“Executive coaches are not for the meek. They’re for people who value unambiguous feedback. All coaches have one thing in common, it’s that they are ruthlessly results-oriented.”
– Fast Company
Have you ever needed help with your leadership skills? Have you been promoted to a role where you are unsure of what you should be doing in order to succeed? Have people told you that they would like to see more of your strengths and less of your weaknesses? If the answer is yes, then I have some good news for you: an executive coach can help. What is an executive coach, though? One way to think about it is as someone who provides feedback so that leaders can grow their careers. In this post, we will discuss how coaches work with executives, what should you look for in an executive coach, specifically their backgrounds, characteristics, and traits, and where can you find one.
What does an executive coach do?
As leaders climb the career ladder, they are confronted with new challenges. Whether it’s branching out to run a new division or take on more responsibility after being promoted within your current position, these changes can present new opportunities and introduce stress. An executive coach acts as an independent observer who will provide guidance so that you can improve your leadership skills and broaden your perspective. In addition to helping you with these challenges, executive coaches help executives manage their careers and reach new heights within their current positions.
For example, let’s say that you have been given a promotion to branch manager for your company’s sales division. You would probably expect that lots of extra work would be coming your way due to the fact that you are now managing other managers. However, it is not just the extra work that comes with this promotion; there is also extra stress. You are no longer eligible for a performance bonus because of your new position and somebody else’s mistakes will reflect negatively upon your leadership skills in the company. With an executive coach, he can help you to identify how to deal with the extra workload and also help you implement procedures that will ensure that your managers are working effectively while they report directly to you. If you’re thinking of becoming an executive coach, use this article as a guide so that you can learn more about an executive coach’s everyday tasks!
What should you look for in an executive coach?
This is a difficult question to answer because it can be addressed on a case-by-case basis. However, there are some general guidelines that you can follow so that you can choose the best executive coach based on your needs. Ideally, you want someone who has experience working with executives within your industry. If you are the CEO of a hotel, for example, then it would be best to find an executive coach who has experience working with people in your same position and who are familiar with the specific challenges that come from such positions. If you are the CEO of a hotel, for example, then it would be best to find an executive coach who has experience working with people in your same position and who are familiar with the specific challenges that come from such positions.
As an executive director of a company, you want to align yourself with someone who fits the culture of your organization. For example, if you are a non-profit organization, then you will want to find an executive coach who has worked with people in the social services industry because he or she will be accustomed to working with nonprofit leaders.
Background. When looking for an executive coach, it is also important to ensure that they have the appropriate educational background. An executive coach will usually have a master’s degree in business or some other relevant field. However, for you to completely understand their educational background, you should also ask them about their professional experiences and what other managerial roles they have held. Many executive coaches will have experience working for other companies or on their own as consultants. It may be beneficial to talk with them about the specific challenges that they encountered in these past positions because it can give you a glimpse into how they approach solving problems and what roles they played within the company overall. Think of an executive coach’s background like a puzzle that contains many different pieces. The more pieces you have, the clearer the picture will be of how their past experiences and work can benefit your role as an executive.
Key Characteristics and Traits. There are a few different key characteristics and traits that you should look for in an executive coach.
- Ability to challenge your thinking. An executive coach will likely challenge the way that you think and feel. If they are too eager to please their client, then they won’t push you enough in order for you to understand your shortcomings and how to improve upon them.
- Experience working with executives on a daily basis. As mentioned earlier, an executive coach will likely be working with you on a daily basis since they’ll be helping you to manage your roles as an executive. It’s imperative that they have experience working closely with executives because these roles come with a host of challenges, responsibilities and emotions.
- Ability to see the whole picture. An executive coach will likely be in charge of helping you to see your position from an outsider’s perspective. If they are too eager to please their client, then they won’t push you enough in order for you to understand your shortcomings and how to improve upon them.
- Someone who can help you achieve your personal goals and not someone who’s only goal is to make more money. An executive coach will likely be working with you on a daily basis since they’ll be helping you to manage your roles as an executive. It’s imperative that they have experience working closely with executives because these roles come with a host of challenges, responsibilities and emotions.
- Results-oriented and personable. An executive coach should have the ability to push you in order for you to achieve your personal goals while still maintaining their personality and being respectful of who you are and what choices that you have made in the past.
- Commitment to working with you long-term. While it is possible for an executive coach and client to achieve success within a short amount of time, lasting results will happen only if the coaching relationship lasts for several months or longer. Most executive coaches work part-time as their main jobs are still elsewhere; this means that they will be able to take your coaching role on only for a few hours each week. But if you’re looking for someone who can commit to working with you more often, then there are executive coach agencies that employ full-time coaches who will likely be able to work with you on an almost daily basis throughout the entire duration of your coaching.
- Credentials and licenses. You will also want to ensure that your executive coach has the appropriate credentials and certifications to be legally able to provide their services.
- Experience working with other personalities like yours. Your personality should also play a role in how you pick an executive coach because they will need to understand who you are as a person and how you work. For this reason, it is recommended that you ask the coach if they have experience coaching other executives who are similar to your personality type in order to ensure that your personalities match well.
- Availability and cost. It is also important to think about where their office is located and how much they charge for their services so you can account for these needs when setting your own expectations and budget.
Where can you find an executive coach?
Word-of-mouth referrals from former clients are still the best way to find a good executive coach. If you can’t find any leads through this method, then there are some online databases that you can search in order to list out and compare different coaches. Many of these databases will have reviews from previous clients so that you can get a sense of what their coaching style is like.
Why choose us?
We have a wide range of executive coaches who will work with you to ensure that your goals are being achieved. We specialize in Executive Coaching for CEOs, C-Suite executives and business owners who are driven, focused, self-starters with the courage to reach beyond their comfort zone. People who want more out of life – people like you! We provide executive coaching for people aspiring to get a promotion or looking to move into their dream job, executives wanting to advance in their current company, entrepreneurs looking to change careers, and individuals wanting to turn their life or business around. We will work together to identify the roadblocks that you face and then I will show you how to overcome them.