Here’s what executive coaching is like with The NU Company and some insight into our proven process that we’ve refined over the past 6+ in private practice (and over two decades of working in and with executives in Corporate America).

Buyer be warned: we do things a little differently than most. Okay, a lot differently. But unconventional as it may be, it works.

What Do Most Executive Coaches Focus On?

Executive coaching is often focused on: Self-Awareness. Leadership Behaviors needed for success (you know, things like being able to create and sell a vision, communicate expectations, manage performance), as well as Communication Skills, Relationships, Growing a Team, Managing Up with a Board, Executive Presence – of course there’s more.

How is The NU Co Different?

While we certainly focus on those things too, we go a lot deeper with our clients so that they can fully understand the why behind their belief systems, thoughts, and behaviors. This not only creates buy-in, but also motivates our clients to go about things differently. We then we give them a leadership blueprint. The leadership blueprint allows them to move forward in their unique environment in a way that feels authentic, energizing, and liberating (yet yields better and more lasting results for the business).

While we certainly use our founder’s background in psychology and two decades plus in leadership development and corporate America as a foundation (see more on her here) to help leaders achieve their full potential, we also harness the power of mindfulness, meditation, NLP, and psychology.

Let’s break these down.

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment, without judgment. It allows us to let go of distractions and focus on what is most important in the present moment. When we are mindful, we are better able to make decisions, communicate effectively, and manage stress. Mindfulness is a game changer for those in-the-moment behavioral modifications that help clients see results, fast.

Meditation is another powerful tool for leaders. It allows us to quiet our minds and focus on the present moment. This can help us become more self-aware, which is essential for effective leadership. Most of the executives we work with either have never tried to meditate (“I’m not the yoga type…”) or have tried but weren’t sure if they were doing it “right.” Meditation is one of the few things in life that we don’t do to get good at it. Just practicing makes us more mindful! The act of pulling our mind back into the present moment when it is future tripping about what’s to come, or ruminating on the past, is actually what builds a stronger mindfulness muscle. We love helping leaders find ways to meditate that align with their busy active lifestyles, too (walking meditation anyone?).

NLP, or neurolinguistic programming, is a powerful technique that can help us to better understand and communicate with others. It can help us to identify and overcome limiting beliefs, and to create more effective relationships with our team members. This is our not-so-secret weapon for behavioral change.

Finally, psychology is a vital part of any coaching program. It can help us to understand the underlying motivations and emotions that drive our behavior. This can be invaluable in helping leaders make the conscious choice to make different kinds of decisions and to create more effective routines, communication styles, and teams.

We often hear from our clients – I didn’t expect to cry in an executive coaching session. Of course it’s emotional though. We’re unpacking a lot around who you are, and the roles you play and have had to play to be successful in life. Change is not easy and acknowledging what’s not working can be painful. But it’s the first step to creating greater success and we create a very safe environment to really do this. It’s kind of our secret sauce.

So, What’s a Typical Session Like?

Well, it depends what kind of package you have: individual or corporate.

Either way, we start with a lot of data gathering (but what kind of information we pull together depends on the package). For our corporate clients, we run detailed 360 assessments where we interview your manager(s), peers, and direct reports. For our individual clients, we only collect data from you and the assessments you take.

Either way, our first session together is a two-hour deep dive where we pour through all of the information we’ve collected on you and present you with your Leadership Blueprint.

This is where we break down your personality, goals, drivers, strengths, opportunities, and potential blind spots where you may be getting in your own way.

After the introductory kickoff, we meet weekly, virtually via Zoom, for 60 minutes. While there is a roadmap in the background guiding our work (based your goals and development opportunities), each session is guided by what you need that week. If you want to follow the roadmap we’ve laid out, great! If you need support based on something that has changed or is taking priority in the moment, that’s cool too.

Summary

While most large organizations these days rely on the incredible array of large-scale coaching platforms and solutions out there, the most successful clients also have a handful of elite coaches that they can call on when they need to go deeper. We’re one of those coaching companies.

Whether you’re an executive looking for coaching for someone on your team or in your organization, a founder looking for leadership and culture support, or an individual looking for support around a massive career transition – we can help.

If you’re interested in seeing if we’re a fit, feel free to reach out and have a non-sales call with our founder, Dr. Natalie Underdown.