How can you develop a strategic mindset to anticipate and respond to change in Executive Coaching?

Often the challenge may be less around whether you have a strategic or operational mindset, but more around whether you're making the time and space to allow yourself to think and act strategically. So many leaders I speak with spend most of their time doing and not enough time thinking, reflecting, and planning.

A strategic mindset is future-focused, ensuring opportunities and challenges don't come as surprises, fostering a proactive rather than reactive approach. Utilising the Positive Intelligence framework, I support my executive coaching clients in developing a stronger positive outlook, enabling them to see opportunities and solutions rather than problems. I focus on enhancing clients' mental fitness, which involves strengthening their ability to remain calm and clear-headed under pressure, effectively manage stress, and maintain a positive outlook. Strong mental fitness is foundational for strategic thinking.

A good practice I encourage my clients is to look at their failed projects and then to understand what led to their failures. And behind each factor what were their underlying beliefs at that time. Once the underlying self-limiting beliefs have been identified, the next steps is to decide how they can let go these once and for all

Executive Coaching is all about helping your Coachee develop a mindset that is always about pushing the boundaries to become better than yesterday and for this thinking to be a way of a life for you and them. The new behaviors and actions if practiced keeping the longer term perspective and the answers to many "what ifs" as a key pillar, it will build and strengthen the strategic mindset.

Olhar a nós mesmos com um olhar apreciativo, de quem reconhece as próprias potencialidades e as possibilidades de transforma??o, já nos auxilia muito a desenvolver uma mentalidade estratégica e de crescimento. Saber que nós temos potência para resultado é um bom come?o. A partir daí reconhecer que essa potência deve ser colocada em prática e que cada pessoa terá uma forma mais eficaz para isso, um caminho mais consistente para resultado, será a nossa estratégia.

I have a method called the legacy method to help with defining strategic goals. to be breif, values voice(internal voice) and vision. making decisions from this space can enhance positive outcome scenarios and improve decision making. as leaders we are hired to make the best decision, and this is how we can tune into that.

Setting strategic goals will allow you to have deeper impact with the clients you coach. I often suggest taking a minimum of one - three full work day(s) to focus on the creation of your strategic goals. As it takes time for your brain to release the "busy" thoughts from your responsibilities, social media, and other distractions. Taking this specific time apart to think and create allows your brain to have space for genuine creativity which will add fuel to your SMART goals. Highly recommend!

I have a method called the BLANG method in which we create a table that helps us define our goals. It involve writing every goal you can think of and ranking them. This helps create prioritisation.

There is two ways: one of them is an individual strategic View and the other one is organizational strategic View. If we are talking about an individual strategic View, then I would highly recommend to start with the question of why. There are different exercises for example the seven why exercise. If a person understands why they really want something they are able to know when to say yes and when to say no in life this will clarify their daily lives in so many ways. If one knows why they want something then it is important to understand their personal and individual responsibility one needs to believe feed and protect its own why and his own dreams.

Defining strategic goals is like building a lighthouse for your ship - illuminating your path and drawing in clients who resonate with your vision. SMART goals are your bricks and mortar - tangible, achievable, and aligned with your values. Don't forget the fuel, though! Let purpose and industry trends guide your course, ensuring you reach not just any harbour, but one that makes a true difference. So, chart your course! What values will light your lighthouse? What impact do you dream of making on your clients and the coaching world? Methods I can recommend are vision crafting, values exploration, industry alignment, stakeholder consideration, prioritisation and SMART goal setting.

For me, this is about sharpening the saw; the more I coach senior people, the more insight I gain. The changing trends will emerge in my conversations. I need to continually self-reflect to ensure my style, approach, and context are always relevant.

Don’t forget to talk to key stakeholders too. Sometimes helping an executive achieve their goals and expanding your skill set to do so may include seeking feedback from others who are involved.

Life learning is the key to expand the knowledge and the skills. I suggest also to study contiguos business areas to better understand the impact that we can have in our daily activities.

Pode ser muito útil conhecer seus próprios talentos naturais. Quando descobre se lidera pelo pensamento estratégico, por meio dos relacionamentos, pela inlfuência ou pela execu??o, entende muito sobre sua forma de atuar como coach. Perceberá seu próprio estilo e onde est?o suas for?as, bem como, entenderá suas fragilidades e onde precisará de complementariedade para avan?ar em seus processos e negócios como coach executivo.

Depending from your situation talk to stakeholders talk to affected parties talk with people and organizations who have done something you are experiencing or you're planning to go through. It is important to get the information right from the field.

Diverse lived experiences help you to make connections that you might not otherwise make. You begin to see patterns, parallels, and differing ways of working that expand your mind. Interacting with and focused listening to people who are different than you as well as expanding your circle of concern exponentially increases your ability to more deeply understand the human condition. Together this leads to increased agility and creativity which helps you to see and develop a stronger and more inclusive and sustainable strategy in both your personal and professional life.

I like this point, it is a good one. For it can help us get out of our confort zone and expand our vision. Reality is wider than what many of us can perceive, so why limit ourselves to our own limited minds? Better to listen and learn from others, and then redesign your maps.

Ah,breaking out of the echo chamber! Seeking diverse perspectives is like scaling a new mountain – a bit of a climb, but the view from the top is breathtaking. Examples- 1. Coach's Circle: Network with executive coaches from different backgrounds and approaches. Sharing stories and challenges unlocks fresh perspectives and sparks innovation. 2. Thought Leader: Follow experts and influencers in diverse fields. Podcasts, blogs, etc tap into their unique mindsets and challenge your own assumptions. 3. Global Trek: Dive into new cultures, markets, or sectors. Attend conferences, read industry reports from outside your domain. You might find the next coaching frontier in an unexpected place! The best view comes from seeing things from all angles

I encourage executive leaders to tap into different groups within their own organizations. Getting down to bottom of issues while separating from group think is highly important. Veterans are a great group that bring an incredibly diverse view of opportunities and perspectives that could help advise and assist leaders. Additionally, former Special Operations Veterans have had to explore some of the most “out of the box” solutions in order to successfully execute the most demanding missions. This group of professionals is a highly specialized team to tap into, who also understanding the challenges that the leader is experiencing. When leading, it is always better to have others around you who understand and are willing to help.

I think a question here would be: do we just seek an experience for the sake of seeking something different? or do we seek an experience that may somehow add value to our current trove of skills?

C'est l'un des premiers apprentissages qu'un coach doit faire : comprendre qu'on apprend plus et plus vite face aux difficultés. La meilleure fa?on de dépasser sa peur d'échouer et de se mettre dans un 'Growth Mindset". C'est Carol Dweck qui en parle dans son livre : Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Le principe : comprendre que toute compétence peut être améliorable et que seule l'exposition à l'inconnu ou a des facteurs de stress temporaire permettent d'apprendre, d'intégrer et de renforcer des compétences. En adoptant ce "growth mindset", on comprend que la peur et le stress ne sont plus un problème, mais un indicateur que nous sommes dans une situation propice à l'acquisition de nouvelles compétences.

Developing a strategic mindset in Executive Coaching involves encouraging clients to embrace experimentation and learn from failures. As Thomas Edison aptly put it, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." This mindset shift reframes failures as opportunities for learning and refinement. By experimenting with different coaching approaches, executives can uncover innovative solutions and enhance their adaptability in the face of change.

The thrill of experimentation! It's like testing out a wild recipe in the coaching kitchen – sometimes delightful, sometimes a hilarious flop, but always a chance to learn. E.g., 1. Mini Experiments: Set small, manageable tests of your ideas. Tweak and try a new coaching technique with one client, or host a mini workshop. 2. Measure Everything (Well, Almost): Data is your delicious spice. Track the results of your experiments – client feedback, engagement metrics, anything that tells you if your dish is a hit or a miss. 3. Embrace the Flops: Burnt cookies happen! View failure as a valuable ingredient, not a ruined batch. What did you learn? Tweak the recipe? Every experiment, even the messy ones, adds something to your coaching repertoire.

Test test test! Everyone you speak to or anytime you post anything, use it as a test. Learn from it and refine. When you start to see a pattern, double down on that and build from there.

Failure is a great school. In fact, it is a realistic source of information, the critical one. We need that information to progress. So if you see errors a valuable source of information, you will be at peace with them and believe me, you'll progress a lot.

A strategic mindset emphasizes the importance of continuous reflection and adaptation. "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change," echoes Charles Darwin. Help clients understand that strategic thinking involves regularly reviewing their coaching strategies, assessing their effectiveness, and adapting them based on evolving needs and circumstances. This iterative process ensures that coaching approaches stay relevant and impactful amid ongoing change.

Analizar cada ejercicio, implementando formación continua, experimentando saliendo de caja, permite preveer y detectar hacia donde debemos evolucionar. Es una decisión personal que desde el coaching se puede promover y mantener en continuo movimiento

Lamentablemente, uno de los errores más comunes que se cometen al no lograr objetivos, es cambiar el objetivo en lugar de revisar y adaptar la estrategia. Debemos comprender que, dependiendo el objetivo, es el tiempo o plazo en que llegarán los resultados. Por lo tanto, al incumplir un objetivo, es importante revisar si el plazo asignado fue el adecuado y, de ser necesario, modificar lo que sea necesario de la estrategia, pero no el objetivo.

As George Raveling once said : "The best feedback is what we don't want to hear". Hence is this step of the process, besides going through the actions and flow, righting our attitude and mindset becomes doubly important...

Changes are bound to happen, and the only preparation that keeps you resilient is to expect nothing and avoid attempting to know it all. It's perfectly fine for a coach not to have all the answers. The mindset shift for sudden changes involves: Fearless - as you have nothing to lose. Curious - ask clarifying questions. Responsible - recognizing that your responsibility is limitless. Be present and expect nothing. Accept it all - the good, bad, or ugly. This mindset helps you take on changes. Hold on to whatever resonates from these points. Embrace the "whatever works". The fear of the unknown might be overwhelming, but try shifting your mindset whenever you are aware. Every change is unique, refrain from reacting, be present and respond.

???? Retain optionality As long as you are in a situation in which you are able to create multiple strategic options you’ll have a strategic advantage. The pressure of sudden change can limit your creativity. Breathe, take some time and distance and start generating new possible routes forward.

“The only constant in the universe is change.” This is a concept that I use in my everyday life. If you keep the belief of “if we just keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll continue to find success,” you could not be farther from the truth. In the short term, yes, you will likely continue to see success. However, for the executive leader who is looking beyond the horizon and is setting the conditions for the long-term success of their company, change is inevitable. If the pandemic taught us anything, adapting to new environments and accepting necessary changes is a must in any business. If companies will continue to make small, incremental changes to the way they do business this thought process will not be hard to action.

Additionally - Stay aware of environmental and organizational changes - Use metaphors to create a connection both for yourself and the client - Think critically: Analyze information and data critically to identify patterns and trends. - Be proactive and pick on the cues.