5 Reasons an Executive Needs a Coach
Written by Dr. Holly Ward, PhD
Coaches support and encourage.
A coach partners with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
A coach is a trusted friend to business leaders, a colleague, a sounding board, and a witness to the good. Coaches provide an incredibly important service by listening, empathizing, and encouraging clients respectfully and non-judgmentally.An important aspect of coaching is to listen. Many leaders often do not have anyone else who is able or available to listen. Simply having someone to listen allows for meaningful reflection and growth.
Coaches facilitate meaningful conversation.
Every organization improves or declines based on the quality of the conversation within it. Coaches study the art of communication—reflecting on how they ask questions, listen, encourage, and connect. They know how important each interaction can be, and they strive to engage in positive, supportive, honest conversations at all times. In this way, coaches move individuals forward one conversation at a time.
Coaches create time for reflection.
A very important concept to remember about coaching is that you are thinking partners. Most people already have the answers to their problems. It’s just that the problem sometimes hides what they really need to solve. The time working with a coach forces individuals to stop, pause, and reflect. Time to reflect gives clarity to problems and how they can be solved.
A coach is often there to open the door for the solution leaders seek; the door was always present, but they needed someone to point them in the right direction.
Coaches focus your action.
A big idea behind working with an executive coach is to bring clarity to the issue and develop a plan of action for tackling it. Coaching will lead to improved performance. A coach can assist clients in maximizing individual strengths, overcoming personal obstacles, achieving new skills and competencies, preparing for new roles and responsibilities, and/or reaching their full potential.
As a result of the coaching action the organization benefits by enhancing the management of relationships, productivity, and desired results for success.
Coaches bring out your best.
There is no greater reward than to provide insight and instruction to help others realize their greatest potential. A coach is greatly rewarded when the client and business are successful. A coach’s ultimate goal is for the client to achieve more than they ever dreamed possible.
A coach helps you see what you have accomplished and helps you take the time to celebrate the positives. In our fast-paced world, successes can be overlooked. We too often focus on what we have not done and don’t realize what we have done. A coach helps you to see the best work you have accomplished!