Certified Executive Coaches (with the CCE designation from the Executive Coach Institute) partner with the client in an ongoing relationship specifically undertaken to assist the client in fulfilling assigned objectives. These objectives primarily focus on business intent, strategic goal assessment and working on areas to improve the client's knowledge, insight, communication skills, behavioral awareness and the impact these have on their peers, direct reports, employees, and stakeholders. Executive coaching often is designed with significant milestones centered on learning, self-awareness and benchmarking progress in the both soft and hard skill sets.

Certified Executive Coaches (CCEs) are focused on observing, listening, and providing insight and feedback. Their approach is tailored to the learning and communication styles of their clients; however, the Certified Executive Coach will ensure that the appropriate learning occurs in alignment with the Executive Coach Program. As the relationship and learning process unfolds, the Certified Executive Coach will help the client walk through issues, formulate strategies, suggest benchmarking goals, and provide ongoing feedback and insight as the client works through their strategy and goal plans. A fundamental principle in coaching is that the Certified Executive Coach supports and challenges the client to achieve goals and to help the client come up with plans that best move progress forward in creative and profitable ways.