Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL

COACHING

Exactly what services do you offer?

We accelerate your progress in achieving high-value results that are sustainable for the long term in the areas of:

Leadership development
Management development
Staff development
Organizational development
Leveraging groups and teams to achieve valuable outcomes

Back to Top

Who are your business partners?

We are proud to be associated with two well respected companies that give us access to highly valuable tools and unique intellectual property. In addition, through our large network of like-minded consultants and coaches, we can create and deliver consistent programs on a national basis.

Our key business partners are:

Koanetic Consulting (formerly Success Dynamics, LLC) created and owns the Building High Value Relationship™ course that has an impressive track record of success in producing more valuable results both for those who use the process and those they serve. Pinnacle Success Partners is proud to be a distributor, trainer, and coach for this program.

Target Training International provides assessments that we use for coaching, team building, staff development, and job benchmarking. The assessment options run the gamut from basic DISC reports to customized 360 feedback surveys. Click here to request a complimentary assessment.

Back to Top

How do you set fees?

Each engagement is unique. When you and we agree on exactly what you want to accomplish and what resources we’ll use, we will provide you with an exact price. For information on how we price coaching contracts, click here.

Back to Top

How do you address the issue of confidentiality?

Anything that we learn during an engagement about you or your company is considered private and privileged. We will not share that information with any other party except as required by law or expressly permitted by you. To see our entire Code of Ethics, click here.

Back to Top

What’s your privacy policy?

We don’t sell, rent, or trade our customer or email lists to anyone for any reason at all. You will never receive an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of your doing business with us or joining our mailing list. To see our entire Code of Ethics, click here.

Back to Top

What is “coaching”?

For those of us who consistently strive to be more effective, coaching is the mechanism to move more powerfully forward from where we are to where we want to be.

Back to Top

Aren’t there a lot of coaching “specialties”?

Yes – but we’d put them into three major categories: Personal, Executive, and Business. Personal Coaching deals with life, interpersonal, and career issues. Executive Coaching focuses on leadership development. Business Coaching addresses organizational performance.

The terms “Business Coaching” and “Executive Coaching” are often used interchangeably, because organizational performance is driven by the quality of its leadership. In Business and Executive Coaching, there is a strong focus on establishing and measuring valuable outcomes in order to justify the investment in coaching services.

Back to Top

What kinds of coaching does Pinnacle Success Partners provide?

We specialize in executive and business coaching. Should the need surface for life, personal, or career coaching, we are positioned to refer you specialists in those areas.

Although we offer coaching as a stand-alone contract, we do incorporate coaching principles into all of our services—consulting, group facilitation, and training.

Back to Top

What kinds of issues do businesses address in coaching, and what outcomes can they achieve?

Issue: Things are working well, yet you’re not absolutely certain that you could not have done better.
High Value Target: Go beyond predictable incremental improvement to breakthrough performance.

Issue: Things are working “OK,” and you’re ready to play a bigger game.
High Value Target: Take the organization and its people to the next level.

Issue: You feel like you’re running on ice and want to get some traction.
High Value Target: Get clarity, focus, and prioritized actions plans that produce measurable forward progress and build momentum.

Issue: You need to overcome or resolve a nasty internal or external challenge–anything from internal dysfunctions to drastic changes in the competitive landscape.
High Value Target: Get clarity and focus around the nature of the challenge and the bigger context in which it sits. Create and implement powerful strategies for taking it on.

Issue: You want to create development opportunities for high potential employees and build a base for sustaining high performance in the long term.
High Value Target: Create a customized plan to identify and develop the next generation of leaders. Provide the opportunity for current leaders to grow as they participate in grooming their successors.

Back to Top

How many organizations use executive coaching?

To our knowledge, no one has tracked the use of coaching across all industry segments. However, CNN has reported that 35-40% of Fortune 500 companies use executive coaches.

Back to Top

How does coaching work?

The adage “if you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got” captures the transformational opportunity of coaching. In order to change results, we need to change something about how we currently operate.

Conscious change requires that we recognize current patterns and how well (or poorly) they serve us. In that sense, coaching is a 24/7 process for the client. The higher the level of awareness, the greater the opportunity for powerful transformation.

From the coach’s point of view, coaching looks like an extended conversation that occurs over a period of time. There are scheduled sessions—anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes—
and usually “as needed” interim communication to deal with “hot” issues and opportunities. Coaching can be done in person or by phone.

The 5 key principles of the “extended conversation” are:

  1. Always know the baseline—your starting point, the status quo (assessment);
  2. Identify an outcome that’s worth pursuing and clarify what’s most important for you in getting there (vision, goal, high-value outcome);
  3. Hone your ability to recognize the perspectives and behaviors that move you forward (strengths) and those that hold you back (challenges);
  4. Test subtle shifts in perspective. Expand your options. Devise and implement specific strategies that build on your strengths and defuse the challenges;
  5. Learn from the inevitable breakdowns that occur as you work to increase your effectiveness and impact.

Back to Top

When should I hire a business or executive coach?

Ask yourself two questions:

  1. Is there potential for a highly valuable outcome?
  2. Does the potential benefit justify the investment, i.e., is the ROI (return on investment) evident, and is it sufficient?

If you answer “yes” to both questions, consider business or executive coaching.

Back to Top

How candid can I be in working with you—will you share information with my boss, my partner, my colleagues?

Everything said in our coaching conversation is confidential. Occasionally, it becomes clear that someone else needs to be brought into the conversation. When that occurs, we will help you prepare to have that conversation on your own or, with your permission, facilitate a conversation between you and the other party. Click here to see our entire Code of Ethics.

Back to Top

How do you charge for coaching?

Our fees are quoted as monthly amounts with a 3-month minimum commitment.
There is an additional charge for an intake assessment. The assessment fee varies based on the tools that we use. For example, 360 assessments cost more because they involve more people.

The monthly coaching fee range of $300 – $1,000 is wide, because each engagement can be tailored as to frequency and duration of scheduled calls, method of delivery (in person or by phone), and level of access to the coach beyond the scheduled calls. Assessment fees generally range from $200 – $3,000. Once we fully understand your unique requirements, we will quote a firm and final price.

By way of illustration, the basic coaching package includes:

Discounted rates apply for engagements that are tied to consulting assignments and for simultaneous purchase of multiple contracts where delivery can be streamlined. Fees are payable 100% in advance for contracts of 3-month duration. Installment payments are available for longer contracts.

Coaching that is tied to a specific workshop or training does not follow the above pricing guidelines. The price is either included in the workshop price or quoted as an add-on option.

Back to Top

Do you guarantee results?

We can and will point you in the right direction, but only you can make it happen. For coaching engagements, we guarantee that, if you are not completely satisfied with the process or your progress during the first 30 days, we will gladly refund the entire coaching contract fee. Assessment fees are not refundable.

Back to Top

Can I try out coaching without signing a contract?

Yes. Click here to request that we contact you to set up a free consultation regarding one of your business opportunities or challenges.

Back to Top