The Benefits Of An Executive Coach
Over the last decade, coaching has gained mainstream business popularity, but even at that there are many executive stakeholders who just aren’t buying into it. In many cases, this is due to not having a grasp on the purpose and goal of the executive coach, which I’ll examine further, in case you’re still on the fence.
The first step to understanding the value a coach can provide is gain clarity on the purpose of a coach. While this may not be universal for all coaches out there, because quality varies, but coaching should strictly be focused on performance. To draw the sports analogy, different coaches at different levels focus on different aspects of the game, but what they have in common is that they’re judged by the outcomes they’re able to foster. Championship coaches get results -- some manage personalities, some focus on fundamentals, some are master tacticians, but it’s all about results.
With this in mind it’s crucial to define what your need is. If you’re looking for a spark related to your leadership skills that’s fine, but be sure to work with a coach who has experience and has gotten results in that area. Keep in mind that the executive coach should have experience in the actual executive role, but the coach is not there to serve as your model.
To lean on sports again, this is how Phil Jackson was mere a serviceable to solid NBA player, yet he went on to be the most prolific champion as a coach. Your coach needs to be a great listener, allowing you to become more aware of the things that your gleaning over, rather than telling you what or how to do any particular business function. If you can find this quality, plus relevant or similar experience, all the better.
Remember, the goal is performance and just like we can learn from anyone, a coach who listens has the tools to help you. At the same time, also remember that most of the answers and realizations that come to life via coaching is just the process of unearthing the answers within you by working through hang ups and challenges. So your coach isn’t going to be giving you subject direction from their perspective, the role is different from the consultant, who is hired to make recommendations. The coach is more about observing and getting you to your performance peak.
The skeptics will claim that all of this is a waste of time and money, and that’s not to say that all coaching is always good coaching. However, the value of finding clarity and exploring your decisions to help improve your effectiveness as an executive is something that you’ll have to put a price tag on. What is the value of this to you? That is the question you’ll have to answer in your search for an executive coach. Be sure to keep in mind that if your coach allows you to make incremental gains, confidence, leadership or in other areas, then it sounds like coaching may have some merit.
The first step to understanding the value a coach can provide is gain clarity on the purpose of a coach. While this may not be universal for all coaches out there, because quality varies, but coaching should strictly be focused on performance. To draw the sports analogy, different coaches at different levels focus on different aspects of the game, but what they have in common is that they’re judged by the outcomes they’re able to foster. Championship coaches get results -- some manage personalities, some focus on fundamentals, some are master tacticians, but it’s all about results.
With this in mind it’s crucial to define what your need is. If you’re looking for a spark related to your leadership skills that’s fine, but be sure to work with a coach who has experience and has gotten results in that area. Keep in mind that the executive coach should have experience in the actual executive role, but the coach is not there to serve as your model.
To lean on sports again, this is how Phil Jackson was mere a serviceable to solid NBA player, yet he went on to be the most prolific champion as a coach. Your coach needs to be a great listener, allowing you to become more aware of the things that your gleaning over, rather than telling you what or how to do any particular business function. If you can find this quality, plus relevant or similar experience, all the better.
Remember, the goal is performance and just like we can learn from anyone, a coach who listens has the tools to help you. At the same time, also remember that most of the answers and realizations that come to life via coaching is just the process of unearthing the answers within you by working through hang ups and challenges. So your coach isn’t going to be giving you subject direction from their perspective, the role is different from the consultant, who is hired to make recommendations. The coach is more about observing and getting you to your performance peak.
The skeptics will claim that all of this is a waste of time and money, and that’s not to say that all coaching is always good coaching. However, the value of finding clarity and exploring your decisions to help improve your effectiveness as an executive is something that you’ll have to put a price tag on. What is the value of this to you? That is the question you’ll have to answer in your search for an executive coach. Be sure to keep in mind that if your coach allows you to make incremental gains, confidence, leadership or in other areas, then it sounds like coaching may have some merit.