Secrets of a Chief People Officer: Choosing the Right Leadership Coach to Build a Strong Leadership Bench

Building your leadership bench continues to be a topic of conversation on many Chief People Officers' minds, yet as we race towards the end of 2024 (argh!), how many HR leaders can honestly say progress has been made in closing the gaps? Particularly in the UK, where budgets continue to be squeezed. Certainly, what I am seeing in the world of C-Suite and C-Suite -1 coaching is that there is far more investment in this outside of the UK.

Yet, for CEOs and CPOs, there is pressure to ensure that Succession Planning is sound. Succession planning at the senior leadership level is more than just identifying future leaders—it’s about preparing them for the unique challenges and responsibilities they will face as they look forward. In my previous blog, I delved into the intricacies of succession planning, highlighting its importance in ensuring organisational continuity and stability. Today, I want to take that conversation a step further by discussing a critical aspect of building a leadership bench: leadership coaching and, when investment is available, how a CPO can ensure they spend it wisely. In my time as a CPO, I can’t tell you how many times I came across coaching programmes that weren’t effective. So, here are my personal views on how to ensure that the programme is effective.

Why Leadership Coaching Matters

Leadership coaching is an investment in the future of your organisation. As Chief People Officers (CPOs), we are responsible for not only identifying potential leaders but also equipping them with the skills, mindset, and resilience necessary to succeed in their roles. This is where a skilled leadership coach comes into play. Sure, part of our role as a CPO is to work with the CEO to maximise the performance of a Senior Leadership Team through interactions and interventions that get that team working as a team of teams. However, what I have learned over the years is that working with external coaches can accelerate the development of leadership capabilities, provide valuable insights, and offer tailored guidance that aligns with both the individual’s growth and the organisation’s strategic goals. I say ‘can’ and not ‘will’ because this depends on whether you choose the right coach for the job.

Choosing the right coach is not a one-size-fits-all process. The needs of your organisation, the culture you’ve cultivated, and the specific challenges your leaders face must all be considered. As a CPO, I have held off waiting for a specific coach to be available in the past given the challenges that needed to be addressed, and it was certainly worth the wait. Understanding those needs and challenges is such an important first step for a CPO.

Understanding Your Leadership Needs

Before you start the search for a coach, it’s essential to clearly understand what you want to achieve through leadership coaching. This means having a deep understanding of your leadership bench’s current strengths and the areas that need development. This includes your own too. One cannot forget the shadow that they cast and the impact they have on the performance of a senior leadership team and the teams they lead.

Consider the following questions:

1. What are the critical skills and competencies required for our future leaders?
2. Where are the current gaps in our leadership team across all 3 Cs?

??? Are they skills-related (Competency)?

?? What is the impact of our behaviours and awareness of how we lead ourselves both as individuals and as a team of leaders (Character)?

?? How aware are we of others (Connection)?

3. What kind of cultural and strategic challenges will our leaders face in the coming years?

These questions will help you identify the specific coaching needs of your organisation. For instance, if your organisation is undergoing a digital transformation, you might need a coach who has experience in leading such initiatives and can provide guidance on managing change and innovation.

Qualities to Look for in a Leadership Coach

Once you’ve identified your needs, the next step is to find a coach who is not only qualified but also a good fit for your organisation’s culture and values. Here are some key qualities to look for:

1. Experience and Expertise ??: Look for coaches with a proven track record of working with senior leaders, especially those who have experience in your industry. They should have a deep understanding of the challenges your leaders face and possess the ability to provide practical, actionable advice.
2. Cultural Fit ??: A coach who aligns with your organisation’s values and culture will be more effective in helping leaders navigate internal dynamics. They should be able to relate to your team’s working style and understand the unspoken nuances that influence decision-making.
3. Adaptive Coaching Style??: Different leaders require different approaches. A great coach should be versatile, capable of adapting their coaching style to meet the individual needs of each leader. Whether it’s offering direct feedback, acting as a sounding board, or challenging assumptions, the coach should tailor their approach to maximise impact.
4. Emotional Intelligence??: Coaching is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about understanding people. Coaches with high emotional intelligence can build strong, trusting relationships with leaders, which is essential for effective coaching. They should be able to navigate complex emotional landscapes and offer support that resonates on a personal level.
5. Proven Toolkit and Methodologies??: A top-tier coach should come equipped with a well-developed toolkit of strategies, frameworks, and methodologies that have been tested and proven effective in diverse leadership scenarios. This toolkit should be adaptable to your organisation's unique challenges, offering practical solutions that can be implemented to drive immediate and long-term leadership growth.
6. Commitment to Development??: A good coach is invested in the long-term growth of your leaders. They should be committed to ongoing development, offering continuous support and follow-up even after the formal coaching period has ended. A good coach will keep an eye out for extra value that will complement the coaching, for example, podcasts or articles that will resonate.
7. Trust and Confidence??: A successful coaching relationship hinges on trust and mutual confidence. The coach must be someone whom leaders feel comfortable confiding in, knowing that their discussions will remain confidential and be handled with the utmost professionalism. This trust allows for deeper, more honest conversations, which are essential for true leadership development. A coach who inspires confidence can effectively challenge leaders to step out of their comfort zones, fostering growth and resilience.?

Finding the Right Match

Finding the right coach involves more than just reviewing résumés and credentials. It’s about establishing a connection and ensuring there is mutual respect and trust. Consider conducting interviews with potential coaches, and involve the leaders who will be coached in the selection process. This ensures buy-in and allows the coach to get an early sense of the leader’s personality and needs.

Additionally, don’t hesitate to ask for references or case studies from potential coaches. Understanding their past successes and challenges can give you insight into how they might perform in your organisation.

When thinking about a leadership programme for a group of leaders, people often ask me if it’s best to stick to one coach. My answer is this: while some organisations may benefit from a consistent approach by sticking to one coach, others might find value in engaging multiple coaches with different specialisations to address the diverse needs and challenges of their leadership team.

I have certainly worked with multiple coaches as a CPO, and now as an Executive Coach, I partner with a number of coaches to deliver programmes. Word of warning though, and this is a big warning! If you do use several coaches as part of the programme, make sure they are using consistent tools and methodologies. Part of a great leadership programme is to build up a common language with visual tools that can be embedded into the way the leadership team works, impacting the culture the team creates. If you use multiple coaches and they aren’t all singing from the same hymn sheet, it won’t work. You will not get that leadership transformation you’re after.

Measuring the Impact

Finally, it’s crucial to have a plan for measuring the impact of leadership coaching. Set clear goals and benchmarks at the outset, and regularly evaluate progress. This not only helps in assessing the effectiveness of the coach but also in ensuring that your leadership bench is developing in line with your succession planning goals.

Consider using a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures, such as 360-degree feedback, performance metrics, and personal reflections from the leaders being coached. In the past as a CPO, I’ve used team performance assessments that the leaders have completed at the start, middle (depending on the length of the programme), and end, and this has been so effective that I still use these now in programmes I run with leadership teams. This holistic approach will give you a comprehensive view of the coaching’s impact.

A good coach will want to measure their impact throughout and will encourage in the moment feedback from the leader they are coaching, but any sponsor of the coaching programme too. So, if you're having coaching yourself, if you're not getting the most from it then be sure to give immediate feedback.

Conclusion

In the rapidly evolving landscape of leadership, the role of a well-chosen coach cannot be overstated. As CPOs, our responsibility is to ensure that there is a clear case for investment in coaching that supports the sustainability of the business with a solid succession plan. To do this, the investment must yield tangible results and contribute to the strength and resilience of your leadership bench. By focusing on the qualities that matter most and carefully managing the coaching process, we can build a leadership team that’s not only prepared for succession but capable of driving our organisations towards long-term success.

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