People who wish to grow in any endeavor seek the wisdom, perspective and guidance of an accomplished coach. We most obviously see the power of a good coach in sports, but strong coaching is evident in many other fields: musicians have instructors; artists have mentors; and writers have editors to name a few.
Successful executives take responsibility for their learning and growth and look for partners with whom they can devise strategies and systems to enhance themselves and their business. In large corporations, it is the power of the executive team that drives the company to greatness. In small business, the owner-manager must find a resource that will help him to be continuously challenged, find ways past inevitable obstacles, and act as an objective sounding board and an impartial collaborator in the decision-making process. This is the role of the executive coach.
Here are some benefits achieved by executives from working with an executive coach:
1. The development of a business and life game plan. Executives with vision know that strategic planning paves the way to success. Busy executives make the time to review the current business situation and strategize for the outcomes they desire. Executive coaching ensure that the strategic planning process becomes a priority in the executive's life. The coach becomes a collaborative partner dedicated to the design of the plan with the executive, with no biases or personal agendas. They then work with the executive to follow through to make the desired outcomes a reality.
2. The recognition of skills necessary to enhance current and potential relationships. A coaching conversation is a dialogue of wisdom that enhances growth in a person. New ways of speaking are created, different viewpoints emerge, and an overall sense of helpful solution-focused discussion is developed. By learning and applying these communication skills from the coaching relationship, the potential for opening new doors with clients and other business people is endless.
3. The identification of areas for development and growth. A successful executive realizes that to continually achieve goals and improve the results of his business, personal growth is essential. A fundamental part of this growth is first to identify the strengths and weakness of the executive and then to devise strategies to better utilize the strengths and implement ways of improving the areas of weakness. A coach is invaluable in opening up the thought process to find this information. Once the strategies are devised, goals are set. The coach holds the executive accountable to achieve these goals, working with him to stay on track. This accountability provides the entrepreneur with a high level of motivation and a stronger likelihood for success.
4. To maintain balance between business and personal lives. Most if not all responsibilities of the company fall on the shoulders of the small business executive. These responsibilities can be time consuming and overwhelming. However, to have the energy to properly handle all these tasks, it is vital to incorporate time for non-work related functions, such as family, exercise and relaxation. This rejuvenates the executive with the essential energy that is needed to meet all the demands of the business. This also staves off burnout, and addictive tendencies to which many high-performing executives fall victim. A coach will help to identify and prioritize tasks and have the entrepreneur see what is really relevant to the business' growth.
5. To learn from mistakes and use the experience as a motivating factor. Peak performers respect mistakes and use them to learn. Poor performers tie themselves up with negative emotion after every mistake. When mistakes are viewed as failures, our self-destructive emotions mask the valuable feedback. A coach is one of the strongest tools used by executives to assist them in learning from all levels of experience. Once mistakes are clarified and used as learning tools, the executive can easily get back on track to drive the business forward.
6. To learn and apply skills into a self-coaching process. There is a saying that "an athlete who can perform to potential with a coach in a practice is a good athlete. An athlete who can perform to potential with a coach in a game is a great athlete. An athlete who can perform to potential in a game without a coach is a superstar." The objective of the coach is to provide the client with the insight, tools and skills needed to deal with any issue encountered in their business or personal life once the coaching engagement is complete.
"An organization that is built on the basis of a coaching mindset is able to capture the human spirit - and it is this ingredient that aligns personal and organizational goals and results in high performance." (Learning from the Inside Out - Bianco-Mathis, Nabors, & Roman, 2002). The benefits of coaching are proven and widely used. Powerhouse companies such as IBM and Microsoft are incorporating it into their workplace. Just imagine what the power of executive coaching could do for you and your business.
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Contact Cindy for a free 30-minute trial session at cindygordon@rogers.com |
