Can coaching actually fix all that? It depends upon the talents of the coach as well as the ability of the CEO to change. The reigning alternative is the $10 billion a year Corporate America lavishes on leadership training. Studies show that the benefits of this seminar-heavy schooling usually vanish within a few months. But research from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management shows that the impact of coaching-like training can last seven years. The emotional-intelligence skills coaches specialize in help CEOs create more productive cultures, which in turn drive up profits, according to Daniel Goleman, Annie McKee, and Richard Boyatzis in their recent book, Primal Leadership. Premier coaches--like good therapists or sponsors in 12-step programs--hold people accountable for sticking with new behavior. Says Goleman: "Without a coach, a lot of CEOs are likely to give up."

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