Executive coaching has been around for decades—and in today’s rapidly changing hybrid work environment, it’s more essential than ever.
In preparation for an upcoming webinar, we sat down with executive coach John Arnold to explore why coaching is experiencing a surge in demand, what makes Blanchard’s approach distinctive, and how HR and L&D leaders can build a powerful business case for coaching in their organizations.
Q: Executive coaching isn’t new. Why is it so relevant today?
It’s true, executive coaching has been around for about 30 years. When the International Coach Federation was formed by Thomas Leonard, it gave the profession real credibility. Today, there are around 60,000 members worldwide.
What’s made coaching especially critical now is the way work has changed since the pandemic. Organizations had to quickly adapt to remote and hybrid work models, and even seasoned leaders found themselves unsure how to lead effectively in that environment. I began to ask them “How do you identify high-potential talent or plan for succession when you rarely see your people in action?”
Coaching helps leaders navigate exactly those kinds of challenges. It’s more important now than it’s ever been.
Q: What trends are driving the increased demand for coaching support right now?
We’re living through what I call “multiple unscheduled business events.” There’s geopolitical tension, a volatile economic environment, changing regulations—none of which you can really prepare for in a traditional sense.
When I ask leaders “How are you preparing for the next unscheduled business event?” most admit they haven’t thought about it. Coaching used to be considered a nice-to-have. Now, it’s a prerequisite for preparing leaders to handle uncertainty and complexity.
Q: You’ve worked with many coaching models over the years. What makes the Blanchard approach different?
Honestly, it starts at the top. Blanchard’s leadership team has believed in coaching since the very beginning—more than 25 years ago. They made a personal and financial commitment early on, and they’ve sustained it ever since.
That consistent investment in leadership development, both virtual and in-person, has built one of the strongest coaching teams in the business. Without that long-term commitment, Blanchard wouldn’t be where it is today—a market leader in executive coaching.
Q: Building executive buy-in can be one of HR’s biggest challenges. How can leaders make a strong business case for coaching?
I always ask executives “What’s at risk if you do invest in coaching—and what’s at risk if you don’t?”
When you look at the numbers, the cost of coaching is a rounding error in a company’s financials. But the cost of not doing it—of failing to develop your leaders—is enormous. To make a case that sticks, HR and L&D leaders need to secure support from the highest levels. Without C-suite sponsorship, it’s hard to create lasting impact.
Q: Measuring coaching’s impact can be tricky. What metrics matter most?
It comes down to two kinds of performance: people’s performance and financial performance.
Coaching should be tied to both. On the people side, what leadership behaviors or engagement outcomes are you trying to influence? On the financial side, what’s the return on investing in your human capital?
Too often, companies have strategies for financial performance but not people’s performance. Coaching introduces accountability for that side of the equation. It makes people’s performance measurable, not just aspirational.
Q: Can you share an example that illustrates the power of coaching?
There are many, but here are two that stand out.
One client, a VP at a financial services firm, was struggling to shift from an operational mindset to a strategic mindset. When I asked about his board presentations, he said he typically used 35 slides. I told him “They’re probably asleep by slide 12.” That sparked an honest conversation—and some tough love. We worked backward from the outcomes he wanted to achieve and cut his presentation to eight slides. The change in his clarity and confidence was remarkable.
Another client, a CFO, admitted he “just didn’t like people.” He ate lunch alone every day. Through coaching, he began to see how that isolation was affecting both his work and home life. His first step was small—eating lunch in the cafeteria three times a week—but it led to a real shift in mindset and behavior. His wife even thanked me later. That’s when you know coaching has made a real difference.
Q: How do you use coaching to help leaders build emotional intelligence and handle change?
I rarely use the term emotional intelligence directly—it can make leaders defensive. Instead, I ask about their reactions to conflict or change. What triggers them? What situations bring out frustration or resistance?
Once we identify those patterns, we can coach around the shifts in mindset and behavior. Change is constant—like when your grocery store moves the bread aisle. You’re frustrated for a minute, then you adjust. The same principle applies at work. Coaching helps leaders become more aware of how they show up in moments of change—whether they are driving it, influencing it, or responding to it.
Q: Coaching is often viewed as a one-to-one experience. How can organizations scale it effectively?
I actually disagree that coaching is one-to-one. When it’s done well, it involves a whole ecosystem—HR business partners, managers, 360-feedback participants. When a leader starts coaching, the word spreads: “Dave’s got a coach.” That awareness creates a culture of development—the beginning of a coaching culture.
Early on, I make sure to ask stakeholders “What’s the desired business impact of this coaching engagement?” It gets everyone from the manager to the organization thinking about accountability across the business. Coaching shouldn’t just transform individuals; it should transform how the company supports both personal and professional growth.
Q: If a company wants to start integrating coaching tomorrow, what’s the first step?
Make leadership development a strategic initiative, not an HR project. Coaching must be part of the company’s overall strategic plan, with full C-suite buy-in.
If the C-suite doesn’t see human capital development as being equally important to financial capital, it won’t be sustainable. Leaders today need to be equipped to lead in hybrid environments and to develop the next generation of talent. Coaching is the bridge that makes this possible.
Closing Thoughts
John Arnold’s insights underscore a truth HR and L&D professionals already sense: coaching is no longer optional. It’s the most direct path to building resilient, emotionally intelligent leaders who can navigate the complexities of today’s hybrid world.
As he puts it, “Leadership development has to be part of your company’s long-term strategy. Without it, you’re not just missing out on growth—you’re leaving your future leaders unprepared.”
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Join Us: Live Webinar — “From Insight to Impact: Elevating Performance Through Executive Coaching”
Date: October 22, 2025 Time: 8:00 a.m. Pacific | 11:00 a.m. Eastern
Learn more from John Arnold and other Blanchard experts in our upcoming 60-minute webinar, From Insight to Impact: Elevating Performance Through Executive Coaching.
This interactive session will explore:
· Why Coaching, Why Now: The trends driving demand for personalized leadership support
· The Blanchard Coaching Approach: What makes our model scalable, effective, and evidence-based
· Building the Business Case: How to align coaching with strategic goals and secure executive buy-in
· ROI and Strategic Benefits: Data-backed results that prove coaching is a performance strategy, not just a development tool
· Coaching in Action: Real-world success stories and lessons learned from leaders like yours
About the Author
More Content by David Witt
