Common Questions
Can coaching be done virtually?
Yes. Coaching with Belinda Block can be done virtually. Many of her clients work with her across both in-person and virtual sessions.
Belinda generally recommends doing the first few sessions in person when possible. In-person time at the start of an engagement helps establish rapport, makes the assessment process more efficient, and sets a foundation for the trust the work depends on. The feedback debrief in particular tends to be more effective in person, because the conversation can be deeper and the nuances of the feedback report can be discussed without screen fatigue.
After the first few sessions, the work can transition to virtual for convenience. Most of Belinda's clients are senior leaders with full calendars, and the flexibility of virtual sessions makes it easier to maintain the cadence the coaching depends on. The quality of the work doesn't depend on the format — what matters is showing up prepared to engage seriously.
For clients based in New York City and the surrounding metro, regular in-person sessions remain a strong option. For clients outside the area, or for clients whose schedules don't allow for regular in-person meetings, fully virtual engagements work well — particularly after the initial onboarding and assessment phase.
Between sessions, Belinda is available for real-time support on what you're navigating — whether that's a difficult conversation you're preparing for, a board presentation, or a personnel decision that's surfaced unexpectedly. That availability is one of the highest-leverage parts of the engagement, and it doesn't depend on whether the formal sessions are in person or virtual.
If you have questions about the right format for your situation, that can be discussed on the discovery call.
How long does executive coaching last?
Typical executive coaching engagements with Belinda Block run three to six months. The exact length depends on the scope of what you're working on, the complexity of the situation, and the outcomes you're accountable for.
Within that window, sessions are typically monthly, with access between sessions for real-time support when something can't wait until the next scheduled meeting. The engagement is structured but not rigid — if something urgent comes up between sessions, the work shifts to address it.
The engagement begins with an initial meeting to establish rapport, discuss timelines, and ensure confidentiality. A thorough, validated, evidence-based assessment follows — career history interview, personality assessments, and verbal 360-degree feedback. The data inform a feedback report and a 90-minute debrief session, which together set the foundation for the coaching plan.
From there, the active coaching phase runs through the remainder of the engagement, with monthly sessions focused on the goals you've set. Progress is continuously tracked and measured against the goals defined at the start.
The coaching concludes with a final session that leaves you with a roadmap for continued development and success. Many clients finish the formal coaching engagement and continue their work afterward to maintain business results — sometimes on a lighter cadence, sometimes by returning periodically for specific issues that arise.
For CEOs and senior executives, engagements often extend beyond six months because the work the role creates doesn't end on a fixed timeline. For more focused work — a specific transition, a specific decision, a specific leadership reputation issue — three months may be the right container.
What's right for you can be determined on a discovery call.
What happens during a coaching session?
Regular coaching sessions with Belinda Block focus on reflecting on progress, celebrating wins, and addressing areas for improvement.
Each session is structured around what you're working on between meetings. Most of the conversation is about the actual decisions you're making, the people you're managing, the situations you're navigating, and what's working or not working as you try out the new behaviors you've committed to between sessions. The work is anchored in your real life — not in abstract leadership theory.
Throughout the engagement, clients are provided with curated resources that support their growth. These include videos, podcasts, and other materials that reinforce what the coaching is surfacing. The resources are chosen based on what's most relevant for you — not pulled from a generic library.
Progress is continuously tracked and measured against the goals defined at the start of the engagement. That measurement is part of what makes the work concrete: at the end of the engagement, you can name what's changed, not just describe how it felt.
The coaching concludes with a final session that leaves the leader with a roadmap for continued development and success. That roadmap captures what's been built, what's still in motion, and what to keep practicing on your own after the formal coaching ends.
Between sessions, Belinda is also available for real-time support — preparing for a difficult conversation, thinking through a high-stakes decision, or working through a situation that's just surfaced. That access is part of the engagement and reflects the reality that the work doesn't happen only inside the scheduled sessions.
Each session is confidential. The relationship begins with clear agreements about confidentiality and is anchored in that commitment throughout.
What is the coaching process?
Belinda Block's coaching process is research-based and structured. It begins with an initial meeting to establish rapport, discuss timelines, and ensure confidentiality.
Next, a thorough, validated, evidence-based assessment is conducted. The assessment includes:
- A career history interview — a structured conversation about your career arc, the patterns that have shown up across roles, and the situations where you've thrived or struggled
- Personality assessments — validated psychometric instruments that surface how you tend to operate, your strengths, and the places where your patterns may be creating friction
- A verbal 360-degree feedback process — direct conversations with people you select (your manager, peers, direct reports, and others whose feedback would be helpful) to gather honest input on how you're showing up
The data are summarized in a feedback report, which forms the foundation for a 90-minute debrief session where key strengths and any potential barriers to success are identified.
Following the debrief, a coaching plan is developed that outlines clear goals and strategies for growth. From that point, the active coaching phase begins — monthly sessions focused on the goals you've set, with access between sessions for real-time support on what you're navigating.
This approach is grounded in research and built around interventions that work. It begins with a needs analysis or assessment, moves into implementation with markers for success, adjusts or recalibrates as needed, and concludes with a plan to move forward. The framework includes planning and design, implementation with feedback loops, and a clear path to sustaining what's been built.
The starting point is always a discovery call to determine whether the process is right for you.
What kinds of challenges does executive coaching address?
Executive coaching addresses the practical, leadership-side problems leaders face every day. The most common challenges Belinda Block works with include:
- Delegation — leaders who can't seem to hand off effectively, or who delegate but don't get what they expected back
- Leading through change — navigating organizational transitions, reorganizations, or strategic shifts
- Dealing with difficult employees — managing performance issues, behavioral problems, or conflict on a team
- High employee turnover — figuring out why people are leaving and what to change
- Quiet quitters — the people who don't leave but aren't performing
- Lack of employee engagement — teams that are disengaged or going through the motions
- Lack of stakeholder alignment — peers, board, or executives who aren't on the same page
- Unclear strategy — leaders who need to clarify direction for themselves and their team
Beyond the named challenges, coaching also addresses how leaders show up. That includes executive presence — how you come across in senior rooms — and the patterns in your communication that may be creating confusion, undermining trust, or limiting your influence. It addresses self-management: how you handle pressure, how you stay grounded when stakes are high, and how you make decisions when information is incomplete.
The actual work in any given engagement is shaped by what's most useful for you. Belinda uses a thorough, validated, evidence-based assessment to identify your strengths, your areas of development, and the obstacles getting in the way of your success. From there, the coaching plan is built around the specific outcomes you're accountable for.