What Exactly is Executive Coaching?
An executive coach is an individual who uses established frameworks to help leadership teams, from vice presidents to c-suite executives develop their leadership skills and perform to their full potential.
Executive coaching sessions usually take place on a one-on-one basis. However, some coaches also offer group sessions to business leaders who may benefit from it.
Many top executives hire coaches on a long-term, ongoing basis. The coach provides them with a safe space to work through issues and acts as a sounding board for new ideas.
Other business leaders work with a coach for a set number of sessions. They use their time to tackle a specific problem or learn a new skill.
However the coaching engagement is set up, the primary goal of an executive coach is always the same: to help their client optimize their performance.
How Can an Executive Coach Help You?
An experienced executive coach can help you:
Decide on a career path
Navigate a career transition
Brainstorm new ideas
Prepare for an interview
Improve your confidence
Overcome imposter syndrome
Move into a new leadership role
Improve your emotional intelligence
Set goals for yourself and your team
Enhance your communication skills
Facilitate positive change in your company
Create a development plan for your team
Resolve issues with your direct reports
Example 1
A client, “Alexa,” got promoted to a new role within the same company. In her new position, she had a direct report in an area of the business in which she was not an expert. She felt anxious about not knowing as much as her report did about specific things. She thought her lack of knowledge made her a bad boss.
Alexa and I worked together on understanding she now added value in new ways, like:
Building relationships with key stakeholders
Communicating with her direct reports, and
Solving problems by asking the right questions
I also helped her understand that as she moved up the career ladder, the amount of time she spends on technical knowledge should go down, while the time she invests in leadership skills should go up.
This knowledge helped Alexa settle into her new role and become more confident in her ability to serve her team.
Example 2
A client, “John,” was being tapped on the shoulder for a c-level position at a large, multinational corporation. Though he’d served in similar roles in the past, he was not sure if he should accept this one. He knew it would be demanding, and he wanted to spend more time with his family.
I helped him work through the decision. We discussed:
What success would look like in the role
Whether he’d receive the support he needs
Best and worst-case scenarios
Contingency plans
How the role would impact other aspects of his life
What he was willing to forego in other areas
Whether the position aligned with his values
In the end, he took the job - but not before speaking with his family and also setting clear expectations with the board of directors.
Example 3
A client, “Matt,” wanted to improve his communication skills. English was not his first language, so he didn’t feel confident speaking to people and felt many of his emails were being taken the wrong way.
We reviewed some emails together and found that his English was pretty good. However, he did not always provide his team with sufficient context for updates, decisions, and requests.
Because he had been in the meetings where the decisions were made, his emails made sense to him - but his employees (who weren’t there) struggled to understand them.
We worked on adding context to his communications. This helped his team members better understand where he was coming from - massively improving his professional relationships.
Put simply, if there’s something you need to do to take your career to the next level, a coach can help you get there quickly and efficiently.
Skilled coaches don’t just help with professional development and personal growth, though. Some executive coaches also offer services that benefit other key stakeholders, such as:
Myers-Briggs assessments
DISC reports, and
Strengths Finder assessments
These useful tools can help you enhance your professional relationships with other members of the executive team or individual across the entire organization. Reviewing the results help you better understand their motivations, communication styles, and decision-making habits.
How Can You Know if an Executive Coach is Qualified?
Professional coaching has become more ubiquitous in recent years - which is great for business leaders like you! However, it has also resulted in a massive number of unqualified people calling themselves executive coaches.
If you want to experience all the benefits of executive coaching, you’ll need to employ a qualified coach.
Luckily, there is a quick way to tell if a coach is qualified: look for if they are certified by the ICF (International Coaching Federation).
The ICF is a nonprofit organization that trains coaches and creates strict ethical standards for its members. It is the closest thing to a governing body in the coaching industry.
If a coach is ICF-certified, you can be confident they know their stuff. You can trust them.
If they’re not ICF-certified, they’re simply not qualified to provide executive coaching services.
Qualifications aren't the only thing that matters when selecting a coach, though. Check out this list of the 11 most important traits to look for in a coach.
How to Get Started with Executive Coaching
The thought of hiring an executive coach to help you with your leadership development may feel a bit daunting at first - but it’s actually really easy to get started!
All you need to do is follow these three steps:
Find a qualified coach with relevant business experience.
Set up a quick introductory call.
Speak to them about your needs and their coaching methods.
Once you work through this simple process, ask yourself if they are the right executive coach for you. If they are, schedule your first coaching session and get to work!
If they don’t seem quite right, don’t panic. Work through the three steps with some other leadership coaches. You’ll find a good coach who’s just the right fit in no time.
The good news is you’ve already completed the first step! You’ve found an ICF-certified coach, with 15 years of business experience who is well-versed in executive coaching work.
If you’d like to discuss any potential coaching needs or just want to learn a little more about executive coaching, please don’t hesitate to set up a free intro call. I’d love to chat!
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About The Author
Emily Sander is an ICF-certified leadership coach with more than 15 years of experience in the business and the author of Hacking Executive Leadership. She’s been featured in several print publications, online articles, and podcasts, including CEO Today Magazine, Leading to Fulfillment, and Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
Emily has a passion for helping business leaders reach their full potential. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach. If you want to send Emily a quick message, then visit her contact page here.