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50 TOP EXECUTIVE COACHES
responsively. If, in the end, the person we are coaching has been diminished by
the experience, then shame on us.
What I do, I don’t call coaching. I talk with people. I advise and discuss.
It’s circular. My “coaching ” is based on what each person needs. That need
is always different and must be discovered through the course of our work-
ing together. It’s a partnership. Together, we draw closer to answers that are
meaningful.
When we define coaching in such human and respectful terms, then that
definition will carry us with its sense of moral and ethical obligations. We
have an enormous responsibility to the people whose lives we are influenc-
ing. The job cannot be done lightly. We need to answer for ourselves, can we
do this? If we lack that clear imperative, then we should refrain. Out of such
introspection and deep self-assessment comes our answer, our definition, and
our mission.
Jay Conger
Coaching Leaders
Jay Conger received his bachelor ’s degree from Dart-
mouth College, his masters from the University of Vir-
ginia, and his doctorate of business administration from
the Harvard Business School. Currently, Dr. Conger is a
Professor of Organizational Behavior at the London
Business School and a senior research scientist at the
Center for Effective Organizations at the University of
Southern California in Los Angeles. Jay is the author of
11 books including Building Leaders: How Successful
Companies Develop the Next Generation
and Winning ‘Em Over: A New
Model for Managing in the Age of Persuasion.
He can be reached by e-mail at
jconger@london.edu.
I
n my view, executive coaching meets a very basic need. All managers
eventually finds that certain strengths that were extremely valuable early
in their careers can become powerful liabilities with a rise in level and
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