Executive coaches can help executives take their game to the next level in four key ways, from improving their self-awareness to reshaping their thinking.
Think of the most accomplished athletes of your lifetime—perhaps Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods or Tom Brady. These legends were the best of the best, arguably the GOATs of their sports. They had many things in common, including the topic of today’s Leadership Lab. Each of them hired a coach or personal trainer from outside their organization to help them reach their full potential.
Jordan hired Tim Grover to be his personal trainer. Woods had Hank Haney as a swing coach, and Brady had Alex Guerrero as his health and wellness trainer. Even though they were coaching these mega-stars, Grover couldn’t beat Jordan in one-on-one, Haney couldn’t go head-to-head with Woods and Guerrero couldn’t dream of throwing a pass in the NFL. Clearly, these trainers/coaches weren’t better than the athletes, but they were trusted advisers who provided four critical advantages:
- They helped the athlete see what they couldn’t see.
- They created regimens that kept the athlete at peak performance.
- They held the athlete accountable to their goals.
- They reframed the athlete’s thinking.
Just as these elite athletes sought coaching to refine their game, executives at the highest levels seek coaching to refine their leadership and decision making. In this installment of Leadership Lab, we will consider how executive coaches can help you see what you can’t see, create regimens to keep you at peak performance, keep you accountable and, at times, reframe your thinking.
4 Ways an Executive Coach Can Up Your Game
Let’s take a closer look at the four ways an executive coach can help you thrive.
1. An executive coach will help you see what you can’t see by improving your self-awareness
One way executive coaches enhance your self-awareness is by doing confidential 360-degree reviews with teammates and subordinates. Candid feedback can help you identify your blind spots, strengths and areas for improvement. This feedback acts like a mirror, revealing how others see you, which is often different from how you see yourself.
You might be thinking, “Why do I need an executive coach for this? I can send out an employee survey and get the same results.” That is partially true—a survey you send may yield some of the same feedback. However, when someone else conducts it, an important layer of professional distance is created. That extra layer of confidentiality allows those being surveyed to be more forthright and constructive. Furthermore, an executive coach won’t merely send out a survey. They will conduct interviews with those people to really understand the feedback. In the end, the executive coach will help you effectively interpret and act on that input.
Additionally, an executive coach will provide feedback from their own observations. Haney saw things in Woods’ swing that Woods was completely unaware of. In the same way, an executive coach will help you see what you cannot see in yourself.
2. An executive coach will help create regimens to keep you at peak performance
Similar to how Guerrero created the workout and diet regimen that Brady used to keep competing at the highest levels, an executive coach can help you perform and stay performing at your best. Like a strength coach, they help you pack on leadership “muscle” while maintaining flexibility and balance.
Three of the many ways an executive coach can be vital to you reaching peak performance is by enhancing your leadership skills (strength), helping you adapt to change (flexibility) and keeping your priorities aligned (balance).
- Strength: Sometimes, a leader is thrust into a leadership role because they are brilliant in some core functional area. However, that expertise does not always translate to being excellent in leading others. Often, the executive needs assistance to refine their communication skills, learn when to delegate and develop a good workplace or team culture. So, though the executive coach may not have the functional expertise you have, they do have much to offer in the way of these softer skills. Just as a workout coach can help you gain strength where you are weak physically, an executive coach creates regimens to strengthen key areas that might not be your strong suit.
- Flexibility: Some strength coaches help athletes not only build muscle but also increase their flexibility. In the same way, an executive coach assists executives in adapting to the dynamically changing environment of pharma. Some internal or external changes can push executives to the breaking point. A great executive coach equips the leader to stay flexible, handling industry shifts, organizational restructuring and global market changes.
- Balance: Another way executive coaches assist executives is by keeping them balanced. Many executive leaders are high performers who can push toward goals at the expense of other priorities in life. An executive coach keeps an eye on work-life balance to ensure their client doesn’t experience burnout. So, like Guerrero helped Brady, your executive coach will help you not only gain strength and increase your flexibility but also improve your balance.
3. An executive coach will work with you to set the right goals and help you stay accountable to the goals you set
Most executive coaches emphasize goal setting and subscribe to the SMART goal method, where goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
Like the athletes mentioned in this article, you’re targeting goals and aspirations that are likely very high. An executive coach can help you develop strategies to reach those goals in a timeline that is realistic. What’s more, the coach brings methodologies to help you stay accountable to these goals, ensuring that you stay on strategy and follow through.
According to an American Society for Training & Development study, people are 65% more likely to achieve a goal when they have an accountability partner, and that percentage jumps to 95% with ongoing check-ins. An executive coach assists with goal setting and accountability, which will lead you to hit the milestones you are seeking.
4. An executive coach can be instrumental in reshaping your thinking
Grover was hired by Jordan because of his training for a winning mindset. Grover even wrote a book entitled “Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness.” Executive coaches can work with you in a similar way, helping you to develop frameworks to approach complex problems and make sound strategic decisions.
Even if you’re thinking that you might not use an executive coach to develop your strategy, there are other ways they can reshape your thinking. For example, some executives rely heavily on their coach for emotional intelligence training. This training can include managing stress, empathizing with others, controlling your emotions, building stronger relationships and ensuring no employee feels left out or unheard.
Research published in the Leadership & Organization Development Journal found that emotional intelligence may be an important component of effective leadership. This might be a mind shift for leaders who rely mostly on their functional expertise and IQ to lead. While IQ measures cognitive ability, emotional intelligence determines how well a leader manages relationships, navigates stress and makes sound decisions under pressure. The right executive coach is a crucial ally in your pursuit of becoming more emotionally intelligent.
Selecting Your Coach
How do you select the right executive coach? Look for someone with relevant experience, preferably a person who has a strong track record of working with executives in your industry or role. Evaluate their credentials, including their coaching certifications. Have an initial consultation with them to ensure their coaching style aligns with your learning preferences. And do not undervalue chemistry. Lastly, seek testimonials or references to confirm their ability to deliver results.
If you’re striving for continuous improvement as a leader, an executive coach may be the key to unlocking your full potential. The greatest athletes in history didn’t attempt to reach the top alone. Why should you?
