A Managers guide to Executive Coaching

As a manager, it might be important to consider how you, your team and your organization can benefit from hiring an executive coach. There is much untapped potential in employees and leaders, which when unleased can accelerate an organizations productivity, increase the quality of work produced by their employees and impact the bottom line through increased revenues. Managers miss on opportunities for growth due to not fully understanding and considering the how an executive coach could benefit all of these aspects of performance.

 5 Things Every Manager Should Know About Executive Coaching

Who or what is an Executive Coach?

An executive coach is a qualified and certified professional, that works with individuals to help them gain a deeper understanding of themselves so they can achieve their goals, unlock their potential and realise set objectives. They are not therapists or consultants although many of them have backgrounds in these areas. An excellent Executive Coach brings together his or her own business experience, with a deep understanding of human behaviour. An executive coach acts as  a sounding board that helps you gain access to your own inner wisdom and creative ability to solve and overcome problems.

What is the Executive Coaching Method or Process? 

All great executive coaches have their own unique process or methodology of operation, though commonalities exist in all approaches. When a manager or leader, starts working with a coach, there are a number of phases one will move through. This includes building rapport, gaining trust, initial assessments, collecting background information, and creating the right context.  The assessment process nay ask a leader to take a number of evaluations, which may or may not include a 360 degree assessment. Based on the feedback, understanding, desires of the individual, a development plan is set out, which includes goal setting. The development plan is then worked on over a period of time with regular check-ins for executive coach advice and guidance. The process is complete when the goals are achieved, or the coach feels it is a good place to stop. The typical duration of an Executive Coaching engagement varies from 6 months to 2 years.

What do Executive Coaches really do?

As Executive Coaches, our first and foremost responsibility is to facilitate a process for leaders to unlock the deep-seated wisdom that resides within each of us.  Executive coaches offer a confidential and supportive space for clients to develop and grow. They ask questions, challenge limiting beliefs and assumptions, provide resources, clarity, and sometimes an executive coach will offer advice and guidance. They administer and interpret different assessments, and tools and provide individualized understanding and support that helps foster client self-awareness and the ability to establish and accomplish developmental goals. They provide a safe space for leaders to be open and vulnerable. Lastly executive coaches provide a support structure that a leader or manager can lean on, at any time of need or desire.

How can an Executive Coach help? 

An executive coach can help companies and individuals overcome challenges within the workplace. Through their process, they help individuals develop greater self-awareness which is a very positive quality to have in leaders. Self-awareness in leaders is linked to great organizational effectiveness and profitability. Executive coaches help clients master existing strengths, tap into new ones. Working with values, leaders learn to establish boundaries, understand themselves better, and create an effective decision-making structure.  One of the greatest benefits of executive coaching is the development of productive relationships, by a better understanding of others and how to respond to conflict in a way, that fosters a healthy workplace environment.

Who Hires Executive Coaches?

Although individuals (CEO or business owners) can hire executive coaches it is often companies who hire executive coaches to come and help their executive team. Companies may do this as a way to invest in their top executives to help them fix any problems or just to expand their growth and potential. They can also help an individual become groomed for a larger role or help in the transition into a new position. Coaching has lost the stigma that used to be attached to seeking support and it is now seen as an asset to one’s growth.

Photo Credit :  Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash