FAQs
Here are some of the most common FAQs for executive coaching — regarding what coaching is and isn't, the process, and my services. Do you have a question that is not answered below? Don't hesitate to reach out.
Executive coaching is a high-impact developmental partnership between coach and business leader (client), where both engage in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires and challenges the client to maximize personal and professional potential. Executive coaches are often thought of as thought partners, accountability partners, advisors, sounding boards, advocates, and people who challenge you all at once.
Coaching is designed to facilitate the creation/development of professional and/or business goals – and to develop and carry out a strategy to achieve those goals. Executive coaching is standard for leaders today, and often noted as the key differentiator in elevating their career, their success, and their enjoyment in life – both personally and professionally.
Melissa is an executive and leadership coach, trained in ontological coaching. This means that in coaching, she focuses on how clients are being, rather than only strategizing on what they are doing. Because she provides customized solutions for leaders and organizations, every coaching engagement is different and based around the needs of each client. While the specifics of the approach look different for each leader, she always focuses her clients on integrating their states of “being” and "doing.” When these two align, profound leaps in leadership become possible.
We coach high-achieving leaders, particularly those who are moving through transitions or taking on big challenges. We have coached leaders ranging from C-suite executives to mid-level management, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, and across highly diverse industries including technology, finance, biotech, media, e-commerce, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and non-profit.
The two factors that distinguish our most successful clients are commitment and fit. First, we work with clients who are committed to the coaching process and ready to do the work and make a change. Second, it is important to find the right fit between coach and client, which we believe is far more important than industry or title. You have to connect with the coach and their coaching style if you are going to work together successfully. If you are interested in working with us and are connecting with what you are reading, let’s have a chat.
We offer 1:1 individual and group coaching on the phone, over Zoom video calls, and in-person. We can co-create the type of coaching engagement that will work best for your needs.
The cost of coaching varies based on several factors, including the type and length of coaching engagement you choose, your specific situation and goals, and whether your organization is sponsoring you or you are engaging with a coach on your own. We would be happy to discuss pricing and options with you when we connect.
Many organizations now recognize the value that external coaches bring to their key and emerging leaders, and are cognizant of the significant ROI that executive coaching experiences can have on teams and individuals. Because of this emerging trend, often organizations are happy to contribute to coaching by sponsoring those interested leaders – viewing it as both a benefit and an investment in their talent. We also work with clients who choose to invest in themselves, hiring us directly rather than contracting through their organization.
Coaching is a partnership, and like any partnership, you have to find the right partner for the endeavor to thrive. This means that the fit between coach and client is most important when you are searching for a coach.
We always recommend scheduling several discovery calls to get to know a variety of coaches and coaching styles, until you meet one with whom you really connect. The great thing about Wide Lens Leadership is we have a team of coaches, so when you reach out, we can connect you with several coaches for you to choose from. If the content on this website resonates with you, please reach out. We would welcome the opportunity to meet you.
We provide customized solutions for leaders and organizations. While the specifics of the approach look different for each leader, we always focus our clients on integrating their states of “being” and "doing” to maximize the impact coaching has on their leadership potential.
We guide clients through a process of inquiry, feedback, assessments, and looking inward to discover not just what they do and have accomplished, but also how they work and what makes them feel inspired, motivated, challenged, and purposeful. Together, we generate insights and map out a development plan to reach their goals based on strengths and development needs.
In consulting engagements, the consultant’s role is the expert, where they advise a client or organization on a particular subject or challenge. Most often consultants come in to provide expert opinions, analysis and recommendations, answer questions, and advise clients on specific solutions or strategies, based on their own experience.
Executive coaching is a more co-creative partnership between coach and client, where both engage in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires and challenges the client to maximize personal and professional potential. The coaching approach is much more connected to questions than answers, where coaches are skilled at guiding conversations to help the client uncover blind spots, build deeper awareness, and arrive at their own answers – and coaches support them throughout the learning and achievement process. Executive coaches are often thought of as thought partners, accountability partners, advisors, sounding boards, advocates, and challengers all at once.
In therapy, clients look to therapists for solutions, diagnoses, and treatment plans to get better, find relief, or improve upon a mental health problem they are dealing with. Therapy and counseling are likely going to focus on working with one’s past experiences to resolve the problem they are having.
In executive coaching, there is no diagnosis because coaches see clients as already full of insight and answers. Rather than being remedial, coaching is a generative and developmental process that focuses on leadership growth, goals, advancement, and future ambitions.
We coach leaders who are ready to do the work involved with coaching and ready to make meaningful changes. If you are committed and open to the experience, we will partner in a way that supports you to meet your goals. If you expect overnight changes and quick fixes to your challenges, our coaching partnership won’t work. What we can promise is meaningful change that is a product of incremental shifts and experiential learning.
We can’t tell you exactly how this will work because the work we do is tailored to the needs of every client. What we can say is that we will focus on giving you alternate perspectives, which will lead to new ways of thinking about your challenges, which will lead to new actions you will take that will lead to meaningful change. If you are committed to this process, you will accomplish what you set out to do in our coaching partnership.
I’ve gotten value in every dimension of my role as CEO
"The changes I’ve made in my role of CEO over the last six months with Melissa's help have been really tremendous, and I would not have been able to make all the progress I made without her support as my executive coach. My ability to problem solve, build confidence and courage, level up my mindset, and initiate difficult conversations transformed while working with a coach. I've gotten value in every dimension of my role as CEO — from the relationships I have with my board, to defining my leadership values and living them, to structuring my team and org chart, to tackling bigger challenges that seemed insurmountable just six months ago. I have appreciated the recommended readings, the thought partnership, the probing questions, the perspective, and I now have a whole set of tools I can lean on for support. I definitely see a major difference in who I was six months ago and who I am now in this role, and I’m looking forward to a continued partnership with her as my executive coach."
Structure and follow-ups continually make me see things with a fresh perspective
I was fortunate to find Melissa in an early stage of our start-up, when my role began to shift from doing the work to overseeing the work. I sought a coach with the sense I'd been feeling confined in my leadership approach for given situations, but then circumstances would change and the issue would resolve. But it wasn't until working with Melissa that I actually addressed some of the root learnings I needed to develop past that phase and into a place where my leadership style can flourish alongside our rapidly growing team.
As someone who hadn't worked with an executive coach, Melissa's structure and follow-ups continually make me see things with a fresh perspective, but they also make me squirm a bit in precisely the way one should be when you are out of your comfort zone and addressing important questions. She is wonderful at helping develop through problem-oriented collaborative sessions, but most of all has a finely honed ability to drive accountability and consistency in your leadership development. My cofounder and I also did a program together, led by Melissa, and that has been wonderful for our work relationship in building communication and trust. I feel really fortunate to work with Melissa and highly recommend her as a partner for leaders at many stages of their business and career.
ROI on our work together would be more than a 10x return
"Melissa has been a phenomenal executive coach to work with, and I think any executive that gets the opportunity to work with her, will be pushed to be the best version that he / she needs to be -- for both themselves, and for their entire organization. Back in December 2021, with our company's growth trajectory, I saw I was out of my depth in knowing how to be a CEO, and how to build out methods of accountability and build out a team. I realized I needed help, and started interviewing executive coaches. On my sixth interview, I met Melissa, and I immediately noticed she was different… If I had to put an ROI on our work together, it would be more than a 10x return on the company's financial investment, as I don't think we, as a company, would have made as many strides as we have on building a team and trusting one another, if I had not hired Melissa as my coach. I feel more confident in continuing to improve relationships within my team and improving our culture. There are simple, yet powerful, initiatives and habits that Melissa and I have outlined that I take on a daily basis. Our weekly check-in surveys provide an opportunity for me to reflect on my highs and lows of the week. As the Founder & CEO of a rapidly growing company, Melissa has helped me grow from the "Chief ExecutION Officer" of The 5th Ingredient, to learning to trust my team and starting to walk down the path of an actual CEO. I highly recommend Melissa as a coach to anyone that wants a safe place to openly work through issues and find a person that you can trust!"
Professional, thoughtful, compassionate, and has a wealth of tools
"I'm an executive coach myself, and I hired Melissa to be my executive coach to help me clarify my goals, grow my business, and deal with stress and burnout. She is a consummate professional, thoughtful, compassionate, and has a wealth of tools for any situation. She helped me clear the noise and avoid distractions in my life, create more healthy and sustainable habits, focus on the priorities that matter, and take the leap into some new opportunities. I would highly recommend Melissa to anyone looking to develop more structure, balance, and mindfulness in their lives, and to develop as conscious and compassionate leaders."
Provided invaluable advice on managing a team
"I worked with Melissa as I transitioned into the role of CEO at my company, LitLife. Melissa provided invaluable advice on managing a team, business development and internal systems and structures at a time when I really needed the support! Working with Melissa was more than just a check-in. She pushed my thinking and ensured that my working style was taken into account when we made plans - everything we did was tailored to my authentic style of leadership, which allowed me to integrate all my learning in a sustainable and ongoing way. I highly recommend working with Melissa to gain clarity, move your work forward and gain an accountability and thought partner along the way!"
Uncover deeper cognitive blockages
"Need to make objective progress? Melissa Eisler can help you do that and more. Melissa supported me over a 6-month Executive Coaching program starting in January 2020. I initially started with her to keep me accountable to my specific personal goals and to help me improve in my role as Director of Marketing Operations at Confirm BioSciences, but I quickly found that working with Melissa would positively impact me more significantly than I had imagined. Melissa’s process and ability to uncover deeper cognitive “blockages” help me discover unconscious reasons why I’d historically had trouble achieving many of my plans. During our coaching sessions, she helped me create practices to manage or eliminate my self-inflicted limitations. Melissa truly focused on what I wanted to achieve and helped set me up for success, even after our coaching engagement came to a close. I can honestly say that I have evolved a great deal as a leader, a professional, and in many areas of my personal life. I know I will continue using the lessons and tools I learned for years to come. I’m delighted to give Melissa Eisler my highest recommendation, for anyone with a desire to make positive change and achieve their goals."
Confirm BioSciences / San Diego, CA
Melissa led an engaging session on leadership at our annual conference
"Melissa led an engaging session on leadership at our annual conference for the Women's Leadership Council - and it was a huge success! We have gotten wonderful feedback and favorable comments on her session and hope to have her back someday."
Melissa really has a knack for helping me focus
"Melissa - Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I am so grateful to have connected with Melissa - my coaching engagement was very productive and positive. When I hired Melissa, I was feeling stuck in my career and had a number of important decisions before me. After only three months with Melissa, I was not only able to make those decisions but also feel really good about them. One of the challenges I was dealing with was second guessing the decisions I was making, which kept me feeling stuck in a "hamster wheel". Now I have tools to productively work with my negative thoughts and transform them into something more positive. I also learned how important my physical body language is in my reactions and behavior, and how to become more aware of it. Melissa really has a knack for helping me focus on whatever issue is really going on, and prodding me to come up with a tangible solution or ideas or tools that I could follow or use. She made me focus on what was most pressing in the moment, and then held me accountable to what we discovered and planned together. Overall, I’m feeling more positive and accomplished and although I am pausing for now, I am sure I’ll work with Melissa again in the future."
Helped me step into a new higher profile role with confidence
"I have had professional coaching in the past but recently found myself in need of a refresher. I hired Melissa to help with a career transition and she did not disappoint! She helped me step into a new higher profile role with confidence, gaining both visibility and authority as well as a better sense of my own career ambitions. In just a few short months, I can proudly say that I’ve accomplished my goals as well as established a trajectory for the future. I’ve embraced my new role as a leader of a larger team by running more effective meetings and focusing my team members' strengths to advance projects. As a bonus, I also was able to develop and maintain a new exercise routine with Melissa holding me accountable. In just 7 sessions, my confidence, leadership skills, and team dynamics have come a long way and I’m so grateful for that rapid progress. Melissa was quite attuned to picking up on things that need to be discussed and holding me accountable to my high-level goals. I’d definitely recommend her as a leadership and executive coach."
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Certified by Newfield Network and the International Coach Federation (ICF). Member of the Forbes Coaches Council.
