Anyone who is in an executive and management position knows how challenging it is to keep up with the ever-growing demands of the workplace. The higher you climb the executive ladder, the more people expect from you. And while you have the specific skills, experience, background, and degrees to back up your position, the truth is, you don’t know everything. This is when an executive coach can come in handy.
If you find yourself asking, “why hire an executive coach?” You have come to the right place. Here, you will find the answers you need to take that next step in your executive leadership goals.
What is an executive coach?
Executive coaches specialize in a growth mindset. They coach senior leaders and work one-on-one with high-profile C-suite executives to help them enhance skills, cultivate talent, increase productivity, and more importantly, improve leadership effectiveness.
Executive coaches help their clients to become more proactive leaders. They put emphasis on the importance of optimizing the ongoing momentum of leaders to help them reach their potential. They teach techniques and different methods on how to be ready and face challenges head-on, rather than scrambling to address problems when they arise.
Why hire an executive coach?
As the old saying goes “it’s lonely at the top.” This couldn’t be more applicable to executives and senior leaders who find it difficult to get solid advice for their careers and life in general. This is where executive coaching can be of great value.
Executive coaches develop leaders within the context of their job, position, and workplace, all while maintaining their daily work responsibilities.
Here are some reasons why hiring an executive coach is a good idea:
- To help you manifest your goals – The ability to multitask is an extremely important skill for an effective leader. However, juggling ten different things at once can easily overwhelm anyone. An executive coach will help you wade through the distractions, prioritize, and figure out which goals are easily attainable, reasonable, and worth the work. This is the best way to achieve your goals.
- To map your career trajectory – The most dangerous place to be in business is in your comfort zone. It holds you down and keeps you from improving; it stops you from achieving your goals and dreams. An executive coach can pull you out of that complacent mindset and help you map out the road to your career goals. He/she will help you identify the things you need to do to help you get to where you need to go.
- To improve communication skills – You can be the smartest or most experienced and skilled in your organization, but if you don’t know how to communicate with others and get your message across, you are not being a good leader. An executive coach can help you cultivate your communication skills.
- To work on career transition – Maybe you want a career change, to leave the corporate world to start your own business and become your own boss. That’s a daunting task, and not a lot of people have the courage to pursue their dreams. An executive coach will help you assess your situation, work on your current skills, and develop the skills you need to help you in your career transition. Whatever that may be.
- To help you become a better leader – You may have a big office, a dedicated parking spot, and a fancy job title, but how are you as a leader? Are you truly a leader, or are you just being a boss? A leader is someone who guides his team in different matters. He inspires people to strive to be better. A boss is someone who pushes people to do something, rather than directing. A good coach will help you become the type of leader your organization needs – someone who gets things done and commands respect.
- To hone your skills – Over the years, you may have neglected some of the important skills on your way up the executive ladder. A coach will help you relearn and hone these essential skills.
- To improve wealth – How can you increase your income? Get noticed at your job? Negotiate a better salary? An executive coach can guide you in the right direction so you have more resources to live the life you imagine.
- To manage a work-life balance – This is the key to a happy and successful career and life. Yet, many people fail to achieve this by over-prioritizing one over the other. Often, they work so hard on their careers that their life outside work suffers. An executive coach will help you balance and dedicate more time to the most important things in life.
What to look for in an executive coach?
Not all coaches are made equal. If you want someone who can truly help you, then scrutinize their qualifications. Here are some of the most important criteria to help you in your search.
Credentials and experience
Coaching in general is a largely unregulated industry. Anyone can claim they are experts. This is why you need to do your due diligence when evaluating potential coaches you have in mind.
Ask about their education, training, and coaching certifications. You can ask for International Coach Federation (ICF) certifications. Anyone with this certification has undergone training, education, and has met stringent standards for coaching.
Also, it pays to check the experience of your potential coaches. Ask about their years in the industry and their previous clients.
Clarity in both the process and the coaching itself
A good executive coach will guide you throughout the process; from defining your core challenges, your starting point, things you need to do, and where you need to go. He/she will help you identify your best skills and the skills you need to work on, the same with your behavior.
A good coach will craft a process based on your needs and employ the techniques that suit you best, they won’t use one-size-fits-all methods. He/she will also honor your needs, personal values, beliefs, principles, dreams, and goals. He/she will have a timetable for the tasks, things you need to work on, and things you need to achieve.
Ideally, coaching sessions should be done every two weeks, for a minimum of six months. However, you most likely have a hectic schedule; coaching sessions must be flexible and should accommodate your availability.
By getting an executive coach, you will not only reap the rewards of internal development, but you will also establish yourself as a good leader, boost your reputation in your industry, and improve client relationships.
