Executive coaching is a professional relationship between a trained coach and a client (who may be an individual or a group) with the goal to enhance the client’s leadership or management performance and development. Through a process of inquiry, dialogue, and other tools, the coach serves as a thought partner to help the client examine and develop his or her decision-making, experiment with new ways of thinking and being, and commit to action steps that help achieve the client’s goals.

(Source: Jeffrey E. Auerbach, Ph.D., MCC)

"Coaching is not telling people what to do; it's giving them a chance to examine what they are doing in light of their intentions."
(Source: James Flaherty "Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others")

"A masterful coach is a vision builder and value shaper... Who enters into the learning system of a person, business, or social institution with the intent of improving it so as to impact people's ability to perform."
(Source: Robert Hargrove in "Masterful Coaching" page 17.)

"Executive coaching is a company-sponsored perk for top high potential employees. It is a customized and holistic development process that provides deep behavioral insights intended to accelerate an executive's business results and effectiveness as a leader. This coaching is based on a collaborative relationship among the executive, his/her boss, his/her human resources manager, and an executive coach."
(Source: Karol Wasylyshyn)

"Executive coaching is defined as a helping relationship formed between a client who has managerial authority and responsibility in an organization and a consultant who uses a wide variety of behavioral techniques and methods to assist the client achieve a mutually identified set of goals to improve his or her professional performance and personal satisfaction and consequently to improve the effectiveness of the client's organization within a formally defined coaching agreement."
(Source: Richard R Kilburg in Executive Coaching: Developing Managerial Wisdom in a World of Chaos)