Back on track: The coaching journey in executive career derailment

Abstract

Executive career derailment seems to coincide with one of the most significant transitions in life – the midlife ‘crisis’. Career derailment is most commonly caused by insensitivity; both to others needs and to the individuals own developmental needs for authenticity. Executive coaches can form strong developmental relationships with derailed executives through engaging them in the behaviours of individuation and supporting the development of a more authentic self. Coaching is conceptualised as a ‘U-shaped’ journey exploring 5 levels of meaning: (1) the executive’s environment; (2) the executive’s behaviour; (3) attitudes, (4) deep structure of the person; and (5) deepest structure.