How can you refine your coaching style for senior executives?

Did you know that nearly 20% of executives between 45 and 60 have hearing loss? This impacts leadership, personal health, stress and how they are perceived by peers? As a Mayo Clinic Certified /Trained Wellness Coach and as a behavioral scientist--with hearing loss--, I coach executives to better accept, manage and improve how they work and take care of themselves and their companies. Hearing loss--even moderate loss--creates challenges that many people don't realize until too late or they deny hearing loss and just "deal with it." In American business scenes, there is still a believed stigma to admitting you have hearing loss. We need to fix this perception and give permission to admit this. Coaching can help. Dr. Russ Riendeau, PhD

Supporting senior executives in a coaching capacity demands a keen understanding of their unique circumstances. These high-profile individuals often face constant scrutiny, leaving them with limited avenues for genuine openness and candor. As a coach, my primary objective is cultivating a robust trust and confidentiality foundation. Senior executives require a secure and confidential space to freely express their thoughts, apprehensions, vexations, and insecurities. Occasionally, they may seek specific guidance and advice, further underscoring the coach's pivotal role in their professional journey.

I believe senior leaders want strong, challenging but supportive sounding boards. They truly look for an equal to challenge and support them in the way other people may not always feel they can. So I believe it's important to know your own style as a coach, where your boundaries are, what you bring to the relationship and to be able to articulate that really clearly.

Yes, context awareness is essential for coaching to be effective. It's about offering specialised advice that genuinely makes a difference, not simply random advice. Since every executive is different, a more successful and individualised coaching experience may be had by understanding their particular circumstances.

Remember, that people know themselves and are the ultimate source for knowing who they are. Thus, an executive coach cannot contradict an executive's perception of themselves. Having said that, at times you may notice an executive behaves in contradiction to what they say about themselves, or they are precieved in the workplace as different than their own perception of themselves. In this case, a coach will reflect that for them in an articulate and respectful manner.

A hugely-successful CEO once said to me, "the last time I knew my jokes were funny was the day before I became CEO." The coaching partnership is particularly powerful for those who, by virtue of their position in the organisation, have few people with whom they can be truly honest. Trust in the coaching relationship with the CEO or C-suite executive starts with complete confidentiality, unfiltered candour and willingness to face into The Truth. If all you're doing is having the same conversation they're already having with the Chief People Officer and the Board then you're adding no value. Ask them what they think the unique work they need to do is. It can be the most challenging, and the most satisfying, coaching experience you can have.

Every coach knows that vulnerability on the part of a client is a key sign of trust. The more a coachee feels able to trust us, the more they feel able to start a sentence with words such as "I haven't really shared this with anyone else, but what worries me is ..." In these moments they can almost appear to want to put us on a pedestal. In my view, it's important that we avoid the temptation to act as if we are some sort of guru figure! To achieve exceptionally high levels of trust, we need to show our own vulnerability at times and resist the temptation to offer certainty, even when our coachee appears to want this. We need to be real, honest, never ever dogmatic and constantly open to moving on in our own thinking and assumptions.

Ensuring the senior leader, as a coachee, finds a safe space in the coaching relationship is critical. In my coaching practice, a couple of very senior leaders have broken down in tears at times during a session. How that intense vulnerability is treated and how they are made to feel and enabled to move forward constructively from there is based on a healthy rapport and trust between the coach and coachee. Maintaining a truly non-judgemental, empathetic, supportive-yet-challenging, and confidential partnership is a key expectation from any coach, especially for senior leaders whose sense of authority and capability should not be weakened. And, it must be established very early on for it to work!!

Establishing rapport is an ongoing process - requiring patience, active engagement, and a genuine commitment to the executive's growth and success. Authenticity is key to this too.

Quand on coach des cadres il est primordial d’instaurer un climat de confiance. Comme, d’ailleurs, avec tous les coachés. Cependant, l’activité professionnelle d’un cadre peut demander plus de rigueur au niveau de la confidentialité. En effet, la personne coachée peut avoir plus de réticence pour partager ses pensées. Le dessin neurographique aide dans cette situation, car il s’agit d’une communication entre le coaché et … son inconscient, où il trouve des solutions. Même si le coaché ne dit pas toute l’information au coach, il avance quand même dans sa réflexion.

Senior Executives are not just looking to enhance their leadership but are also navigating business challenges and boundary spanning across the organization. The coach must then make sense of their context and the core need arising out of this context along with the stated organizational need. Once you see this need, it's important that the coachees also discover, validate and find this need pressing. The coaching style must be aligned to coachees core values. For instance some may place high precedence on autonomy & hence helping them discover through experience might be more suitable. Others pay want specific examples to find structure and also for you to prove your relevance. Finally, keep the interventions novel to pique the interest.

Something that is quite more relevant in the case of senior executives is the non-directive style. Coaching needs to be more exquisite on the questions, silences, and all the techniques to broaden the inquisition of the rationale, the emotion and the body. Usually, this profile can be less open to reflect on certain dimensions, and focus more on the environment, its complexity and everything that resonates with challenges. The underlying needs, the connection with body and emotion may be put a side or tried to be diluted. Their confort zone may appear on the decision making and its rationale, blocking the perspective and the observer beyond it.

In my experience, a lot of senior leaders want a strong and supportive coach as a partner. As successful leaders, they may not have many people who will challenge them in a positive and constructive manner. Adapting your coaching style to remain sensitive, empathetic yet help the leader push boundaries they have not crossed, helping them see the contradictions, biases and blind spots others may hesitate to call out, is what many of my coachees explicitly expect as an outcome of the coaching partnership. How to do this respectfully yet strongly enough for the leader to confront it, is where the approach needs to be customized for each coachee, to ensure the message is received in a manner that it can be worked upon by the leader!

Coaching senior executives requires a tailored approach. Focus on aligning coaching with organizational strategy, maintain strict confidentiality, demonstrate tangible results, enhance executive presence, respect their time, encourage challenging assumptions, address stakeholder dynamics, adapt to their evolving needs, be aware of governance structures, and consider long-term development. Understanding their unique roles and objectives is key to effective coaching. Consider emphasizing: Strategic Alignment Executive Presence Stakeholder Engagement Board and Governance Long-Term Development

I've found when working with senior executives many will want to get to an answer quickly and will sometimes push me as their coach to advise them. This makes sense given most of their day is likely to move fast and make decisions. I often share with leaders that I'm coaching that I take an 80/20 approach. 80% of the time I'm in full coach mode and asking questions. 20% of the time, I may offer advice or a perspective.

Once trust is established, a coach can transition into a role akin to a leadership buddy. It's a well-known fact that leadership can be isolating. A harmonious connection between the coachee and the coach creates an environment where the coachee feels comfortable opening up. Genuine challenges and fears are more likely to be disclosed when faced with a supportive coach. The synergy between the coach and coachee is vital for addressing challenges effectively. A coach, while providing necessary tools, doesn't necessarily have to be intimately familiar with the coachee's industry, as long as they adhere to the coaching process. This synchronization benefits both the coach and the coachee, fostering progress by addressing each challenge.

Encourage senior executives to step out of their comfort zones and explore new perspectives and strategies. Help them embrace change and innovation, even at the senior level.

For me, challenging and supporting my clients go hand in hand. I was recently coaching a client who was a bright, and capable individual, yet caught in the web of procrastination. Through a blend of probing questions and accountability mechanisms, we discovered the root—a fear of failure. Addressing this, we shifted focus from perfection to progression. The result? Incremental commitments led to significant achievements. It's about guiding leaders to step out of their comfort zones while ensuring they have the support to not just dream but do.

Senior executives are people first. In coaching them, see the person behind the title. Provide a safe space for them to share vulnerabilities and receive compassion without judgment. By supporting them as individuals, they are able to bring their full, authentic selves to their role. This builds a strong foundation of trust in the coaching relationship. When executives bring their real selves to the table, walls come down, and the work of transformation can take root.

In my experience, executives who've reached the highest levels of leadership are fairly self-aware, highly competent, and may only need to make a couple of adjustments to rise further. After all, what they've done has brought them success. And therein lies the challenge. I was brought in to coach a CEO on presentation skills. He would go off on tangents during meetings - completely losing his staff. Turns out, he thought he was adding context, when the staff just wanted a straightforward answer. When it came to his style of speaking, I still remember his surprise when he realized he'd actually have to do something different if he wanted to be known as being 'compelling.' Having him define 'compelling' led to new behavior.

Especially at the executive level, the client is paying the coach for outcomes, not just the process. They invest in a coach who will help them create a tailored future that would otherwise not come to pass without the coach's intervention. As such, it's particularly helpful to structure the coaching engagement for senior executives as a package that includes ongoing support between sessions so that they can engage on emerging situations that require immediate action.

I find that coaching each executive demands a bespoke approach, recognizing the unique contexts and needs of each leader. It starts with a deep understanding of their professional and personal landscapes. Establishing a foundation of trust is paramount, creating a safe space for open dialogue and introspection. Adapting coaching methods is essential, balancing between structured and exploratory approaches, challenging and supporting in equal measure. Coaching sessions must be efficiently impactful, focusing on actionable insights and outcomes. Continuous feedback is crucial for adapting the coaching approach, ensuring it remains relevant and effective in the ever-evolving landscape of executive leadership.

Focus on Results: Senior executives are often results-driven. Tailor your coaching to focus on achieving specific, measurable outcomes that align with their business objectives.

I believe it is important to have clarity on the commitment on the either party. this will enable to understand the Return on Expectation rather than the investment. In a coaching process coachee has higher % on accountability than a coach. being punctual & preparedness is vital for coaching. Mindset of the coachee matters, you cannot rush in or cut short the conversation, this will mislead the conversation. so following are highly recommended 1. Schedule the time slot & block it 2. Be prepared for the conversation ( now we have plenty of AI tools) 3. do your homework 4. if you are unable to make it make sure give heads up to the coach or the coaches 5. dont make coaching a liability make it an asset

Most CEOs and senior executives I coach are highly intelligent, well respected and incredibly driven. By asking them what is working for them, and not working, we quickly build a relationship based on trust, results and proactive problem-solving.

To have an open conversation with the client on what's working for them and not is key. This includes checking in during the coaching session to see if we're on track with where we want to go. Self-reflection is also important, to assess yourself on for instance presence, courage and how much true connection you perceived there were.

Provide support and encouragement while also challenging senior executives to stretch their capabilities and reach their full potential. Remember that senior executives have demanding roles, so your coaching should be time-efficient and focused on tangible outcomes. By adapting your coaching style to their specific needs, you can provide valuable guidance and support for their professional growth and success.

Although it's crucial to be goal-focused during executive coaching, I believe there is great value in taking a holistic approach that sees the person as a human being who has lived a life and has their own unique strengths, values and personality. By 'going deep' and understanding the person before you, I have observed you are far more likely to build rapport and create a trusting and constructive space, in which the executive may show up authentically without fear of being exposed. Taking this kind of positive psychology-informed approach also supports the person to tap into previous successes and consider what could be. They are also more likely to be open to robust challenge, which ultimately leads to a refined leadership identity.

Set up at the outset how you'll work together. What are the expectations - for both sides. I've had a big boss blow off coaching sessions, and then wonder why he wasn't seeing progress. Set realistic goals with tangible results, as well as transformational goals. Having the courage to challenge certainly changed that coaching relationship for the better!

Don't make assumptions! Every client is different, and being a senior leader doesn't mean you suddenly become a different person. The topics you cover may indeed relate to some of the key, big, broad business challenges. They may look for some more directive advice at times (technically not coaching in its purest sense) if you've been in a similar role. They may end up focusing more on the impact of their role on their personal life. But they may not. You are there fully in their service. Design how you will work together with care, build trust, and help them create the future they are longing for as a human, not as a job title.

It is important to approach executives as individuals, recognizing their unique qualities beyond their professional titles. Acknowledging their competence is essential; executives have reached their positions due to their skills and expertise. However, part of effective coaching involves recognizing that even accomplished individuals have areas for growth. Executives often respond positively to honest assessment, as it helps them identify blind spots and refine their leadership skills. Lastly, each executive is unique, with distinct needs, goals, and personality traits. A Coach must be adaptable, tailoring their methods to suit the individual executive's requirements.