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Torch

Top 24 Program Design Options for Enterprise Coaching

By TorchSources reviewed Published 12 min read
In this article

Design your enterprise coaching program around what each leadership group needs to accomplish differently, then select your partner. New managers tackling difficult conversations and senior directors making cross-functional decisions require different experiences, even when funded from the same budget.

These providers take different approaches to program design. Coaching platforms tailor experiences for specific populations; consultancies and business schools incorporate coaching into broader leadership development journeys; learning and assessment firms include it as one component. The profiles outline each published service. For the wider enterprise decision, see the comparison hub.

Key takeaways

  • Torch is a leadership coaching and alignment platform. Talent teams collaborate with Torch to shape programs around company goals, with ICF coaches, Spark AI rehearsal and reporting based on 360 feedback.
  • BetterUp, CoachHub and BTS / Sounding Board build programs on coaching platforms. Korn Ferry, CCL, INSEAD and IMD place coaching within broader leadership journeys.
  • Assessment or advisory work provides the starting point for AIIR Consulting, DDI, Heidrick & Struggles and Stewart Leadership. Growthspace and Skillsoft begin with skills and content.
  • A usable program charter assigns every launch task an owner. That is more valuable than a lengthy catalogue of possible components.
  • Avoid assigning everyone the same format. Establish who needs private coaching, peer learning or work with their whole team.

Allocate formats by the work, not the grade

  • Describe the work first. Identify two or three recurring decisions for each population, whether an integration, a new operating model or a first team. These situations give design and evaluation a clearer basis than a general confidence goal.
  • Choose the appropriate format. Use individual coaching for private, role-specific concerns, peer cohorts for shared transitions and intact-team coaching for issues between colleagues who work together. The group coaching and team coaching guides examine the latter formats.
  • Assign operating responsibilities. Eligibility, protected time, communications, roster changes and sponsor reviews each need one owner across employer and provider. See the onboarding and coach selection guides for those stages. Agree participant eligibility and allocation criteria with the sponsor before opening invitations.
  • Specify the purchase. A portfolio demonstrates capability, not contracted entitlements. Request that finalists clearly distinguish launch commitments from future options in the statement of work.

1. Torch

Talent teams tailor Torch enterprise coaching to align with the company’s coaching objectives. The program operates through the Torch platform, which brings human coaching, optional Spark rehearsal and program reporting together.

Organizational configuration is shared ground: BetterUp and CoachHub also align development with business priorities. Torch is a useful fit when the design needs to combine private coaching, peer cohorts and one shared coach for an intact team, with the mix and reporting agreed around the work.

The coaching and operating essentials.

  • Each coach holds an ICF credential and brings at least five years of coaching experience, with matching based on role requirements, career level, development goals and company-specific context.
  • The platform handles scheduling, participant matching preferences, roster adjustments and agreed reporting functions, while maintaining the confidentiality of coaching conversations.
  • Available formats include one-on-one coaching, coach-led peer groups of six to nine participants, and Dynamic Team Coaching, where a single coach supports both a manager and their entire team.

How company context informs delivery.

  • Coaches can access company-wide coaching objectives, participants’ development focus areas and preferred coaching approaches, helping carry the program design into individual sessions.
  • Executive, Core and Emerging coach tiers each have specific requirements for credentials, coaching hours and leadership experience, with the appropriate pool determined by the leader population.
  • A 360 assessment against the client’s leadership capacities can open the program, followed by an impact reassessment at its close. Between sessions, participants can use Spark, Torch’s AI tool for reflection and conversation practice.

Program formats, session quantities and reporting requirements are customized for each engagement, with newer journeys like Promotion Kickstart remaining proposed designs Torch can configure rather than shipped products. Tabitha Nelson, Talent Program Manager at Twitch: “I highly recommend working with Torch because they are a partner” (customer stories).

2. Korn Ferry

Korn Ferry’s leadership development offering offers customized development paths and program management, integrating coaching with assessment, learning and succession planning. This approach may be ideal for organizations evaluating multiple leadership levels, especially those already using Korn Ferry assessments. Be sure to clarify which discovery outputs your organization will retain and which implementation commitments are involved, as a focused coaching requirement might expand into a broader consulting engagement.

3. Center for Creative Leadership

Center for Creative Leadership integrates coaching with its development initiatives. For instance, after attending a workshop on challenging conversations, participants can work with a coach to prepare for and reflect on an actual discussion. This continuity might appeal to employers wanting a structured leadership development path. Be sure to outline how responsibilities are transferred between facilitators, coaches, and sponsors, including what information can be shared among them.

4. BTS / Sounding Board

BTS scaled coaching, which includes Sounding Board, counted once here, merges program design with platform management. This can assist HR teams with limited resources in coordinating large-scale programs that serve multiple populations. Determine which recurring tasks will be transferred to the provider, as roster preparation, participant communications, coach coordination, and sponsor reviews each require separate oversight. Walk through what happens when a coach becomes unavailable to understand how these responsibilities function in practice.

5. BetterUp

BetterUp’s platform provides launch support and organizational configuration, so make sure the proposal specifies which product you’re considering. BetterUp Lead combines dedicated senior-leader coaching with assessments and AI learning, while BetterUp Manage integrates manager coaching, AI practice, peer learning, Team Pulse check-ins, and facilitated team coaching. This platform approach could suit an enterprise looking for a comprehensive solution. Establish clear conditions for expansion so that adding another population remains a deliberate design decision.

6. CoachHub

CoachHub’s coaching experience incorporates onboarding and matching into a digital participant journey, making it possible to implement coaching across distributed locations without requiring a local coordinator for every participant. Its platform aligns coaching focus areas with organizational goals. Agree with CoachHub which design and operating decisions it will own and which remain with your team. Establish a plan for handling non-activation before sending out invitations.

7. Growthspace

Growthspace connects individuals with experts for targeted skill-development sprints, which can be done individually or in cohorts. This approach works well for specific, defined objectives—such as helping project leaders structure stakeholder presentations—rather than ongoing, open-ended coaching relationships. Determine who will verify that the selected skill addresses the underlying need.

8. AIIR Consulting

AIIR Consulting integrates assessment, coaching, learning, and team development into cohesive leadership solutions. Consider this option when these components need to work together as part of a coordinated design rather than being purchased separately. Identify which elements are essential and which are optional, and clarify who delivers each component, ensuring the overall engagement remains proportional to your needs.

9. New Level Work

New Level Work combines coaching, training, and assessment to develop managers. A program might teach a new manager a specific practice while coaching a more experienced manager on applying it within a challenging relationship. Review the proposed experience on a week-by-week basis, including both preparation and workplace application. Ask for a clear rationale behind each component included in the program mix.

10. Coachello

Coachello provides professional coaching aligned with organizational goals, enabling participants to develop within a shared framework. Note that workshops, AI practice, and internal-coach options are available as separate services. Confirm exactly what’s included in the human-coaching engagement and how the program addresses any differences between sponsor priorities and participant goals.

11. Sharpist

Sharpist approaches digital coaching as a tool for navigating change and transformation. Sharpist also describes advising clients on coaching and tailoring programs and micro-tasks to organizational goals. When working with them, provide a specific objective—like helping leaders define decision-making authority—and plan how the program will adjust if a different issue emerges during implementation.

12. Skillsoft

Skillsoft’s coaching solution sheet outlines customized onboarding and learning support for coaching within its broader enterprise learning platform. This offers an additional pathway for linking individual development with your existing content investment. Instead of assuming these features are included in your learning contract, confirm the current product capabilities and available integrations directly.

13. CoachSource

CoachSource matches coach selection and program design to client needs. Its stated audience runs from directors through the C-suite and board. It can suit senior-leader programs spanning business units that need consistent contracting and progress-review standards. Be clear about how coaches will understand your business context without being pressured to deliver management’s preferred solutions. Designate an internal program owner to oversee the period following launch.

14. Hult Ashridge

Hult Ashridge offers organizational solutions that include one-to-one coaching, team coaching and coaching culture initiatives. They provide a design consultation that connects leadership development with organizational learning and change. Since these are separately defined interventions, be specific about which level of engagement the program will address.

15. TPC Leadership & Culture

TPC Leadership & Culture structures leadership programs around organizational expectations, incorporating coaching as one element. Ask that the proposal connect every assessment, workshop and coaching session to a genuine leadership challenge. The proposal should also specify what will be omitted when participants have limited time available.

16. INSEAD

INSEAD creates customized organizational programs with executive-coaching capability. Their approach is more of an executive education partnership than a coaching platform, which suits leaders taking on enterprise-wide responsibilities who need both strategic knowledge and private reflection. Define how faculty, coaches and the client team will coordinate while still protecting the coaching relationship.

17. IMD

IMD provides tailored coaching for individuals, teams and entire organizations. This flexibility allows you to determine the appropriate level of intervention before selecting a program structure. When unclear authority leads to frequent escalations, individual coaching by itself might not be the right starting point. Document the audience, duration and confidentiality boundaries in the proposal.

18. The ExCo Group

The ExCo Group constructs custom enterprise programs that combine cohort and individual development around a transformation. Cohort work can reveal shared implementation challenges, while private coaching explores each leader’s personal contribution. Define the transformation through specific decisions that participants can actually influence rather than a vague aspiration.

19. Heidrick & Struggles

Heidrick & Struggles creates tailored experiences for senior executives, strategically important leaders and those preparing for broader roles. Verify that differences in program design reflect each group’s actual work responsibilities rather than just their organizational level. Establish which assessment information will be used for development purposes and which will inform talent decisions.

20. Henley Leadership Group

Henley Leadership Group offers leadership coaching and development, including custom programs and operational support. Track a sample participant’s journey from invitation through final review to evaluate the program design. Identify what elements remain standard across participants and what aspects are customized for each individual.

21. The Upward Spiral Group

The Upward Spiral Group creates leadership programs tailored to your organization’s specific values and expectations. Be sure to ask how they handle accountability when commitments are missed or priorities are disputed. Effective customization should transform the development experience itself, not just the wording used to describe it.

22. Stewart Leadership

Stewart Leadership offers a comprehensive approach that integrates leadership development, executive coaching, and organizational consulting. This option might be worth considering if your program needs to address both individual capabilities and the broader work environment for leaders. Just be clear to separate the responsibility for recommending organizational changes from the authority to approve them.

23. DDI

DDI delivers customizable assessment and development solutions. This could be a good fit if you need coaching to align with your existing leadership framework. Make sure to clarify whether their proposed coaching involves one-to-one professional support, managers coaching their teams, or facilitated group sessions, as each requires different staffing considerations and confidentiality protocols.

24. Performance Consultants

Performance Consultants specializes in tailored consulting and culture development for organizations that want to integrate coaching into daily operations. This differs from designing a program for specific participants. It’s important to distinguish between receiving coaching and learning to coach others, and to identify what organizational conditions would be needed to support the proposed cultural transformation.

Compare the 24 options

ProviderOfferDesigned forDeliveryWorth checking
TorchProgram design on a coaching platformTalent teams, mid-market to enterpriseIndividual, group, team coachingFormats and reporting per engagement
Korn FerryCustom journeys, program managementMulti-level leadership architectureAdvisory engagementDiscovery versus implementation
Center for Creative LeadershipCoaching integrated with programsCCL program participantsManaged coaching plus workshopsHandoffs and information boundaries
BTS / Sounding BoardScaled coaching, platform managementLarge multi-population programsManaged operationWhich tasks move
BetterUpLead and Manage configurationEnterprises choosing a platformPlatform, coaching, AI, peersNamed product, expansion gates
CoachHubDigital onboarding and matchingDistributed rolloutsPlatform journeyNon-activation policy
GrowthspaceExpert-led skill sprintsBounded capability briefsIndividual or cohort sprintsWho diagnoses the skill
AIIR ConsultingIntegrated leadership solutionsMulti-component designsConsulting-ledEssential versus optional
New Level WorkCoaching, training, assessment mixManager populationsBlended programWeek-by-week rationale
CoachelloGoal-aligned coachingCommon development directionHuman coaching, add-ons separateGoal reconciliation
SharpistDigital coaching for changeLeaders in a transformationDigital coachingAdaptation as change evolves
SkillsoftCoaching within enterprise learningExisting content investmentsLearning platform plus coachingCurrent scope, integrations
CoachSourceClient-shaped coaching programMulti-unit coaching servicesManaged coachingCoach briefing, internal owner
Hult AshridgeIndividual, team, coaching cultureOrganizational development buyersBusiness-school coachingWhich level of intervention
TPC Leadership & CultureExpectation-led programsTailored leadership journeysPrograms with coachingSituation behind each activity
INSEADCustom executive educationLeaders taking enterprise rolesFaculty plus coachingCoordination with coaches
IMDCoaching at three levelsCalibrating the interventionBusiness-school coachingAudience and boundaries
The ExCo GroupCohort plus individual developmentTransformation-linked journeysBlended programActionable definition of change
Heidrick & StrugglesTailored development experiencesDistinct leadership populationsAdvisory-ledDevelopment versus talent data
Henley Leadership GroupPrograms with operating supportSponsors needing operations helpOperated programStandard versus adaptive parts
The Upward Spiral GroupBespoke program designValues-led developmentCustom designLearning versus vocabulary
Stewart LeadershipDevelopment plus consultingCapability and contextMixed servicesWho decides organizational change
DDIAssessment and development systemExisting DDI usersCustomizable solutionsWhat coaching means
Performance ConsultantsCulture-development consultingCoaching-culture initiativesConsultingReceiving versus learning to coach

Settle the charter before you shortlist

Keep these five decisions concise enough for your launch team to work with:

  • Business purpose. Describe the decision or behavior the program supports in terms participants understand.
  • Audience, by population. Consider this hypothetical example with two different populations. New regional managers could join a peer cohort during their first ninety days, with additional one-on-one coaching for those taking over struggling teams. Meanwhile, senior directors leading an integration might work individually with coaches from a more senior pool. While both groups share the same overall purpose, their program formats would align with their distinct types of work. This illustrates program design, not cost savings.
  • Participant experience. Clearly outline the formats, session counts, protected time allocations, and the work expected between sessions.
  • Sponsor responsibilities. Specify who will be responsible for protecting participants’ time, addressing access issues, and approving program communications.
  • Review standard. Verify that the intended participants actually took part, that delivery matched the program design, and that sufficient evidence exists to inform your next decision. Be sure to budget for the entire first year, including internal staff time, and identify what elements could be reused for a second cohort.

What the research says

A controlled study in Frontiers in Psychology examined feedback, a workshop and individual coaching combined for leaders within one company. Supervisors reported improved coaching skills, while other measures produced mixed findings. The research supports testing a coherent program design; it does not isolate each component’s effect or predict another organization’s results.

Frequently asked questions

What is Torch?

Torch is a leadership coaching and alignment platform that helps talent teams assign the right development approach to different leaders. You can arrange individual coaching, peer cohorts or team coaching based on each group's needs. Leaders work with ICF coaches matched to their level, with 360 assessments and custom reporting scoped to the engagement to track colleague-reported behavior change.

What should HR decide before contacting a provider?

Before reaching out to a provider, you should clearly define the business problem you're addressing, who will participate, and any constraints around time, budget and data usage. You don't need a complete curriculum at this stage, but you should know which specific decisions or behaviors you want to change and who will safeguard participants' time.

Is a coaching platform the same as a managed program?

No, coaching platforms and managed programs aren't the same thing. Platforms offer technology and might include delivery support, while managed programs give the provider specific operational responsibilities. Make sure you're clear about who will handle communications, participant issues, roster changes and reviews—a single brand might offer either type of arrangement.

Should every participant receive the same format?

Standardize your approach only when participants have similar needs. For a single program purpose, you might offer individual coaching to some leaders, organize peer cohorts for others, and arrange team coaching for a smaller group. Be transparent about these choices so everyone understands the design's rationale and fairness.

How small should a pilot be?

Design your pilot to be small enough for thorough review but diverse enough to test the locations, roles, schedules and access requirements you'll face in a full rollout. If you limit the pilot to only your easiest participants, you won't learn much about whether to expand the program.

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