Judith Colemon

Climbing to the top management ranks can be tough without a guide, and a new program at Texas Christian University aims to prepare more coaches to fill that role.

For the first time this year, the university will offer the Sherpa Executive Coaching certification program. TCU is the only school in Texas and one of only six institutions in the U.S. to offer the program, which is based on a process developed by Brenda Corbett and Judith Colemon, co-authors of The Sherpa Guide.

The program is named for the Sherpas of Nepal, who have long served as guides to climbers on Mount Everest.

"We thought that was a perfect analogy for the relationship of a coach to their clients," said Ms. Colemon, who will teach the TCU classes. "We can't do it for you, but we're going to provide you with a pretty in-depth toolbox."

Ms. Colemon and Ms. Corbett have been working together since the mid-1990s, teaching communication and management skills. Ms. Colemon says she came to realize how technology has eroded communication skills in the workplace.

"The backlash of technology is that we have lost our ability to just have basic, simple conversations with each other," she said.

The Sherpa program aims to equip a new generation of executive coaches to help managers communicate their expectations more clearly.

"This is a topic that resonates worldwide," said Deb Baker, director of executive development at the Tandy Center for Executive Leadership at TCU.

With many baby boomers retiring, "we have a huge leadership gap that needs to be filled the next three or four years," she said.

The certification program entails 60 classroom hours. The first runs Jan. 23-24 and costs $1,900. The second session costs $5,600, with classes in February and March. Call 817-257-7115 or e-mail neeleyexec@tcu.edu.

jchamberlain@dallasnews.com