Executive Coaching · German · English

Executive Coaching – When you’re at the top but don’t want to be alone.

Business coaching for CEOs, board members, and executives. Confidential, clear, and on equal footing—in German and English.

At the top, there’s less time for small talk. Decisions must be made quickly, precisely, and under pressure. Sometimes you simply need someone who thinks along with you without passing judgment—and with whom you can discuss things that can’t be said within the team.

Geschäftsmann und Geschäftsfrau begegnen sich für einen Handschlag in modernem Bürogebäude – Symbol für Augenhöhe, klare Vereinbarungen und vertrauensvolle Zusammenarbeit im Coaching
Souveräne Führungskraft steht entspannt vor ihrem Team im Besprechungsraum – Symbol für gelöste Konflikte und stabile Zusammenarbeit durch Mediation in Unternehmen

What Business Coaching Means to Me

A confidential space for clarity, decision-making, and attitude

Business coaching is neither mentoring nor consulting. I don’t give you answers—I help you find your own more quickly and clearly. In structured, confidential conversations, we work on whatever is on your mind right now: Decisions, conflicts, steps toward growth, new roles, and personal self-assessment.

My coaching combines thirty years of my own experience in leadership positions with proven coaching methods—including NLP, systemic approaches, and trauma-informed support. I understand the pressure you’re under. And I know that the most effective solutions don’t come from the coaching itself, but from you.

What you’ll get from me: a calm, clear sparring partner. Outside your organization. Without a political agenda. Without judgment. Without applause.

Business coaching means

What business coaching is not

When responsibility becomes a lonely burden, a clear, outside perspective can help.

At the top, it becomes harder to speak your mind. Things you can’t say within the team. Things you mustn’t reveal to the board. Things you don’t want your family to hear. And sometimes even things you don’t want to admit to yourself.

This is exactly where coaching comes in. Not to change you—but to help you see what gets lost in the day-to-day. The question behind the question. The pattern that repeats itself. The values you actually want to uphold.

Many clients come to me saying, “I really just need someone who thinks along with me, without being part of the team.” That’s exactly what I do.

Souveräne Führungskraft steht im Vordergrund, während im Hintergrund das Team konzentriert arbeitet – Symbol für klare Führungspräsenz und stabiles Auftreten unter Druck

Typical Reasons for Coaching

Executive coaching stems from what matters to you.

Clarifying Strategic Decisions

When several options sound plausible, but none of them feels quite right. When your gut feeling and your analysis don’t align.

Taking on a New Role with Confidence

A promotion, a fresh start, a change in role. The knowledge is there—but the right mindset sometimes takes longer to develop.

Resolving conflicts without escalation

When the atmosphere sours and political maneuvering takes more energy than the actual work.

Personal self-assessment

When external success is there, but something is missing internally. Clarifying values, life stage, “What’s next?”

Pulling back before reaching your limit, rather than after

When exhaustion sets in, but you don’t want to wait until your body gives out.

Sharpening Your Understanding of Leadership

What kind of leader do you want to be? What kind of leader are you today—and where is the gap?

Communicating Clearly—Even Under Pressure.

Preparing for difficult conversations, board presentations, crisis communication, and negotiations.

Self-Management in Complex Times

Setting priorities, managing energy, and dealing with uncertainty—without resorting to actionism.
Susanne Smith-Hinz – Mediation, Coaching und Hypnose für Privatpersonen, Paare, Teams und Führungskräfte

What Sets Me Apart—and What Doesn’t

I am neither a pure consultant nor a pure therapist. My coaching combines the two things executives often need: professional acumen and personal depth.

What I Bring to the Table:

  • Thirty years of leadership and business responsibility—I know firsthand the pressures of quarterly targets, reorganizations, and personnel decisions
  • International experience—fifteen years in the U.S., working as a lead agent in e-commerce at Lufthansa InTouch, and running my own cleaning company within the U.S. Postal Service
  • Trauma-informed approach—I also acknowledge what lies beneath the professional facade
  • Coaching in German and English at a native-level proficiency
  • Experience with team and group formats—supplementary team coaching available upon request
  • Discretion and confidentiality – your coaching takes place outside your professional environment

What you won’t get from me:

  • No “method showcase”
  • No cookie-cutter packages
  • No theoretical coaching without personal experience
  • No “You must now…”—but rather a collaborative process

How the Coaching Process Works

Here’s how we proceed together—in four phases.

1. Initial Consultation

We get to know each other, clarify your situation, and determine whether working together is a good fit for both of us. The initial consultation is free and non-binding—it lasts about 30 to 60 minutes and takes place online or by phone.

2. Clarifying the Assignment and Defining Goals

We agree on the framework, the topics, and what you specifically want to achieve. Sometimes the goal is clear—sometimes it only emerges during the first coaching session. Both approaches are valid.

3. The Actual Coaching Sessions

A coaching session typically lasts 90 to 120 minutes. Most clients meet every two to four weeks, depending on the topic. In total, a coaching program typically consists of four to eight sessions—shorter for clearly defined issues, longer for more in-depth change processes.

4. Conclusion and Transfer

There is no “final exam” at the end—instead, you’ll have a clear picture of what has changed, what you’ve gained, and what you’d like to continue focusing on. Upon request, individual follow-up sessions can be scheduled later to assess your progress.
Susanne Smith-Hinz – ruhige, einfühlsame Begleitung bei Konflikten, Entscheidungen und innerer Veränderung

Format and Confidentiality

My coaching takes place outside your organization—that’s part of what makes it effective. Most clients particularly appreciate that there is no connection to their work environment.

Available formats:

  • Online via a secure video platform—efficient, location-independent, and the most popular choice
  • In person in the Schwäbisch Hall region or, upon request, in your area (e.g., Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Frankfurt)
  • Hybrid—some sessions in person, others online

Regarding confidentiality:

As a coach, I am bound by a duty of confidentiality. What you tell me remains between us—even if your employer is funding the coaching. In this case, we will clarify in writing beforehand that only you have the final say regarding the content and course of the coaching.

Common Concerns – and Honest Answers

What you might still be wondering

How much does executive coaching cost?

Fees depend on the scope, format, and objectives. A coaching session lasting 90 to 120 minutes falls within the standard range for executive coaching in German-speaking countries. In the initial consultation, we’ll determine together what your situation requires. You’ll then receive a clear, transparent proposal, often as a package covering multiple sessions.
That depends on your specific needs. For clearly defined issues, four to six sessions are often sufficient. For more in-depth change processes—such as taking on a new role or conducting a personal assessment—six to ten sessions are typical. We do not agree on fixed packages in advance; instead, we define what makes sense after each stage.
Yes, business coaching is generally tax-deductible as professional development, as income-related expenses for employees, or as business expenses for the self-employed and companies. Your tax advisor can clarify the exact conditions. I will provide you with a corresponding invoice.
In consulting, you’re presented with solutions—someone with expertise tells you what to do. In coaching, you develop your own solutions—I facilitate the process, ask the right questions, and you provide the answers. Both can be valuable. For strategic and personal clarity, coaching is often more sustainable because the solution comes from you—and therefore sticks.
Yes. I coach in both German and English at a native level—fifteen years in the U.S. and many years of experience in international corporations have shaped my approach to coaching.
As discreetly as possible. As a coach, I am bound by confidentiality. The content of the coaching sessions is not shared with third parties—not even with employers who are funding the coaching. In such cases, we clarify in writing beforehand that only you have the final say regarding the content and course of the coaching.

Yes. If, in addition to executive coaching, a team also needs guidance—for example, following a conflict or a reorganization—I offer team coaching as a complementary format. Learn more on the team coaching page.

Yes. I coach executives in both German and English at a native-speaker level—fifteen years in the U.S. and many years of experience in international corporations shape my approach to leadership coaching. This is particularly useful if you’d prefer to address a topic in a language that carries less emotional baggage, or if your professional environment is international.

What My Clients Say

The most honest answer to how i work comes from the people who have experienced it firsthand.

I participated in a leadership coaching program with Susanne Smith-Hinz at Smith-Hinz Mediation & Coaching, and I’m absolutely thrilled! With her open and empathetic approach, Susanne provided exactly the right guidance. The coaching helped me become clearer, more self-assured, and more composed—both professionally and personally. A truly enriching experience—I highly recommend it!
Daniela Müller
Leadership-Coaching
A fantastic workshop on leadership that succinctly captures the complexity and challenges of the topic while never losing sight of the target audience. Many thanks to Susanne and Thomas!
Eva Knupfer
Workshop Leadership
During the coaching sessions, Susanne pointed out my communication mistakes in a sensitive and honest way, which really helped me recognize for myself what I truly want to achieve. She also gave me tools to help me avoid these communication mistakes in the future and approach conversations without fear. Intensive, moving, personalized, tailored to my situation, and very helpful. I felt accepted and very well advised. Highly recommended.
Eva Zimmerman
Communication Training
've participated in a couple of emotional, managerial, and leadership workshops over the decades. However, rooted in the guidance of Marshall B. Rosenberg's knowledge, as well as a few other plausible prompts, what the "Smith-Hinz Team" offers is profoundly endearing in numerous ways that can't necessarily be pinned / penned down in such a limited space. Yet this group workshop is impeccably modified for each person involved, if but due to the humility and humanity Sue and Thomas commit themselves to in lieu of exchanging their knowledge and leadership with others.
Frederik Canada
Leadership Workshop

A First Step with No Obligation

How i work – and who it's for

I work with executives who know enough not to have to negotiate everything themselves, are willing to take a close look at where things aren’t going smoothly, and are looking for a sparring partner who neither needs to be impressed nor has an agenda of their own.

I’m based in Fichtenau-Wildenstein in the Schwäbisch Hall district. I work online and in hybrid formats throughout Germany and internationally. For in-person meetings, I’m happy to travel to your region—often to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Munich, Frankfurt, Heilbronn, Ulm, Würzburg, or Cologne. International meetings are also possible.

Initial consultations can be scheduled within a few days, and I respond to inquiries within 48 hours.

Here are four key assurances:

  • The initial consultation is free and non-binding
  • You decide the content and direction
  • Coaching takes place outside your professional environment
  • English-language coaching is also available—at a native-speaker level
Geschäftsfrau lehnt entspannt an einer Wand und führt ein Telefonat – Symbol für ein erstes, unverbindliches Kennenlerngespräch zum Coaching