An Executive Coach by your side
Successful world-class athletes, including golfers and tennis players, and world-class CEOs, from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 CEOs, have had executive coaches by their sides for a long time. However, although executives and managers would certainly benefit from similar coaching, not enough are taking advantage of the opportunity.
Executive coaches challenge, nudge, and support their clients. They improve decision making and stimulate action. They identify blind spots and work on remedies. They are aware of, but unbound by, internal politics. They provide trusted, confidential sounding boards to executives. They facilitate transitions. In short, executive coaches foster peak performance.
Too good to be true? Not so. Good executive coaches have operational backgrounds and have dealt with, or been exposed to, the challenges faced by their clients before, so they bring those experience to the consultation. They also bring information gathered from years of coaching and consulting with other clients. And, as they work one-on-one with their clients and all information exchanged is confidential, both clients and coaches are comfortable being direct with one another, which allows them to efficiently address underlying issues.
Expectations from high potential executives have never been higher, not in this lifetime. And, although they are generally adept at performing under pressure in changing environments, there is no applicable blueprint on delivering peak performance while recovering from a pandemic. Markets and supply chains are disrupted. Technology-powered contenders are competing fiercely. New generations of employees are arriving in the workforce with their own, discrete set of expectations. And, the “regular” business needs still require the same attention they always did, at the very least.
No senior executive should attempt to do it all on their own, for, if they did, they wouldn’t perform at their best, and their businesses would not either. Turning to a colleague for help can be consequential in the long run. Delegating is one way, of course. But what about those areas that one can’t delegate, or perhaps even discuss with their team? What about personal goals, a possible promotion, a competing offer, a challenge, or even a transition?
A Harvard Business Review survey of 140 leading coaches indicated that clients kept coming back because “coaching works”. But both parties must be involved in such success:
- Clients must be highly motivated to change.
- Coaches must be experienced in similar settings.
What makes a good Executive Coach
Good coaches ask many questions, challenge avoidance, and provide supportive feedback. Progress is experienced in one session or over a program, depending on the needs of the client and on his/her situation. All discussions are confidential.
When needed, coaches may evaluate skillsets, strengths, and weaknesses, and provide candid, supportive feedback. They build resilience.
Experienced coaches also understand, the unique combinations of pressure, change, politics that are applied upon senior executives. Together with their clients, they prioritize, set a plan of action, and agree on measurable, tangible metrics to be met.
While Executive Coaching sessions are typically focused on incremental progress toward an agreed-upon goal, they are also interactive, collaborative, and fluid to allow updated input clients.
Hiring the right Executive Coach
How does one ensure that he/she is hiring the right executive coach?
- Ensure that the coach offers a trial session (voice, video) without commitment. It could be 15 or 30 minutes, but it will allow both parties to introduce themselves.
- Check the chemistry between the parties, the executive and the coach. Companies or individuals, coaches and clients, should not commit to programs before confirming such chemistry exist. Chemistry is critical here as it allows easier, more efficient communication and it improves results.
- Confirm that the coaches have pertinent, operational experience rather than just consulting experience. In other words, confirm that they don’t only have experience discussing and analyzing issues, but also that they have experience solving them in real life. That they have been there before.
- Finally, verify that both parties are aligned on the goals of the session or program considered, the challenges to get there, and the path to follow.
What was once reserved to the very few at the very top is now available for high potential corporate managers and executives. In fact, it is needed. So, get a free consultation without commitment with an Proton Consulting Group experienced coach by contacting us here!