Every organization in the world – large corporation or new start-up – wants the best, most efficient means for helping its executives acquire the skills they need to be effective leaders. What are the best methods? Leadership development seminars? Mentoring programs? Leadership coaching?

All these solutions have their place, but what’s the best choice?

Hands down, the best way to develop an executive is to provide him or her with a coach. When Tiger Woods wanted to improve his swing, he didn’t attend a group seminar or ask another golfer to meet with him occasionally to offer advice. He found a coach to help him break down what he was doing wrong and then work with him to change his bad habits and rebuild his swing for peak performance. A leadership coach provides the same kind of individual focus and support for skill-building.

Some people come to the coaching process fully aware of the skills they need to develop. For example, they might hire a coach to work on presenting, decision-making, media relations or time management. Or, they may want to work long term with someone who can help them implement a better hiring and performance management process.

Others are less clear about what they need to improve. They might have technical expertise in product development but less skill in people development, and so they are not sure what they need to focus on. Leaders in this situation can engage with a coach in a process of self-discovery to help them gain clarity about what would be most impactful to improve.

Ideally, this process starts with an opportunity for leaders to learn about themselves. What are their leadership and communication styles? What are their motivators or values? What are they naturally good at, and where are the skill gaps? Is their emotional intelligence well developed? What about their ability to make good judgments and quick decisions? Through a series of online assessments, leaders can gain insight into who they are and how they prefer to operate in the workplace. This awareness is an important starting point in the leadership coaching process for one simple reason:

The next step involves gathering 360-degree feedback from all the people to whom the leader is accountable: board members, bosses, peers, direct reports and even customers. This process creates a detailed portrait of how others perceive their leadership and expands their awareness of where there are deficiencies that need to be addressed.

With the data generated by both of these diagnostic tools, the coach and the leader then set to work on creating a professional development plan. A good coach will work with the leader to answer these key questions:

• What are your short-term goals?
• What are your long-term goals?
• What new behaviors or habits do you want to create?
• How will you know when you’re making progress? What will be evident?
• What is your top priority?

Priorities can include mastering conflict resolution skills, holding people accountable, or improving decision-making or strategic thinking skills. Once they are identified, the work of skill development begins through weekly meetings or calls, depending on the leader’s schedule or preference. The time commitment can involve three, six or 12 months, depending on the skill development needs. (It usually takes at least 90 days to master a new skill.) Some people continue a coaching relationship indefinitely, because they like having a trusted advisor to serve as a sounding board outside the company with whom they can think through complex issues, or because they’re lifelong learners who continually seek out new challenges.

Star athletes and business leaders take every opportunity to learn how to improve. Yes, they may participate in seminars and seek mentorship, but they also know that the best way to up their game is one-on-one coaching from a trusted expert off the playing field. And, those who want to stand out seek the help they need sooner rather than later. That’s why in business, coaching isn’t just for executives any longer; it’s for business owners and aspiring leaders at all levels who are determined to extend the upward trajectory of their careers.