What To Look Out For When Getting An Executive Coach

Leaders, are you looking for quality executive coaching?

I'm a firm believer that all leaders need an executive coach. The higher you climb, the more your need for quality executive coaching increases.

Executive leadership is no small task and requires a great deal of personal and professional development. And yet, we all know that this is easier said than done. With a busy schedule, finding the time and space to step back and reflect on how you are doing can be challenging. It's easy to stay stuck in old thinking patterns or behaviors that no longer serve your business or yourself. My advice as an executive coach to leaders is to make time for executive coaching, no matter how hectic your schedule gets.

But with the precious time you have, how do you find a quality executive coaching program without wasting your time?

Having spent more than a decade in the "world of executive coaching", let me give you some tips on what to look out for before you commit to anything: 

The Coach

This is a no-brainer. Who you choose as your executive coach is by far the most important decision you will make in the process.

An executive coach who only has paper qualifications but does not continue to stay relevant will not be a great executive coach for you. An executive coach who pitches you their framework without pausing to ask about your needs intentionally is equivalent to an executive coach who is not going to understand your challenges and what needs to be done.

You want to find the best executive coach who is not just certified but is also qualified. Qualified through their experience in dealing with real-world problems. Qualified in their awareness of the leadership challenges in the 21st century and the leadership competencies required to deal with them. Qualified by C-Suite professionals who have emerged from the executive coaching program as more effective leaders.

The Content

The traditional approach to coaching is no longer adequate. Many organisations worldwide are looking for new approaches to developing their leaders and putting them on a fast track to success.

Gone are the days of theoretical leadership philosophies that remain abstract concepts when the rubber hits the road. Today's leaders demand real stories, examples, and, most importantly, tangible results that they can use in their jobs.

This demand is what led me to design a unique executive coaching journey at Perfect Performance, which is well-equipped to provide leaders with the tools and content to help them succeed in today's rapidly changing world.

The Chemistry

As an executive coach, I have interacted with hundreds, if not thousands of leaders in their leadership journey. I stand here today, after over a decade of executive coaching experience, to say that chemistry is often an underrated part of the decision-making process when choosing an executive coach.

Having chemistry with your executive coach is best described as the both of you are able to “click”. It should not take so much out of you to build a connection with your executive coach. When there is chemistry, it puts you at ease and helps you build trust in your executive coach. That lowers your guard when it comes to sharing more personal challenges or discussing complex topics in your executive coaching sessions.

The fact is, there might just be some executive coaches who aren't for you. Truth be told, I might not be the best-suited executive coach for some leaders out there, despite my sincere desire to be. When you find that match, that executive coach should know how to balance the "push" of challenging your perspective with the "pull" of compelling you in your leadership progression.

The Cost

This is a dreaded "C-word" for many leaders out there. In fact, I've found it to be one of the dealbreakers when it comes to why leaders choose certain executive coaching programs over others.

But my personal belief is that when leaders are overly price-sensitive, they might make the mistake of choosing an executive coach who either does not meet their needs or who does not suit their organisation and leaders.

The value you place on your future success often dictates how much you're willing to spend on development programs. The best way to view the "cost" of an executive coaching program is to see it as an investment. When people do that, I have found that their mindset changes accordingly. You no longer consider coaching a "luxury" that you can live without or a "liability" that you should save your budget on. Instead, you see it as something that will help your business succeed and grow.

Ready To Decide?

Take the time you need to weigh all the factors before you come to a decision on what executive coaching program to invest in. And if it just so happens that I might be the executive coach for you, connect with me!