Executive Coaching: The Next Best Thing
3 min read
Updated: Dec 13, 2021
Executive Coaching is the rage now amongst my clients. Out with the strategic consultants and in with the tactical coaches.
So what exactly is Executive Coaching? It is a reflective process through which executives are enabled and empowered to measurably improve their organizational performance and personal effectiveness while reducing stress.
Executive Coaches are not business consultants that are hired to address operational or technical problems. Executive Coaches are not psychotherapists with whom clients work through emotional issues.
They are about improving the performance of an organization’s existing and future leaders. The job of the coach is not to fix anyone or to fix anything. It is to facilitate, empower, and enable existing leaders and peak-performers to even higher levels of performance.
It is a uniquely individualized approach to increase a leader’s capability to achieve organizational goals through mostly one-on-one private and confidential interactions. The organization, an executive, and the executive coach work in partnership to achieve maximum impact!
It is a one-on-one development experience in an organizational setting. It is not therapy nor consulting. Practitioners come from many backgrounds. They can differ significantly in their approaches depending on the needs of the organizational leadership. We encourage individuality in our coaching.
Executive coaching is based largely on the following:
Some of the areas that coaching addresses:
Executive Coaching is a process by which the coach uses listening and questioning skills to work with a client to enable him or her to review and ultimately own solutions to issues upon which they seek resolution.
The Benefits
- Providing a sounding board for a new C-Level executive.
- Accelerating the rate at which an individual becomes productive in a new job or assignment
- Helping ‘difficult’ individuals achieve their full potential
- Significantly improving the ability of teams and individuals to deliver superior performance.
Core principles
- Serving both the executive and the organization
- Articulating the developmental path
- 80/20 Rule: Coach speaks 20% of the time; client 80%
- Focusing on strengths
- Fostering self & organizational awareness
Serving both Executive and the Organization
Coaching can unleash an executive’s hidden potential & facilitate development. An executive coaching program, like our recruiting process, focuses on confidentiality and mutual trust. The coach sets and maintains guidelines to develop a trusting three-way relationship. Navigating simultaneous relationships may enable the coach to piece information together to develop unique and powerful solutions. A trusting, collaborative approach can also Identify the best way to move forward and serve the needs of both the executive and the organization.
How is it different from consulting?
Consulting is advising, instructing, and imparting subject matter expertise to the client. It is mostly a one-way conversation. This is only partly effective. Why? Because many times the client may not completely buy into the consultant’s recommendations. Coaching is 20% talking and 80% active listening. The coach expertly facilitates, empowers, and enables the client executive to come up with his/her own solution. Consequently, there is complete buy-in. We call this, “Extreme Ownership.”
It is modeled on how our US special operations forces communicate, collaborate, and deconflict to develop their Concept of Operations on the battlefield. It works. Now the private sector is adopting this similar Extreme Ownership model. Coaching always involves a partnership among the executive, coach, and organization. The individual goals of an executive coaching engagement must always link back and be linked to strategic organizational objectives.
Executive coaching is simply a more effective way of growing and securing your top talent. Because it empowers and enables your top talent. Because it takes you from good to great.
I welcome your thoughts, reach out.
Rob
