What does it take to become a Great Executive Coach?
Zohaib Butt
Fueling Leadership Excellence: Leadership Coach & Customize Training Solutions for Peak Performance | Drive Organizational Excellence & Leadership Development | Achieve Your Goals with Strategic Guidance & Support
The conventional understanding of executive coaching arises from the skeptical views of leaders who identify too strongly with their position or designation and consider coaching to be a futile exercise. However, statistics and scientific research conducted by the International Coach Federation provide strong evidence that coaching helps executives increase their self-awareness, regulate themselves effectively, improve their levels of empathy, enhance their cognitive abilities, increase their motivation, exhibit pro-social behavior, and demonstrate effective leadership abilities.
Approximately 1.5 billion dollar’s investment is made in the coaching sector in the year 2018 alone highlighting the organization’s interest put in executive coaching.
A study found that the major benefit of coaching CEOs is increased self-awareness along with other sub-set of skills entailing interpersonal skills and leadership skills.
Based on my extensive experience in senior coaching leadership, I have come to understand that change starts at the top of the hierarchy. Individuals in positions of power and influence, such as parents, teachers, government officials, and corporate leaders, have a greater responsibility to change their behaviors for the betterment of the underprivileged segments of society. Therefore, organizations should heavily invest in improving the performance and growth of their key players so that the junior staff can adopt the same practices and work ethics.
The following characteristics are central to becoming a competent executive coach:
1.????Emotional intelligence
2.????Cognitive openness
3.????Appropriate use of language
1.????Emotional intelligence
Executive coaches must master the art of emotional intelligence because senior leadership does not necessarily need to improve their professional competence; rather, they require a balance between the emotional and psychological pressures that arise in various professional settings.
Brene Brown, the world's foremost researcher in the field of shame and vulnerability, explains that Fortune 500 companies hire her services to resolve conflicts among senior leadership arising from the hatred and disgust that top executives hold against each other. Hence, executive coaches are required to help their clients improve their self-awareness, especially regarding the areas they are not willing to accept as weak.
Executive coaches often ask powerful questions to their clients, including:
The aforementioned questions can aid leaders in enhancing their self-awareness to comprehend their emotional state before making critical decisions. Emotions such as shame, loss, disappointment, and failure are frequently experienced before significant decisions. Nonetheless, an executive coach can assist in reducing these insecurities by encouraging the leader to regain confidence and trust in their team, allowing them to take the plunge with a sense of responsibility.
Leadership is a heavy responsibility, and having an accountability partner can be a blessing. This partner provides a safe space for leaders to lean on without fear of being judged as weak or vulnerable. Companies that offer coaching to their senior management benefit from improved team performance and overall business success.
Executive coaches not only help leaders manage negative emotions but also teach them how to cultivate positive ones by focusing on the brighter side of situations. Coaches prepare leaders to face adversity and uncertainty by working on their positive life orientation and developing resilience. They promote conscientiousness to motivate and regulate the leader's inner emotions, activating inner motivators to keep leaders on track and appreciating past achievements.
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In summary, having an accountability partner can be invaluable for leaders. Executive coaches not only help leaders manage negative emotions but also cultivate positive ones and prepare them for adversity. Through conscientiousness and motivating leaders, coaches help promote resilience and appreciation for past achievements, resulting in improved team performance and business success.
2. Cognitive Openness
Executive coaches need to exhibit cognitive openness to meet the requirements of high-profile clients who have accomplished significant success and achievements in their careers. These clients find it challenging to reveal their vulnerabilities to the coach, and some may even discontinue coaching due to a lack of rapport.
Therefore, it is essential for an executive coach to approach their high-profile clients with an open mind and complete empathy to address both complex and obvious challenges faced by the leaders. Coaches act as stimulators who use powerful questions to help leaders delve deeper and explore multiple dimensions to find the best answers.
Some of the key skills that activate this process of cognitive openness are mentioned below;
Executive coaching is most effective in four situations: when organizations undergo major changes, when individuals need skill enhancement during transitions, when specific skill development is necessary, and when executives need to address dysfunctional behavior. With the skills mentioned above, executive coaches can help leaders reframe and restructure their challenges, take a proactive approach to current issues, and implement more effective feedback and review processes.
3. Appropriate Use of Language
Language plays a crucial role in the interaction between the coach and the client, and it is equally essential in facilitating personal changes in thoughts and behaviors. In order to achieve positive change, executive coaches need to understand the client's thought patterns and behavioral practices, and access them to overcome resistance. When coaches use empowering language, it enhances the self-efficacy of the leaders.
Chomsky (2017) says that the client’s internal dialogue or language illustrate the intention of change as well as the language becomes the change itself.
It is important for an executive coach to use language effectively in order to empower their executive clients and promote a more optimistic and positive sense of self and others.
Executive coaching presents a unique challenge as executives, with their experience, achievements, and success, can become resistant to change. Executive coaches must balance supporting their clients' healthy egos while also helping them confront their weaknesses and shortcomings. Effective executive coaches possess key traits such as emotional intelligence, cognitive openness, and the ability to use language appropriately to empower their clients.
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1 年Thank you for this post! An internal coach faces a much greater challenge, as often times leaders realize too late that we are not enemies but rather want to provide well-intentioned support, and thus remain loyal to the company.
From employee to real estate investor: Guiding your path to financial freedom.
1 年Great content. I find that too often the fact that executives don't have a lot of people they can just talk to, talk things through, and have a good listener is underestimated. I have coached a lot and in many more times than I ever thought I wasn't coaching much but was much more a sounding board and a conversation partner than anything else - with great appreciation on both sides, by the way ??.
Sales Development Manager at Naubahar Bottling Company (Pvt) Ltd. GRW
1 年Good article