Executive coaching circles

Circles of five or six senior managers meet with a certified executive coach for a half-day session. The coach opens with a short input on asking questions rather than giving advice, and then the circle gets to work.

In each round one person brings a real, current challenge — a difficult stakeholder, a restructuring decision, a team that has stalled — and the others may only ask questions for the first 15 minutes. Then they offer observations, and the person who brought the case closes by saying what they will do next. The coach steps in to keep the format honest and to point out patterns. Everything said stays in the room.

Most companies book the circles as a series of four sessions over six months, which gives managers time to act and report back. A session can also be added to an existing offsite at a quiet venue such as a vineyard hotel in Urla or a lakeside lodge in Sapanca.