If you’re a CEO, executive, or team leader, your most fundamental job is setting up others for success—a difficult assignment when you have hundreds of other tasks competing for your attention. You might worry about the implications of seeking executive leadership coaching, but the truth is that only good things happen when you put energy into becoming a better leader. Your team, your work culture, and even your bottom line will thank you. 

What is executive leadership coaching, anyway? 

Executive leadership coaching is a one-on-one relationship in which a professional coach partners with a CEO or executive to help that person become even more effective in their role. Coaches can guide high-level leaders into achieving new heights of confidence and efficiency, but the process isn’t magic—it takes time and commitment from both parties.  There is no shortcut to becoming a better leader, but executive coaching can give you the tools needed to aggressively pursue growth.

Signs Your Leadership May Be Lacking 

Here are some telltale signs it’s time to step back from your day-to-day and recommit yourself to leadership development:

  1. You’re not well liked, trusted, or respected by your team. It is difficult for your employees to speak freely in front of you or other executives. 
  2. Your direct reports are struggling under you, but they won’t give you straight answers about how to lead them better.
  3. Your best people leave because they have no opportunity to grow or advance at your company.
  4. You’re bored with the work you’ve been doing, but you don’t know how to change your situation.
  5. You’ve hit a ceiling in your industry, and it’s time to move on up, but you don’t know how to manage any more work. 

There is nothing wrong with admitting that your current methods are no longer achieving the same level of success they have in the past. As a leader in your industry, you know that staying up-to-date on industry news is crucial to staying relevant to your audience. Similarly, leadership methods, company policies, and procedures should be updated over time for true modern efficiency.

Does Executive Coaching Really Help? 

Yes, it really helps! An outside perspective from a professional gives an impartial, informed opinion on your strengths and weaknesses as a leader, and how that contributes to your company culture. A good coach will understand how your industry operates and what specific things you need to work on in order to succeed in today’s market. 

When you realize your leadership skills are no longer cutting it, consider executive coaching for a fresh perspective and a chance to learn new ways of leading your company to success. By working with an executive coach, CEOs and high-level executives can establish a company culture of respect, clear communication, fun, and professionalism. 

What Can An Executive Leadership Coach Teach Me?

An executive coach will provide support, advice, and more to help you become an even better leader. Some of the skills they can teach you include:

  • How to use your voice for decisive communication; how to make difficult decisions; how to handle complicated situations calmly and professionally.
  • How to put together an actionable vision and communicate it effectively so your employees understand it and feel personally invested in its success.
  • How to create a healthy work culture with clear procedures and expectations, opportunities for professional development, and recognition for excellent work. 
  • How to build strong relationships with your team, board of directors, and outside partners.
  • How to manage your time properly so you have enough to do the essential tasks, without becoming overwhelmed with too many projects.

Ultimately, this is about you taking an active role in the coaching relationship by setting goals for yourself and your work – getting to know yourself better, identifying what motivates you, learning how to motivate others.   

The Science Behind Executive Coaching 

Leadership is a science, although there are certainly elements of art to it. The point is that effective leadership can be learned and practiced; and neglecting to do so puts your whole company at a disadvantage. When you’re the one in charge, the buck stops with you. A strong leader can navigate difficult waters and come out stronger than before. A weak leader will sink the ship no matter how strong it originally was.

Executive coaching is a valuable resource for all companies, especially one with growth potential or in need of reinvigoration. The bottom line benefits are clear if you consider the time and cost savings gained from your renewed success. 

Studies in Favor of Professional Coaching: 

  • A survey of over 1,500 executives from a Fortune 500 company found that coaching had a significant impact on at least one of nine business measures. Furthermore, they discovered that overall productivity and employee satisfaction were the most positively influenced areas (which has an impact on customer satisfaction, employee engagement, quality, annualized financial results, and more).
  • According to Manchester, Inc. in a poll of 100 executives, professional coaching resulted in an average return on investment of nearly six times the cost of the coaching.

Great Leaders Have Happier Employees 

Organizations that try executive coaching often see happier employees as a result. Since your employees are the workforce behind your whole operation, it’s important to listen to their feedback and give them the resources they need to succeed. More and more organizations are choosing to offer coaching as a benefit along with health plans, vacation time and other perks. Whether you are the CEO of a major corporation or the manager of an entry-level department, coaching can be incredibly effective in learning the best ways to motivate your employees. 

Remember, the first ingredient of a successful coaching relationship is that you must be highly motivated to accept feedback and implement changes. Success doesn’t come without hard work!

FIND AN EXECUTIVE COACH TODAY

Are you ready to unlock your true potential as a leader? You can learn more about coaching services by scheduling a consultation with Brett Beaver, LMFT. With twenty-five years of experience, Brett offers a range of tools. Contact him today by calling (925) 324-4514.

 

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