The Importance of Executive Coaching

Written by admin on Sunday, April 26th, 2009

Leadership and executive coaching

Leadership vacuums

We definitely hear this a lot from our various clients, how there is a big leadership void, how they don’t make leaders like they used to, how things would be better if they only had good strong leadership within their organisations.

We’ve written quite a bit on leadership (link here to leadership docs?), but it’s important to look at leadership in the context of executive coaching.

We agree. There are leadership voids in many organisations. There isn’t however, a lack of people who could fill those leadership voids. The issue seems to be more about how people’s leadership skills and potential are perceived.

Owning up

We think this is one of the best indicators of a good leader: owning up to mistakes and showing vulnerability.

It really is all right to make mistakes. You can’t and won’t know it all and you will screw up every once in a while – everyone does. When you do, try not to make excuses, point the finger of blame at someone else, sweep it under the carpet and hope it will resolve itself on all its own or justify your own behaviour.

Humility and maturity go hand in hand. When something goes awry, take responsibility for what went wrong and use your executive coach to debrief. The more you can let your coach know what has been going on for you, the better able they will be to give you relevant, practical suggestions to ease you through the rocky times.

Then you’ll be exhibiting true leadership behaviour.

Being a role model

People need role models

Great, even good leaders need to be role models for the people around them. Others look to you for guidance, wisdom, surety and confidence. They rely on your dependability. They want to know you’re handling it all.

So what if you aren’t? Can you still be a role model?

Of course you can.

How executive coaching can help

This is exactly where executive coaching is most needed. In these kinds of situations you can display true leadership behaviour just by having an executive coach.

First, you’ll be demonstrating that you, too, need support, which in turn gives permission to the people around you to acknowledge they might need support as well.

Second, you’ll be letting others know that you aren’t invincible. The knock on effect of that could be that people will be more aware of just how much you have to cope with.

In turn, if chosen well, your executive coach can be one of your role models. Because we can guarantee that your executive coach isn’t invincible either!

Role models aren’t indestructible. And if you want to be a great role model, let other people know it.