What Exactly Is An Executive Coach Anyway?

You have heard it all. Head doctor. Groom merchant. Charm school. Actually, nothing could be farther from the truth. Don't think of a psychiatrist or even a psychologist although both could be coaches---probably just not very good ones. Ouch! I take it back. Kinda. Some psychologists have firm foundations in business and make excellent coaches. But, being a psychologist does not make you a good coach. How about a former executive? Not necessarily. Being a former executive is not enough. How about a former baseball or basketball coach? Probably not unless they went on to greatness in business and had an appropriate educational foundation.

Think of an executive coach as a senior mentor with a great deal of practical business and people experience. They will ask tough questions about you and your business. They will make a great effort to understand the business context. They will force you to carefully examine your strengths and weaknesses. They will gather input from respected colleagues in your organization. Good coaches will also goad you into developing a coherent, concise development plan with metrics to measure progress and success.

The best coaches are good listeners who have "been there and done that." They must not only be good mentors and teachers but in my opinion, they must have had first hand business experience. Beware of a coach who puts everything into psychological terminology. They must be able to earn the respect of those they coach by speaking the same business language. I like to say, no psycho mumbo jumbo. Coaches also need great people skills so they can interact with other senior leaders as well as staff members at all levels of the organization.

Finally, coaches need to be firmly grounded in a logical, structured coaching process. That should include certification or thorough knowledge of various assessment tools such as the Myers Briggs, Birkman, Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down, and others. Ideally, coaches will be well educated and they will have completed an internship or education through a reputable coaching organization.

Do you use coaches? The right coach can save you tons of money. In fact, I think that if you invest in your leaders, your bottom line will soar! Let me know if you are considering that possibility or if you would like some assistance in determining what/who is right for you. We can help!

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Thanks for reading this. Watch for future blogs soon. P.S., I will not send more than one blog per day and I intend to slow down soon. Right now, I have a lot of possible topics and thanks to you, the list is growing.

Steve (Nick)