Boards of Directors often need fine turning and facilitation. It is much like team coaching for the highest team in the organization. Because of often diverse and varied backgrounds, it may be difficult for the Board to uncover problems and correct them. Board facilitation and coaching helps members learn to work together successfully, get to know each others' strengths, challenges, and experiences. This kind of coaching is especially useful to help each individual understand the styles of thinking and communication of other members, diversity and how to use it, relationship issues, content issues about the business itself, and process issues (that the board does not know how to function together as a board.) It is especially vital for new board members to become part of an efficient team.

Board facilitation and coaching helps members learn to work together as an advisory board to the company, get to know each other well, learn how not to overlook and squelch uniqueness but to draw it out, create board meeting processes, enable members to came prepared, and create a shared purpose for being there, with clear roles within the Board company. This is sometimes a combined process of consulting and leadership development coaching. Coach and facilitating an entire Board of Directors involves process coaching, consulting and mediation skills, leadership development, high level communication, relationship skills and active knowledge of Board etiquette and process.

In order for this process to be effective, the coach must provide an executive presence at the Board level, equal to that within the Board itself.  The coach must be viewed as an expert.  CoachWorks® has distinguished itself in this area of Board facilitation and coaching.  We have an advantage on younger industry coaches, possessing both executive and board experience. This kind of coaching is not what the average executive coach deals with – it involves very complex systems and high level stakes.