How do you coach yourself to executive success?

As we grow, so do our aspirations grow. And each person has their own definitions of growth. For some it may be tangible (read: material. - monetary or others) for some it may it more of intangibles (recognition, promotions, coveted jobs) And for some others, from what is called as Psychic rewards (read: doing good, uplifting a community, giving time or 'holding space' for someone who just needs that pair of ears and a heart that LISTENS. And listens devoid of judgement or prejudices. I see that as a core part of being a coach and leader. For me, creating that safe/sacred space for someone to grow and bloom, is also leadership. And I believe in that. Executive Success is but a sub-set of Leadership, IMHO

From experience, having worked with an executive coach and self-coached, I have found that the ability to reflect and take an honest look at strengths and weaknesses is key. It is something we frequently overlook. Using a tool to support the work on yourself can often act as a guide. I have used full focus planner to support by areas of focus, goals, achievements and planning. Being inquisitive and curious will also support the ability to continually learn and increase in capabilities.

I really like the Zone of Genius framework for assessing strengths and gaps as an executive. It takes five simple steps: 1. Draw a Skill Will 2x2 matrix (level of skill on one axis, willingness on the other) 2. Create stickies for your common roles & responsibilities 3. Drag them into each of the different quadrants 4. Add stickies that you haven't thought of 5. Draw a box around the upper right quadrant (high skill, high will) Your Zone of Genius lies inside that box. Delegate the tasks that take you out of "the zone." Double down on activities that put you in "the zone." Next step is to conduct a time & energy audit to find out how often you're staying in "the zone." Watch your happiness *and* performance increase steadily over time!

Certainly reading and research will increase your perspective, however realistic data assessment and management is the ultimate brain child, as they will reveal patterns and reoccurrence. Easily strengths can developed there then, and weaknesses can be eliminated or worked on.

Coaching yourself to executive success involves a lot of discipline. Here are some of my personal tips: - Set Clear Goals: Define specific, measurable, and achievable executive career goals. - Self-Reflection: Regularly assess strengths, weaknesses, and progress. - Continuous Learning: Pursue ongoing education and professional development opportunities. - Seek Feedback: Actively seek constructive feedback from peers, mentors, and coaches. - Embrace Challenges: View challenges as opportunities to grow and learn. - Build a Network: Cultivate relationships with industry leaders and professionals. - Adaptability: Stay flexible and open to change in strategies and approaches. - Self-Care: Prioritize your physical and mental health.

As a senior executive, one of your primary responsibilities is to make decisions that move the company forward. By actively seeking feedback and fostering a culture of support, you not only improve your own decision-making process but also contribute to a more dynamic, engaged, and successful organization. Remember, leadership is not a solitary journey; it’s a collaborative one. Your willingness to seek feedback and provide support will set the tone for your organization and significantly impact its long-term success.

Two heads they say is better than one, "we all got two eyes but have different views". A good team is very essential for a successful operation, we need the best of lucks, hence we should pursue it in peer review feedbacks, collaborations, surveys, e.t.c

From my experience, seeking feedback is fundamental to executive growth. I believe in actively soliciting constructive feedback from peers, mentors, and managers to address blind spots and refine skills. From my perspective, leveraging the support and resources of your network further accelerates the journey to success.

We have all heard in various forms that you are the product of the handful of people you interact with the most. While this gets attributed to many different places the point remains. You have to find people you trust to grow with you in the process. They need to be able to trust you too. This allows real feedback and addressing real concerns helping you reach your goals. There has been research in design processing, led by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, that intentionally being able to evaluate and seek out systems to support and foster growth are part of living a happy and successful life.

To seek feedback and support effectively: Be proactive, specific, and open to feedback. Build relationships, find mentors, and join networks. Communicate your needs, show appreciation, and act on feedback for personal and professional growth.

The path to success is paved with complex challenges. To coach yourself to greatness, consider the following: -Self-Awareness Be brutally honest about your strengths & weaknesses and where you need growth. -Set Clear Objectives Create a learning plan using the SMART framework to define your learning objectives, actions, and expected outcomes. -Continuous Learning Develop a Growth Mindset & be curious! Read the Seven Habits... -Feedback Loop Embrace constructive criticism as a catalyst for improvement. Request it proactively. -Mentorship Align yourself with experienced mentors who can offer guidance, perspective, and wisdom. Success is a continuous journey. We must evolve, adapt, and be resilient in the face of challenges.

Success is when preparation meets opportunity. How successful leaders prepare is by already having thought things through. They have plan A, B, C and D, and they will prevail no matter what, because they are prepared. A big point to this is integrating your learning plan with a calendar. Whether you are going by day, or by working hour, block in time for the non-tactical – thinking, strategizing, brainstorming, high-level problem solving and preparing – or it won't get done. Being intentional with each point of action is key to seeing your success.

It all comes down to setting clear goals, developing strong leadership skills, and maintaining a growth mindset. Start by creating a detailed plan, prioritizing tasks, and continuously learning and adapting. Regularly assess your progress and seek feedback from mentors or peers to refine your approach. Remember to manage your time effectively, cultivate emotional intelligence, and stay adaptable in a dynamic business environment.

To achieve executive success, you’ve got to start by figuring out what success really means for you. Once you know, you can lay out a plan to make it happen. Identify where you're lacking or not as confident, and then dive into those areas to level up. Whether it's taking a course or getting more experience, keep pushing your boundaries. Get around people who’ve been there, done that. You can learn a ton from both formal and informal mentors, so keep your ears open. Lastly, the road to success isn’t always straightforward. Keep an open mind, and remember that there are usually many ways to reach your goal. Stay adaptable, see the bigger picture, and don't be afraid to try a different approach when things aren't working.

A true success is well intended, you need to be very deliberate and articulated about your direction. You must be at all times ahead with the trends of your business, it is as they say: "information is power, and knowledge is light". Arm yourself with information by acquiring additional knowledge relevant to your scope and vision.

One of the most effective ways to ensure the implementation of your learning plan is by integrating it into your daily schedule. This might mean dedicating time for a weekly webinar, setting aside an hour for reading industry-related content or scheduling bi-monthly catch-ups with a mentor. It becomes a non-negotiable commitment rather than an optional extra if it's on your calendar.

"Practice makes perfect". Put your hands on deck, be a doer and don't be afraid of failures, some of your ideas will definitely fail wholesome, embrace it and improve. Have a routine to align your visions, set goals and set deadlines for reaching them regardless. Only through learning you will thrive.

Learning is similar to physical exercise: prioritize learning time and stay disciplined and consistent. Then, set milestones to track your progress and stay motivated throughout. Last, engage actively with resources. Seek guidance when needed. And reflect on progress and adjust your plan accordingly.

One of the most common missteps I see executives, and anyone in leadership, make, is not allowing themselves the grace to recalibrate. Making a plan is great, but sticking with a plan that no longer supports your goals is a practice in futility. The sunk cost fallacy can cost execs a lot of time, peace of mind, and success. Regularly taking stock in how you're feeling about your goals/plans is often more important than measuring how far along you are. If it's no longer the right goal, the plans need to change.

Reviewing results is more than just counting pebbles. It’s about staying motivated and on track towards one’s goal. It’s important to regularly review your progress against goals. But also, celebrate successes, learn from setbacks. Adjust goals and resources if needed. Stay adaptable and committed to continual improvement.

Stasis is the enemy of progress. Strategies evolve, markets fluctuate, and personal goals change. No matter how thoughtfully crafted, a learning plan is not a "set it and forget it" proposition. It requires periodic review and adjustment to align with evolving needs and goals. The notion of a learning plan as a living document is crucial in the ever-changing world of executive leadership. The cycle of reviewing and adjusting should be ingrained in your learning process, allowing for a more adaptive, responsive, and effective approach to your personal and professional development. This cycle isn't just a routine; it's a strategic ritual that paves the way for long-term success.

Reviewing results is only one part of coaching yourself. Ask yourself what factors contributed to meeting or not meeting the goal? What got in your way, not only external factors but what mindset you held about them? For example, you missed a goal about reading a self-help book and practicing new skills because a 3-day business trip dropped on your calendar. What prevented you from reading the book on the plane and practicing the skills during the business meetings? Was it simple procrastination or something deeper? Was it fear of trying new skills in front of strangers? What might be behind that fear? Get curious!

Be fluid and open to your mistakes, always keep a room for improvement. Have a dogged persona, don't give up easily. Including collaborative or selective reviews from experts and mentors will polish your golden skills.

Executives often focus on what needs to be done next—the next quarter, the next strategy, the next innovation. Amid this future-oriented mindset, it’s easy to overlook one of the most important aspects of sustained success and well-being: taking the time to celebrate achievements and rewarding yourself. Whether they’re about hitting a business target or realizing a personal development goal, achievements are milestones in your ongoing journey as a senior executive. Celebrating these not only serves to motivate you but also enriches your professional life in numerous ways. So, go ahead and make a celebration and rewards a strategic part of your executive journey. Trust me; you’ve earned it.

High achievers often forget to stop and celebrate wins. Or maybe it is even worse than forgetting - they have seen success by relentlessly beating down the door of their goals. While that can work for sprints or marathons, it isn't a joyful and expansive way to live this one beautiful life we have. Being a high achiever who stops to celebrate and pauses to rest not only adds energy to your life, but it makes you a more relatable and compelling leader. Your team can trust you to lead them through hard pushes, AND they can trust that you will model recovery and celebration.

know why you wanted to get there then celebrate that success. The key is building up the system to being able to achieve results. Then working to expand it to other problematic areas as you get better at identifying stall points. Celebrating this will help to break this attempt at mastery into smaller steps.

Acknowledging progress and success in your development journey is important - this recognition not only serves as a positive reinforcement but also boosts motivation and reinforces the value of your ongoing commitment to growth and excellence. Recognizing your achievements, no matter how small, validates the effort you've invested and the growth you've experienced. Establish a system of rewards for yourself when you reach key milestones or achieve specific goals and share your successes with stakeholders. Beyond celebrating specific achievements, reflect on the journey as a whole - it can provide profound insights into your development and the impact of your learning.

Coaching yourself to executive success starts with radical self-awareness. Early on, I realized that waiting for external feedback wasn’t enough—I had to become my own toughest critic and biggest advocate. I found it really helpful to regularly step back and ask, “What’s really holding me back?” and being brutally honest with the answer. I set goals not just around outcomes, but around habits. Small, consistent improvements compound into major shifts. I also make it a point to seek out uncomfortable situations—because growth rarely comes from staying comfortable. Executive success isn’t just about skills; it’s about mindset, resilience, and being intentional in how you push yourself to evolve.

Understand that your subconscious self is your best friend and worst enemy. We possess a gut instinct, that when honed, can help guide you and your teams through opportunity and adversity. Don't ignore it. However, also remember that your subconscious will trip you up. Circumstances include: - When you are acting unethically (ex: poker tell), - When you have a paradox (conflicting information making you unsure of your decisions), or - When you're holding onto assumptions that were never true or no longer relevant due to changing circumstances. Your subconscious will sense a threat to your wellbeing and get in the way.

Honest reflection is critical to self-coaching. The hardest part is often making time for reflection. In reality, there are enough hours in the week and month to squeeze in a half hour to step back and consider what's working and where you're getting in your own way. Yet reflection can feel like "doing nothing" to action-bias execs. If you're serious about self-coaching, slow down for a deliberate regular meeting with yourself. And be as rigorous, challenging, and supportive as you are with your directs.

Taking time to study the reality around you and keeping perspective will allow you to explore, create, and develop the presence spoken about of executives. This is actually stillness inside yourself and knowing that being in the moment and doing what you can there is the only real thing you can do. Sometimes the action is physical, sometimes it's just listening. The key is working to understand and implement whatever is needed in that moment. Vary your inputs from those around you to the things you consume intentionally and watch how you do things, when intent becomes purpose, there is no more insanity in your life because you design your own results.

Self-coaching is not just about your personal achievement but also about contributing to the success of your team, organization, and the wider community. Recognize that self-coaching is not an isolated activity but an integral part of your leadership. The insights and growth you gain from this process should inform your approach to leading others, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and development within your team or organization. Also make sure that your self-coaching efforts align with the broader objectives and values of your organization. By doing so, you not only advance your personal leadership capabilities but also contribute to the organization's success and resilience.