How do you handle the ups and downs of executive coaching?

Every human being has their personality created according to the beliefs and values passed on to them by their tutors. Sometimes, you self sabotage yourself and, by doing so, your emotions are committed to make the wrong judgments. Our commitment is to use a neuroscience method to help the Coachees understand their mental algorithms that trigger their sabotage atitude. After this process the Coachee is able to have more empathy with others and understand that the key is compassion with yourself and with others.

The purpose is our "why" ,it is the answer to the question of "why do we do what we do no matter the challenges". Puporse is the source of our motivation and resilience. Purpose correlates strongly with our core values- so having them defined and handy will help in the challenging or upsetting situations . Write down your purpose statement - similar to how companies or products do - put it on the wall in front of you or as screen saver - so that it always takes you back to your internal "why" and helps you see and focus on the big picture.

Navigating the highs and lows of executive coaching requires a steadfast connection to one's purpose. In my experience, understanding and regularly revisiting the core purpose behind coaching helps weather challenges and celebrate successes. Knowing that each coaching journey contributes to personal and organizational growth provides resilience. When faced with difficulties, reflecting on the greater impact of coaching reinforces motivation. Purpose acts as a guiding light, aligning actions with a meaningful mission. It not only sustains through the inevitable ups and downs but also inspires a continuous commitment to the transformative process, fostering a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment in the dynamic field of executive coaching.

In my work as an Executive Coach, I stress the value of confusion, ignorance, and helplessness. Prof. Dr. Varga von Kibéd highlights these as essential to coaching. Avoiding them means missing key lessons. Denying occasional helplessness is delusional. Dr. Siegfried Lachmair believes new coaches must balance attitude and skill. He warns against early specialization, as real issues often surface later, revealing deeper underlying themes. Embracing these states can lead to profound insights and growth, both for the coach and the coachee. It's about diving deep, confronting uncertainties, and emerging with clarity and direction.

Initially I had my doubts on pursuing a professional path in executive coaching because the market seemed so crowded already. Then I realised that I am unique and therefore I have a unique story to tell. I am here for a reason and it feels like my true calling. I see it as my duty to value the uniqueness in my clients and to support them where they want to go. Life is about growing. Coaching is too. There is always sunshine after the rain. Just keep on walking.

This is such great advice. But navigating the complexities of executive coaching demands more than self-awareness; it requires external guidance. While self-coaching is a must, it's not always sufficient to traverse the maze of emotions and experiences that come from coaching. Unfortunately, we can't see our blind spots. One of my coaches once told me, "Your superpowers don't work on you." That's why having a coach is critical to help you gain perspective, maintain emotional balance, bolster personal resilience, sharpen your skills, and manage expectations.

As an executive coach, before each session, it's essential to ground ourselves. Understanding who we are is critical. However, coaching is a two-party relationship (at a minimum). We must meet clients where they are and recognize that the path forward may look different than our preferred pathway. In coaching, it's always the client's agenda. Executive coaching involves elevated awareness of self, and that allows us to manage and navigate our emotions and the emotions of the client. That is the very definition of emotional intelligence. It's not always easy, but there is not much in life that is easy.

In my work as an Executive Coach, I've learned that during crises, the bigger the challenge, the higher the expected solution. Both individuals and companies often see coaches as saviors. While sharing knowledge about the coaching process is vital, in crises, direct advice might not be best. It's crucial to rebuild competence and resources first. A coach must sometimes convey a tough truth, especially to businesses: "I don't have an instant solution. Success requires many small steps, and I'm here to guide you through them."

As coaches, we see the tremendous potential in our clients and want them to become the best version of themselves, but sometimes they may not be ready to do so. Establishing the specific outcome that the client would like to have at the end of their coaching engagement and checking in to see if their expectations are being met, is great way to avoid disappointments.

I accept the fact that not every engagement will be a successful o e in terms of my Coachee's objectives as well as mine. As I do.a.self-debrief after every meeting as well as a.more comlrehensive o e at the end of the assignment, I realize that I, too need a "coach/trusted advisor"( if you don't have one, find o e quick! ??). Whenever I feel that I could have done things a bit differently or if I want to explore alternative strategies, I always bounce it off my own trusted advisor, an excellent, wise caring Colleague, who has always the appropriate gift of feedback.

Support is key, and it will make you a better coach. Our work requires deep presence, this requires attention to processing and clearing our own "stuff" so that we can fully serve our clients. In addition to the beauty of being surrounded by coaches and the way we can support and empower each other, I have shared the journey with a small-group mastermind for the past 18 years that has been my lifeline. We meet weekly, virtually, for 2-3 hours on a Wednesday, and we share our lives, our challenges, and our joys. The balance, love, and upliftment from these women has been the bedrock of my professional journey and I cannot recommend it enough. Surrounding yourself with empowering community is a gift for your heart, career, and clients.

Being coached, and continuing to connect and collaborate with other coaches, is my consistent habit. It stretches my mind, provides new perspectives, and allows me to pay it forward. I take part in peer-to-peer mastermind circles with other coaches where we share best practices, ideas, resources, and business development opportunities. In addition, I continue to be coached one-on-one to work on my next big goal. In my book, PREP, PUSH, PIVOT, I emphasize the importance of having your own personal board of directors. This is essential for coaches as our work can be isolating, despite the fact we're connecting with others consistently. Holding space for your own development and guidance is key.

Be extraordinary. The ordinary person shall stop with downs but the extraordinary will always ask for support. Even in ups, you are on the trail of success and that can be enhanced with support and coaching.

Executive coaching at a a rewarding and fulfilling career, but it also comes with its own set of challenges and emotions. Most of all don’t go it alone. There will be ups - that person you unblocked comes and praises you. You enjoy their rise as mush as it if were your own. Then there is the client who won’t change but it is your fault they get no results. Perseverance is key. Enjoy the wins for your client. Support your toughest customer as you were there once too. Keep a community of fellow coaches and confidentiality support each other never revealing your client name. Learn to switch off and live YOUR life to maintain your energies too.

In my practice, the alliance between the client and myself says that open and honest feedback is not only welcome, it is expected. For support, I have my own Coach to work through my own biases and hang ups. There is also a group of us that will get together quarterly to evaluate our coaching techniques using fictional scenarios. Organized in a triad group, one is the client, one is the Coach, and one is the observer that gives feedback.

Self-care and reflection are an important element to fill you cup. With an empty you, you cannot bring the best in people you coach. Having rituals that enhance your energy will always help to be more present in the coaching conversation.

Self-care is critical. I begin my day with a set of habits and routines that are all about me doing work on myself, for myself. This morning ritual creates a frame that allows me to serve clients from a place of being grounded, centered, and healthy. That foundation has worked well for me and my clients.

When it comes to self-care, reflect on your last plane flight. The pilot tells everyone the following statement: If there is an issue that arises during the flight, you need to place the oxygen mask on yourself first before you can place an oxygen mask on someone else. This is an analogy that I use with my clients (and myself) to make time for self-care. We can not be fully present and help others unless we take care of ourselves first. Take a few moments today to think about what activities, tasks or events that make you feel like you are taking time out for yourself and starting adding them to your schedule.

I often remind my clients of the safety regulations in an airplane :"If the oxygen masks come out, put on your own mask first before helping others". As coaches we are often so focused on our clients' needs that we forget about our own. It's essential to find what works for you to recharge your batteries, and to have professional supervision where you can offload your own fears and worries. I felt this was particularly important during the Covid pandemic, as many people were suffering and sometimes I felt my own shoulders were loaded with my clients' issues. It feels good to have someone support you in separating what belongs to you and what belongs to your Coachees, and see issues from a distance.

I believe in Mentors, I have and have had, mentors who have helped me self evaluate and take satisfaction in what I have done and what I need to do.

Como Coach executivo procuro focar-me em ter um Mindset de crescimento, tal como Carol D. recomenda no seu livro, isso significa que celebro as conquistas por saber o esfor?o, estudo que empenho para o crescimento e aceito quando as coisas n?o correm menos bem, aceitando que isso é um processo e que estou evoluir e que os erros fazem parte do aprendizado.

I have this belief that if we don't celebrate our success no matter how small, then we don't have reason to pursue it. I find every opportunity to celebrate wins. It gives me the energy to deal with the next challenges because I look forward to the next celebration. For celebrating wins, and learning from mistakes, you'll need evaluation. Regularly evaluating your progress as a coach allows you to celebrate the wins and learn lessons not just from your mistakes, but from the wins themselves.

There's a great book 'Gap and Gains' - most of the time, our survival bias / negativity bias will focus on the gap between where we are and where we want to be and increase suffering. Instead focus on the gains - those achievements, reasons to be proud, challenges overcome, skills developed etc. and use that as fuel to dream bigger and re-energise you for your future.

Celebration is a vital element for making the progress permanent. When you celebrate a milestone, a win, it fills you with more energy as the acknowledgement to self, the pat on the back by your ownself speeds up the progress.

Embracing both triumphs and tribulations is vital in the realm of executive coaching. It's easy to get engrossed in areas that need refining, but true growth stems from a balanced perspective. Every milestone, no matter how small, is a testament to dedication and effort. Celebrate these victories – they are markers on your journey of positive impact. Likewise, our missteps are not setbacks but valuable lessons. They offer a unique perspective and insight, molding us into more adept coaches. Incorporate regular feedback sessions, evaluations, and reflective debriefing. They're not just tools, but bridges to understanding and evolution.

Remaining curious about your own and others coaching practice reinvigorates what you do. Try shadowing others and being shadowed, and use this to inform areas for development. So much happens in the coaching conversation and this is one way to capture the depth and breadth of your practice.

Learning is a lifelong process. Keep yourselves upgraded always helps to serve the people you work with better. Results show up faster.

If you're not learning, the pace of change in the space will outrun you. You'll also have less confidence and less skills to handle the changing environment. There's also such a vast, deep, exciting array of things to learn forever in this world. I don't think I'll ever not be fascinated by all there is to learn in this space. Follow your energy with learning/developing rather than the trends all the time too. Notice the underlying themes rather than the momentary 'hot' stuff. History is a great teacher about our future but don't be afraid to ask new questions of yourself and others :)

I believe a lot of executive coaches “do coaching” rather than embodying what they bring to their clients. I have my own coach so that I continue to be in touch with what’s happening for my clients, while I sustain my own growth journey. I also practice what I hand to my clients - be it tools, programs, etc. so that I’m not offering something I’ve not already been through myself. This method of staying in a development journey of my own allows me to just BE.

I’ve built my practice on the philosophy, the best leaders embrace - ‘they don’t know what they don’t know and they can’t see what they can’t see.’ No matter what you’ve achieved or how much you’ve learned there’s a growth edge that when unlocked creates a ripple of success that wasn’t accessible before.

My office is my sanctuary. Surround yourself with the visual cues, ergonomic support, beauty, and inspiration that allows you to feel safe, grounded, and inspired. I know I do better coaching when I'm not worried about an unexpected interruption, and when I settle into my space I am greeted with things that remind me of who I am, in service of my work. Add plants, art, comfort items (favorite mug, yummy hand cream, essential oils), and strategic sticky notes or mini posters within eyesight designed to make you smile or bolster your resilience just when you need it most.

Whenever you feel you "have arrived" as a coach, reminding oneself that there never are two similar coaching clients will help! Each new client brings in new areas to explore and a different ground to cover. This awareness should help fight complacency and the need to sharpen the saw regularly. Tendency to generalisation and indulging in cookie cutter processes which have worked in the past or with someone else in apparently similar situations can become harbingers of doom for one's coaching practise.

Thank you for this fabulous article of reassuring points and essential suggestions. Many coaches work in some isolation which is clearly not providing the professional and personal support required. A good list of notes to ensure a safe role.

Remember to manage the business The human context of our work exerts a strong force. Easy, then, to fall in and be subject to the ebb and flow of those human energies. Part of our defences lies in remembering the business: >Plan (be prepared and put things in the bigger picture) >Balance fee-paying activity with sales, networking, CPD, supervision etc (and keep the total load manageable) >Maintain a business pipeline (smoothing the commercial risk) >Regularly review workload and value (and drop the stuff that isn’t right) >Ensure that when we’re not working, we’re not working (whisper it: work-life balance). A bit mundane maybe. But it’s the mundane that keeps us grounded, supports us and ensures that client time is quality time.

When a coach takes on significant challenges, ups and downs are a part of the process. Coaching poses a challenge to the participants as well as the Coach. The Journey of Personal Mastery must be an ongoing process for every coach. Every challenge is an opportunity for learning and upgrading the Coach's personal competence. When ups and downs become a way of life for a Coach and continual upgradation of knowledge is undertaken by the Coach, it becomes an engaging evolution in the coaching profession. A coach must constantly challenge one's belief and knowledge level; ups and downs allow personal "involution." Scientific thinking that "I do not know, and now I need to know a new way" mitigates the ups and downs.