Frequently Asked Questions Title Image with venn diagram for personal, interpersonal and organizational excellence

What Type of Executive Coaching Do You Do?

Dr. Groff’s executive coaching acts as a sounding board, partner, cheerleader, problem-solver, and advisor (with permission) for High Achievers. Clients seek her out for her ability to speak to both psychology and business. She utilizes her expertise in these two areas to provide Whole-Person Executive Coaching. This integrated philosophy and skillset provides space for the pursuit of intersecting personal and professional excellence.

Sometimes, she and her clients work on specific items related to personal wellness and leadership; at other times, they focus on critical decisions. If someone is selling a business, or merging with another organization, she may operate more in the Advisor capacity. Sometimes, she assists with the hiring decisions of key executives or with the efficacy of leadership teams. Due to her background as a psychologist, the focus on human behavior is an assumed aspect she brings to the table for all goals. Overall, the degree to which she is coaching, advising, consulting, or supporting depends on the needs and preferences of her primary client. The relationship is collaborative and long-term.

Relationship with Clients in Executive Coaching and Advisement

While Dr. Groff has a “no-strings, no-pressure policy” of engagement, many clients work with her for several years. The work evolves as their organizations grow. For example, someone may start with individual executive coaching but ask if she can facilitate a strategic meeting or a team retreat. Sometimes high-stakes situations or decisions arise that necessitate her involvement. From a purely business perspective, the longer the engagement, the higher the return on investment to the client/organization. When Dr. Groff has worked with a person or team for a few years, she accumulates a deep context that drives her understanding. Additionally, the mutual trust that is established increases the efficiency with which she and her clients can address sensitive or complex issues.

Unfortunately, there have been times where personal loss or tragedy occurs during the coaching relationship. When this occurs, conversations may pivot and draw more on Dr. Groff’s background as a counseling and clinical psychologist. At other times, Dr. Groff will “quarterback” and help connect the client or organization to other resources.

Because of the ‘realness’ of the relationship, Dr. Groff does her best to ensure a good fit on the front end. She wants potential clients or organizations to know as much as possible about her, and vice versa. This focus on fit helps clients optimize the time together and protects them from the emotional, time, and financial disruption that can occur if the fit is wrong.

Need a different style of coaching than what Dr. Groff provides, but feeling a little lost?

There are various other types of executive coaching. Some organizations seek executive coaching to help individuals prepare for a promotion. Others want to help a talented leader with a growth edge that must be addressed. It is typical for organizations to hire executive coaches for a specific period or to achieve a specific objective. If you are new to executive coaching, here is an article on how to choose and executive coach. 

Processes for Coaching and Consulting Services

Intellectual Process for Executive Coaching and Executive Advisement

In the same way that financial spreadsheets show patterns, humans have patterns. Through watching and listening, Dr. Groff learns the “human data” that informs growth, organizational threats, negotiation strategies, and future opportunities. She operates through root cause analysis and informational feedback loops to continuously adjust her strategy.

Dr. Groff eschews the notion that objectivity and caring are mutually exclusive. Rather, she believes in bringing her whole heart and her whole intellect to the table. As a result, her relationships with people are high-trust and high transparency. This mutual trust and respect create natural give-and-take interactions.

Dr. Groff collects as much historical and real-time data as possible. In high-stakes or complex situations, facets continue to emerge that inform the best path forward. She manages this by observing and asking questions until she has a clear understanding of the variables at hand.  “If you don’t know where the bombs are buried, you can’t make a plan to deal with them.”

Regardless of the topics, Dr. Groff’s clients appreciate straightforward feedback. They work together to ensure specific and practical actions for the challenges. She expects her clients to have their own voice and to openly debate and collaborate with her. This openness creates synergy, fun, and optimal problem-solving.   

Logistical Process for All Executive Services

Phone Consult

The process begins with completing the phone consult form. Dr. Groff does not use it for marketing. If the basic information suggests a potential fit, the next step is a phone conversation. If she is concerned that a person or organization needs a different type of expertise, she directs them to other resources.

In the phone conversation, she discusses the client’s needs. She often asks questions and tries to give a real-time feel for the way she thinks. At that point, both parties mutually determine if it’s a good fit to move forward. The phone consultation is with the CEO/Founder/Primary Decision-Maker. Dr. Groff advises everyone to focus on whether they like her and whether they find her competent. While this may seem fundamental and unusual to dictate, it forms the foundation of professional trust. If moving forward isn’t the right choice, she shares potential next steps or resources. The phone consult feels like a conversation, requiring no preparation or specific knowledge from the client. Together, they always manage to connect the dots, arriving at a conclusion and a game plan.

Meeting Location

Dr. Groff holds many virtual meetings (televideo and phone) across time zones. If a leader or organization is local to Phoenix, she offers in-person meetings at her Phoenix office. 

For group collaborations or team meetings, she conducts both virtual and in-person sessions. Where appropriate, she likes to sit in on meetings as it’s an incredibly fast and efficient way to learn about the organization, its dynamics, and where she can help.

Frequency

Dr. Groff maintains “mostly weekly” contact with clients through a mixture of meetings, phone calls, email and text. This consistency helps to build a faster foundation of trust and business knowledge. Further, it ensures that she is up-to-date in rapidly changing, high-stakes situations.

Customization

Dr. Groff customizes services for clients and their teams. Personally wired toward optimal outcomes, she finds it difficult to achieve excellent results with standardized approaches. The customization process is a continuous collaboration aimed at optimizing time, emotion, and financial resources. This partnership also allows for adjustments to growth, new directions, and the inevitable challenges that arise.

Investment

Executive coaching starts at $13,000 for 6 months or $25,000 per year. For more complex engagements, such as Executive Team Development or M&A Consulting, the investment is customized and scaled according to the needs of the organization and the budget available. What has worked well with other clients is to outline the primary focus and then deepen the engagement as needs or opportunities emerge. Foundational to Dr. Groff’s approach is a no-pressure, no-strings philosophy, where upfront or automatic payments are required but not held hostage. In the event that circumstances change, for any reason, unused funds are returned to the client or organization.

 

How Do I Know If It's Working

From Dr. Groff:

“You shouldn’t have to ask.” That is the answer I gave to someone who asked this question. I knew it sounded generic and vague, but as soon as it came out of my mouth, I knew it was the right answer. If you are inviting me or anyone else into your life and your organization, the right fit means that it feels like a win-win-win. For complex situations or cultural changes, it can take a while to see movement. However, you should be able to feel and see that things are heading in the right direction and that the investment is worth it.

I’ve found that people value me and my skillset for different reasons (ie. sounding board, confidentiality, people whispering, emotional support, strategy). Sometimes the work that we are doing drastically shifts due to unforeseen circumstances. For these reasons, while I am familiar with terms such as Key Performance Indicators, Lag Metrics, and Lead Metrics…I’ve found that they don’t always translate to the ever-evolving work we do.  To be honest, what I value, and what my clients seem to value, is whether we can generate real-time changes that impact their day, their week, and their quarter. At times, what we are doing is massive and critical; at other times, it’s just trying to keep the wheels on the bus with a sense of sanity and fulfillment intact.

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