Here's how you can incorporate self-awareness into emotional intelligence as an Executive Coach.

There can be little or no growth in self-awareness without growth in personal consciousness and a change in 'energy'. There are three great energies in the 'universe' - the tiger like energy which gets things done; the sloth like energy which leads to torpor; the swan like energy which lets you see things as they really are. The individual needs more swan energy. Daily meditation or mindfulness practices increases the availability of swan energy; attention to the breath does something similar. More than that, the individual needs to find a balance between reflective opportunities and action-based 'doings'. The great sages in the East always recommended that we should spend at least one hour per day cultivating swan like energies.

The Three Blessings exercise, also known as Three Good things created by Martin Seligman is a great tool for daily reflections before we go to sleep. In my experience it is one of the most effective positive psychology intervention. We got to pen three things in our day that went well and why do we thing it went well. It does not matter the three things you choose can be minor or major. What matters is those are the things that went well for you. If you make this as a practice, you will soon find out that your index of well being and resilience go north.

Leaders are vulnerable to catching up in the whirlwind of activities, meetings, and deadlines. Amidst this, I’ve found a simple yet profoundly impactful practice that keeps me grounded and focused: everyday journaling. Journaling, for me, is more than just writing down thoughts. It’s a dedicated space for reflection, learning, and growth. Every morning, I set aside a few minutes to write. This practice helps me create a reflective space to pause and consider my actions, decisions, and interactions from the previous day. It’s a moment to step back and observe, allowing me to gain deeper insights into my work and approach to challenges. Journaling provides a steady anchor, a place where I can process setbacks and celebrate victories.

Executive coaching hinges on emotional intelligence (EQ). But true leadership EQ starts with self-awareness. Here's how I coach my clients: 1. Unmasking Blind Spots: Guiding clients to identify their emotional triggers and how they impact decisions. 2. Mirroring, Mirroring: Using reflective exercises to help leaders see how their emotions affect others. 3. The "Why" Behind the "What": Exploring the emotions driving behaviors, fostering self-control and better decision-making. By cultivating self-awareness, leaders build the foundation for strong EQ – making them more effective and empathetic. Executive coaching speeds up the process and helps create breakthrough results.

I believe that reflecting daily by incorporating self-awareness into emotional intelligence, allows executive coach to better understand and manage emotions, fostering stronger leadership and improved team dynamics.

As an executive coach, seek feedback regularly from clients and stakeholders. Use one-on-one sessions, open-ended questions, and 360-degree feedback. Continuous learning ensures impactful coaching!

Intentions do not matter when the impact is visible. As a leader a lot of things are always up and running on his mind. When communicating, he may sometimes, unconsciously, use a not very friendly tone for example, which make his subordinates feel he is rude and arrogant . He may not even be aware of this but the after effects may not be very pleasant. When making an effort to grow, the leader ought to identify that his visible and his hidden areas. Feedback, helps a person understand how he is seen from the other persons view. How to work on the negative qualities and convert them to empowering ones. He has to be open to any negative opinions and be ready to work on them.

Actively seek feedback from colleagues, clients, and mentors regarding your interactions and coaching style. Constructive feedback helps identify blind spots and areas where your perception of yourself might differ from how others perceive you. Utilize tools like 360-degree feedback assessments to gather comprehensive feedback from multiple sources. Approach feedback with an open mind and a willingness to learn, viewing it as an opportunity for growth rather than criticism. This external perspective is crucial for developing a well-rounded understanding of your emotional impact on others and refining your coaching approach.

Having trusted peers and advisors that can provide honest feedback is a great tool to help leaders understand their behavior, their words, the impact from the recipient’s point of view. Intent and perception can be very different and this feedback can help identify where there is opportunity to show more empathy, understand the impact and help a leader grow in this area. Having regular dialogue, 1:1 meetings sets a consistent pace for these discussions which is necessary to implement meaningful change.

One of the most powerful practices I have found for increasing self-awareness and releasing negative emotions comes from the Sedona Method, which I credit with the following questions. Ask yourself, What am I feeling right now? Be honest and don't censor your own response. Can I welcome this feeling? Even if the answer is no, just continue. Could I let this feeling go? Even if the answer is no, just continue. Would I let this feeling go? When? The sequence works because it allows us to bring our emotions into the open, acknowledge them rather than stuffing them down, and inviting ourselves to let the emotions process rather than holding onto them. By removing resistance, we can move forward more easily. Repeat the sequence as needed!

We often connect ourselves closely with our emotions by saying things like "I am angry," "I am anxious," or "I am frustrated." Unlike physical pain, we tend to identify strongly with our emotional states. Let me give you an example - if you are walking down the street and you slip and hurt your knee, you can effectively separate yourself from your physical pain. But do you do that with your emotions? To practice mindfulness, try this simple exercise a few times a day: Pause and ask yourself, "How am I feeling?" Instead of saying "I am," acknowledge the emotion by saying "I feel..." This small change can help you observe and regulate your emotions more effectively throughout the day.

I find most clients are perfectionistic. This is good because it makes them diligent. However,it also makes them more judgmental of themselves. So, their own unconscious thoughts may suddenly make them feel anxious or guilty. That is how they will recognize the unconscious thought. I then teach them meditation using imagery to visualize moments when they did well. Those feelings are based on reality, not false judgmental thoughts. This changes their state of mind. I ask them to stay with that feeling and be mindful that those feelings and to acknowledge what happened during the imagery that brought back that feeling the strongest. They can utilize that sensation or moment to be mindful of who they really are.

As an executive coach, mindfulness practice plays a crucial role in enhancing emotional intelligence. Here are a few suggestions: Self-Awareness: Regular mindfulness meditation helps you understand your own emotions. By being present and nonjudgmental, you can recognize emotional triggers, strengths, and weaknesses. Emotional Regulation: Mindfulness allows you to regulate and control your emotions effectively. It provides a foundation for other emotional intelligence components. Remember, mindfulness cultivates self-awareness, which is essential for coaching success!

Mindfulness practices are instrumental in cultivating self-awareness and emotional regulation. Incorporate mindfulness techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindful observation into your daily routine. These practices help you stay present, increase your awareness of your thoughts and feelings, and reduce reactive tendencies. As an executive coach, mindfulness allows you to remain calm and centered during coaching sessions, enhancing your ability to listen actively and respond empathetically. Regular mindfulness practice also improves your ability to manage stress and maintain emotional balance, which are essential for demonstrating high emotional intelligence in your coaching role.

Consider the following: Role Reversal: Encourage clients to put themselves in others’ shoes. Have them imagine a situation from a different perspective. This builds empathy and understanding. Active Listening Practice: Teach active listening techniques. For instance, focus on understanding rather than responding immediately. Validate emotions and ask open-ended questions. Story Sharing: Create a safe space for clients to share personal stories. This fosters empathy by connecting emotions and experiences. Empathy Mapping: Use empathy maps to explore feelings, needs, and motivations of others. This visual tool enhances understanding. Remember, empathy exercises deepen emotional intelligence and enhance coaching effectiveness!

There are 3 types of compassion. Logical compassion is the ability to understand what someone has gone through without really experiencing any real emotional connection to the event. Emotional compassion is when a client feels overwhelmed by hearing about hardships of another but is so overwhelmed, they cannot help the other person. Empathetic compassion is when a client can feel the suffering someone has experienced but is not overwhelmed by hearing about it. This allows a client to know they are experiencing true empathy. If the client cannot experience true empathy ask him/ her to talk about a hardship they endured and whether someone was truly connected to them and what that person did to make the client feel cared for.

Be an avid learner. Be curious rather than judgemental of yourself and others—set goals to stretch your ability to see the world with someone else's eyes. This may include watching dramas where you may find characters very different from you. Everything helps to widen our ability to experience the world.

Before setting personal goals, individuals or organizations need to cultivate the right mindset, encompassing growth, positivity, and gratitude. As King Solomon, the wisest man in the world, states in Proverbs 23:7, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." A proper mindset enables leaders to establish appropriate goals with the right intentions.

If you're a leader - especially an executive - you need your own personal board of advisors, including/not limited to: coaches, mentors, teachers, though partners, co-collaborators, peers, and maybe even a therapist, spiritual healer, and more. I have my clients create their top 10 board of advisors, and if they don't have someone to fill a spot, then they go find the right person and build a relationship with them. Also, take into account the racial, gender, sectoral, and age diversity of these folks. Eg: If you're white woman and all of your advisors are white women in the same field, you're insight, guidance, and counsel will be very limited.

Mentoring is a powerful tool for enhancing emotional intelligence as an executive coach. Here’s how to incorporate it: Guidance: Provide personalized guidance based on your experience. Share insights and strategies for self-awareness and empathy. Active Listening: Mentor clients in active listening skills. Encourage them to truly understand others’ perspectives. Feedback Loop: Create a feedback loop with mentees. Regularly discuss their progress, challenges, and emotional growth. Remember, mentoring complements coaching, fostering emotional intelligence development.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) cannot be built without self-awareness & a Coach without self-awareness cannot be great at their practice. - EI is a must for Executive Coaches & practices to build self-awareness will include, knowing your values, SOAR, biases & clearing any limiting beliefs & mental patterns to bring in internal alignment. -Different tools & modalities can support based on current & desired state, acceptance, avoidance of unhealthy mental patterns, & the ability to catch yourself and practice reframing. -Everybody needs a Coach or a Mentor & so do Executive Coaches for regular reflection, seeing their mental models, cleansing blocked energies & seeking tools & guidance to enhance self-awareness & emotional intelligence.

Seeing yourself from another person's perspective and Role-playing. Sometimes looking at yourself or your behavioural patterns from someone else's point of view to simulate real-life scenarios helps a person practice self-awareness and emotional intelligence in a controlled environment. More often than not, doing this one little activity often leaves an individual with a rational sense of the situation and identifying problematic patterns.

Adopt a growth mindset; no matter how advanced you think you are, there is more! Don't fuss about the destination it's the journey that matters. Listen with candour and curiosity.

An ability to navigate hardship and adversity is now recognized as a core competency of effective leadership. Resilience can help individuals or organizations not simply overcome adversity, but achieve extraordinary greatness when they face difficulty. Executive leaders' capacity for resilience in challenging times will eventually define the growth or death of their organizations. Executive coaching provides an opportunity how to grow this skill more strategically.