About
We know that leaders work in an ever changing context and that good leadership is a force for good.
We approach leadership development as an ongoing practice for positively shaping your evolving world.
We offer our experience as executives who have trained to become executive coaches to support you in defining and accelerating how you practice your leadership, in your context, as a positive force in an evolving world.
Enlightened leadership for an evolving world
ExCo2 was founded in 2002 by Valerie Clements, who served as President until transferring that responsibility to Ian Matheson in 2018. From the outset, Valerie’s exceptional vision was to bring together coaches who could serve clients from a solid foundation in Integral coaching, a focus on personal wellness, and with experience as executive leaders. It is this mix of experience and training that has set ExCo2’s coaches apart from others, combining an awareness of the context in which our clients work with the completeness of Integral methodology. That tradition continues as we serve an ever-expanding number of ExCo2 public, private and non-profit sector clients in Canada and abroad.
The focus on leadership development for individuals and teams has become the way we fulfill our vision of enlightened leadership for an evolving world. Experience has shown us how coaching helps our clients identify new possibilities and practical steps to take towards the goals they set. Our work is informed by a clear understanding of how to advance along the developmental path, whether for individuals, organizations or society. Our measure of success is having clients who act with confidence and authenticity, contributing positively to the evolution of the world in which they live and work.
Methodology
Individual or Team Coaching
From the client’s perspective, the process typically unfolds as follows:
1. Initial Conversation
An initial meeting provides an opportunity to clarify:
- Objectives and their importance. While clients may arrive with ideas about what the coach or facilitator should provide, taking time to define the underlying challenge and desired outcomes usually leads to a more effective approach.
- Current efforts. What the client has already done to achieve their objectives—what’s working well and what isn’t.
- Context. Any other relevant information that will help the coach understand the client’s situation and tailor the work accordingly.
- Logistics. Practical details such as meeting frequency and length, preferred means of communication, any accommodations required, and the ethical parameters within which professional coaches operate.
2. Program Design and Early Awareness
In a second meeting:
- The coach presents a draft coaching program that reflects the initial discussion, outlining the overall direction of the work, shared commitments, and measures of progress. The client and coach refine this together to ensure alignment with the client’s needs.
- The client receives a first observation exercise to complete before the next meeting. This exercise is designed to help the client become more aware of the information and assumptions that shape their decisions and behaviours.
3. Ongoing Development
In subsequent meetings:
- The client and coach discuss the results of exercises and real-life applications. Through reflection and dialogue, the client’s learning becomes clearer, and their judgment about how to respond in future situations becomes more nuanced.
- The coach introduces new exercises or practices to further expand the client’s capabilities and perspectives.
4. Completion and Next Steps
In the final meeting:
- The client and coach review and acknowledge the progress made and the learning achieved.
- The coach provides recommendations for continued development to help sustain momentum.
- Together, they discuss any final insights or lessons from their work that may not have surfaced earlier.
The Role of Integral Theory
Integral Theory offers a framework for understanding human experience from multiple perspectives—individual and collective, inner and outer. Most ExCo2 coaches are trained in Integral Coaching methodology, which provides a rigorous and holistic foundation for developmental work. A concise overview of Integral Theory by Ken Wilber can be found here.
The Use of Personality Typing in Coaching
Because self-awareness is central to learning and growth, coaches may invite clients to use a personality-typing instrument to gain perspective on their patterns and ways of relating to others. ExCo2 coaches often use the Enneagram for this purpose, though other tools are available.
More information about the Enneagram and its nine type profiles can be found here.