Executive dilemmas: Coaching and the professional perspectives of Harry Levinson.

This paper is a revision and extension of a paper presented at the 2006 American Psychological Association Convention as a result of the senior author's receipt of the Harry and Miriam Levinson Award in 2005. Coauthored with Harry Levinson, it presents a complex case vignette, describes 9 core concepts either introduced or emphasized by him during his career, and then applies these concepts to the case study. The article provides a brief overview of the significant contributions to the field of consulting psychology made by Harry Levinson during his career and how they can be applied in executive coaching engagements. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Executive coaching: An intervention, role function, or profession?

Although previously considered a consultation intervention and a role function, executive coaching is now considered by some to be a profession. Currently, there is little consensus on its definition and how it differs from executive consultation and executive psychotherapy. This article begins by commenting on the Kilburg and Levinson (2008; see record 2008-03845-003) article and proceeds to critically analyze executive coaching as a construct. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A coach's perspective and brief commentary on “Executive consulting under pressure: A case study”.

This article comments on Freedman & Perry's (2010, this issue) case study “Executive Coaching Under Pressure.” It examines the case from an executive coach's perspective. Areas discussed include initial contracting, client definition, goal setting, trust, learning, and closure dimensions. The article also focuses on the relationship between coaching and consulting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Executive Coaching: A Working Definition.

Executive coaching (EC) has grown significantly in the past decade as an important organizational consulting intervention. This article proposes a working definition for EC that specifies its process and methods, differentiates it from other forms of coaching, and suggests a set of perspectives, principles, and approaches needed to guide its professional practice. It also puts forth a set of core competencies for professional executive coaches. Implications are also explored for how to select a coach, how to prepare for an EC practice, and how to understand why certain EC interventions are more effective than others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Foreword: Executive coaching as an emerging competency in the practice of consultation.

This article comments on the importance of competent organizational executive leadership and the practice of executive coaching in professional consultation. As it is currently practiced, executive coaching appears to be an eclectic mix of concepts and methods that are being applied by a variety of consultants who have accepted assignments to work with individual executives. The author concludes by introducing the issue of the Consulting Psychology Journal on executive coaching which reviews literature in the field, identifies current approaches and methods, and provides an opportunity for leading practitioners to describe what they are doing and help define the core concepts and definitions of this emerging competency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Executive consulting under pressure: A case study.

This consulting psychology case study describes how an initially nonvoluntary consulting engagement with an executive client in a highly complex nuclear industry organization evolved from suspicion to trust, enabling the client to achieve work-related goals. Methods used by the consultant, and reactions to those efforts by the client, are presented and discussed. The intervention evolved from executive coaching to team development opportunities, intergroup conflict management assignments, behavioral skills training, special fact-finding assignments, and, ultimately, to a long-term, system-wide organization development and change. The paper presents the case from the perspectives of both the consultant (the senior author) and the initial client (the junior author). Factors that seemed to contribute to the success of the coaching process are also described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)