Executive Coaching and Why It Matters

To be a leader in your field carries with it a certain level of regard and status from your peers, your staff, and your clients. But to indeed lead — to hone the skills of outstanding leadership and to transcend the titles of “manager” or “boss” — takes coaching and practice. To quote the great American football coach, Vince Lombardi:

“Leaders aren’t born; they are made. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal which is worthwhile.”

Leadership makes the right balance of self-assurance, charisma, and enthusiasm. While it may seem like successful leaders are naturally gifted with these skills, to echo Lombardi’s sentiment, it takes effort. But this is good news! To become a leader is within the grasp of everyone. These skills can be learned and sharpened with the help of coaching.

Executive Coaching Today

Authentic coaching helps you to learn. An executive coach does not teach you how to be a leader, but rather, works with you to learn how to be a good leader. Many of us don’t realize the potential we have to become a successful leader, but working with an executive coach can help you unlock and develop your potential to maximize your performance.

In today’s professional environment, your staff has a strong desire for more career development opportunities. They want their organization to invest in learning and development — in short, to invest in them and their potential. As the head of an organization, providing such career development tools is a massive benefit to you, your staff, and your organization. It ensures a reliable supply of leaders to head their respective teams and to succeed you. Investing in the potential of your staff is where an executive coach comes in.

An Individualistic Approach

Executive coaching is a professional service. In the past, many organizations relied on internal leadership training programs, but as more research into the topic was completed, it came to light that there needed to be a change. Internal, one-size-fits-all programs were often ineffective as they lack the specificity required for individual staff needs. As a result, an increasing number of organizations are incorporating the services of external coaches. Today’s non-profit sector is as varied as ever. Different staff levels will have additional capacity needs, and executive coaches can tailor their approach to address these unique needs in-depth.

Future-Focused

The overall approach to executive coaching has changed and adapted to present needs. Rather than focusing on the past, coaching has shifted to more of a future-focused development approach. Methods have evolved from merely being a reactive measure of the staff member’s performance to a proactive development experience. Coaches understand that potential leaders need to be supported to expand upon their capabilities in future leadership roles. It’s not so much about what they’ve been or what they are, but rather what they have the potential to become.

Technology

Technology continues to advance and provide countless platforms and opportunities for virtual meetings and video conferencing. Executive coaches have taken advantage of these advancements as a flexible resource and tool. Where it was once more common to meet with a coach face to face in a specific location, they are now able to have conversations online almost anywhere and anytime, regardless of their actual geographical location. This flexibility allows executive coaches to further cater to the needs and schedules of their clients.

Measurable Results

A primary factor that has contributed to organizations having an ambivalent experience with executive coaches is the lack of qualitative and, even more lacking, quantitative data. It’s understandable. Organizations want to know what coaches are doing and to see basic metrics on improvement. And they should be able to. Executive coaches have answered this call to demonstrate the impact of their work effectively. Through pre- and post-coaching interviews and structured feedback (among other means), coaches have developed the tools necessary to communicate the results of their work with clients effectively.

Focus on Self-Care

Finally, one of the more critical innovations in executive coaching is the emphasis on self-care. A coach is by no means a therapist, but to discount the fact that some managers, executives, and high-profile performers experience high levels of stress and anxiety would be a disservice. Executives don’t often speak openly about these topics, but coaching without recognizing such issues can be counterproductive. It’s essential to open this dialogue, as these conditions are healthy and very commonly shared, particularly amongst those with high-demanding jobs. So as the need for it has grown and developed, executive coaches can recognize and work with these issues, and to promote the self-care required of them.