The Benefits Of Working With An Executive Coach

What is an executive coach?

An executive coach works on a 1-1 basis with a corporate coachee, specifically to accelerate the success of both the coachee and the wider organisation as a whole. Executive coaches have become an integral part of corporate life. People generally engage with a coach to ensure they make better, more informed decisions, to develop a positive and healthy leadership style, and to improve the overall effectiveness of internal and external stakeholder relationships.

Executive coaching is ideal for those moving in to a more senior role – or who already sit at C-suite level – and would like support at this pivotal point in their career. They may have reached a plateau and need guidance and developmental help in order to move the organisation forward, or they may have important goals they wish to reach. An executive coach can help achieve all these things by taking an action-focused approach and thus driving the coachee to reach their full potential.

What tools and skills can you develop from an executive coach?

If you want to make the most out of having a business coach, it is imperative to open yourself up to growth and actually doing what it takes to grow. Working with a coach can be challenging but it is also a powerful catalyst to becoming the leader you want to be. An executive coach can help you to recognise strengths, understand where there is opportunity for improvement, set goals, and regularly work on the skills that lead to overall success.

Each coachee is unique and so individual experiences will be different. Executive coaching is about discovering your potential and paving out the way to achieving it quicker. Behavior change is the ultimate goal and there are specific areas in which you will see effective results if you engage with an executive coach:

Effective communication and listening skills

Strong leaders are also strong communicators. Lack of interpersonal skills, including the inability to listen, is one of the biggest failures of those leading on the front line. Asking the right questions and listening to what others have to say allows leaders to gain valuable insights that can help instil trust, resolve problems quickly, encourage others to share their ideas, and develop a cohesive team. Listening also develops empathy – a key skill which increases a leader’s ability to see situations from different perspectives and thus make well-informed decisions. A corporate coach can help fine-tune the communication skills that are vital for effective leadership, such as being able to provide clear direction, give constructive feedback, offer praise and encouragement where appropriate, and share a vision in a compelling and engaging manner.

Enhanced self-awareness

Self-awareness involves looking inward but in a way of learning to relate to the world better. We should be aware of our strengths and weaknesses, knowing that both are essential to leading effectively. If a self-aware leader is aware of their own limitations, they are far more likely to begin asking for feedback and genuinely listening to those around them. An executive coach will tell you that gathering 360-degree feedback is incredibly valuable to the coaching process. When leaders are able to recognise their blind spots and accept feedback, they are able to see a fuller picture of themselves and continually strive for improvement. Self-awareness enables leaders to develop lasting results and build upon a strong team and corporate culture, reducing internal team conflicts and inspiring lasting success.

Increased productivity

The performance of a leader has a direct effect on the performance of team members and the organisation as a whole. Effective leaders know how to motivate individuals and so sharpening leadership skills that foster positive interactions with team members can dramatically increase workforce engagement. Coaching also helps leaders to become more aware of how they spend their time and the choices they make with their time throughout the working day. Learning new ways of thinking and improving focus will enable leaders to accomplish better results with their time in order to achieve both personal and organisational goals. An executive coach can help you to uncover and act upon your ‘blind spots’, enabling you to dismantle any roadblocks that will then lead to better business performance.

About Distinctions Executive Coaching

Distinctions provide executive coaching services to individuals and teams at senior management and board level. For the individual, the focus is often on personal career development, leadership, and specific work-related challenges. For organisations, the benefits are improved executive retention, as well as increased commitment, creativity, and quality of communication from the executive in question.

Joanna’s core motivation as an executive coach is to help clients identify real meaning and purpose in their roles, given the speed and pressures of their external working environments – particularly so given the uncharted territory we currently find ourselves in. Joanna works with clients to shift their perspective – creating self-awareness through mindfulness, building a resilient, grounded inner self, and helping them to develop a new understanding of their patterns. In doing so, she aims to unearth latent potential and help them learn how they go about using that potential to achieve their desired goals.

To find out how Joanna can help you or your organisation, please don’t hesitate to contact her today.