Why an “Executive” Coach matters for Business English Coaching Services

Executive coaching is not for everyone, especially when it comes to improving one’s English communications, specifically speaking and writing.  It is more advanced, more sophisticated, and more concentrated than typical coaching or tutoring.  It needs to be, since business and professional people often have non-negotiable timelines and precise, immediate issues.  

Business Experience

Executives and professionals who engage executive coaches to improve their English place value on working with specialists who are steeped in standard business practices and the expectations on business people to express themselves directly, effectively and succinctly.  These specialists must also have an arsenal of tools and techniques, as well as the insight to know how and where to use them best, to help the client achieve his or her goals and objectives.  

Teaching Skills

The most successful coaches also have an understanding of best pedagogical practices, which is the knowledge and awareness that come from studying education, from experience teaching, and from regular reflection on those experiences.

ESL Expertise

Two requirements for executive English coaches are academic training and practical classroom experience teaching ESL (English as a Second Language). This is because there are principles involved with teaching ESL that must be learned and practiced. For example, while the English language consists of five vowels, it is a mistake to assume – as many students and teachers do – that there are only five vowel sounds.  In fact, in American English there are 14 different vowel sounds, not five!  

That’s one thing that makes learning to speak English complicated. It’s easy for English Learners to get hung up with the American vowel sounds, and vowels are what makes words understandable.  Getting these straight can mean the difference between being easily understood and being misunderstood or, worse, being ignored by a frustrated listener.

So, the next time you are faced with a decision as to which English coach to hire to advance your business and professional needs, think about evaluating the coaches on the basis of their business background, their teaching experience, and their training in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).