"As a coach, I want to understand the person well as there could be hidden topics that hinder an individual from achieving his or her full potential," Willinge added. "Many personal issues will be shared, the confidentiality and the relationship are very important."

Willinge said coaching is best performed by external resources which bring experiences from across different industries and also allow the individual to feel comfortable sharing personal information.

A typical executive coaching engagement is a 12-month program with 10-12 monthly sections. In between sections there are self-observation exercises: the individual writes in a journal to record the learning experience and to review the outcome. Willinge noted the self-observation exercise is critical as it is a tool to ensure the coaching advice, which is designed specifically for the organization environment, is being applied.

"I'd say the most important part of this program is on-the-ground training," he said. "My philosophy is that in an executive coaching program, 70% is on-the-job exercises, 15% coaching and 15% education or training."

Willinge explained that unlike other off-site leadership development programing, executive coaching focuses on applying skills in real-world business scenarios and measuring achievements along the way. Both the individual and the sponsors review progress and refine targets throughout the program.