration
- Transition to new roles
- Executive team dynamics
- Communication and public speaking
Structuring Executive Engagements
Typical Format
- 6-12 month engagements
- Bi-weekly or monthly sessions
- 60-90 minute sessions
- On-call availability for critical moments
Common Add-Ons
- 360-degree feedback collection
- Stakeholder interviews
- Assessment batteries
- Shadow coaching (observing them in action)
Pricing Executive Coaching
Executive coaching commands premium rates:
- $500-$1,500 per session
- $15,000-$50,000+ for 6-month engagements
- Often paid by the organization
Price reflects the value: decisions executives make affect millions of dollars.
Breaking Into Executive Coaching
- Build credibility through other work first
- Get certified (ICF PCC minimum)
- Network with HR leaders and executive teams
- Start with emerging leaders and work up
- Develop a specialty within executive coaching