The Intentional Design of Stewardship: A Case Study

With these two statements (and commitments) in place, the focus turned to recruiting participants and convening the new summit.

Convene

The first step in this stewardship engagement was to identify appropriate stakeholders who would be invited to this event. This was not to be a gathering to which everyone is invited. Rather it was to be a gathering (in-person and/or virtual) to which seasoned and thoughtful practitioners, as well as thought-leaders who are working specifically with executives and other leaders in mid-21st organizations. A list of 120 men and women who met these qualifications were invited.

Original NECS Invitation

Following is the main message delivered in the initial invitation that went out to this invitees:

It’s time to connect in person again! You are hereby invited to The New Executive Coaching Summit (NECS).
What is it? An intimate, evidence-based, invitation-only conversation with 50 exceptional colleagues to both reflect on the past 25 years of coaching and forecast the next 25 years of the industry. Preceded by a series of surveys regarding executive coaching and followed by multiple publications regarding insights generated at NECS, this will be a highly productive and consequential forum for the stewardship of our field (as were the initial Executive Coaching Summits).
When? Tuesday evening through Friday morning, April 26-29, 2022 (or if Covid makes us postpone, the back-up dates will be October 25-28, 2022 – we are determined to have it in person!) In the meantime, we will adhere to the Covid protocols of the day.
Where? Harpswell Inn Bed & Breakfast on Lookout Point in Harpswell, Maine—a scenic and historic inn located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in the heart of lobster country.
Why? To connect in person with a diverse group of brilliant professionals for extended, generative, evidence-based dialogue to create tangible, if not transformational outcomes and future actions to lead the next 25 years of Executive Coaching.

Further Clarification

After the initial invitation went out by emails, several of those who have been invited hesitated in registering because they were unclear about the purposes and desired outcomes of this summit. While they indicated that they would like to meet with and network with other accomplished coaches, this would not be enough—especially given the uncertainties of COVID and the demands in their own work schedule. The following follow-up invitation went out to all invitees:

It is clear to all three of us (Bill, Suzi, and Garry) that the NECS is not just a reunion and renewal of old acquaintances. It has a much more important purpose related to stewardship of the field of professional coaching (and specifically the coaching of executives in organizational settings). Unlike when the original Executive Coaching Summits (ECSs) were held, we now have venues for the distribution of important documents regarding the status and future of the field that are generated in conjunction with NECS.