by Bron Stpehens

As we progress in our leadership careers, development and development-oriented feedback lessens and by the time you hit executive roles you are largely on your own (this is especially true in a CEO position). Investing in yourself is the fastest way to get the personal and professional development you need and deserve. Your own leader, despite or perhaps because of their vested interest in you, are not always best placed to provide this development. The development I’m talking about involves taking the time and effort to improve your self-awareness, capability gaps and ability to deliver results while maintaining a fulfilling, joyful life.

Sounds like a lot, I know.

That’s why leadership coaching exists – to make this process as easy and fun as possible. Without doing this development, something suffers. It might be the goals and desires you have for your career, it might be your home life, or it might be both.

What is leadership coaching?

The coach-client relationship is one of equals where one is not smarter or more knowledgeable than the other. Both parties bring their own unique skills and knowledge to the table to unlock wisdom and progress.

Leadership coaching should be a transformative experience that supports development of leadership skills and abilities. These skills translate and cross between both your personal and professional lives because you can’t be a good leader if you don’t have the right balance and alignment to feel good about all areas of your life. It involves working with a trained coach who provides a safe space; along with support, feedback, and time for reflection, to help you identify your strengths and build on these all while supporting and building clarity of what you want from life.

The purpose of leadership coaching is to help individuals become more effective leaders by enhancing their connection to purpose; cultivating their self-awareness, and understanding of their impact; improving their results achievement; and developing their overall leadership style. It helps individuals identify their strengths and developing strengths and uncover their blind spots and the tendencies that are habitual and holding them back. More importantly, it provides clarity and makes sense of the spaghetti in our heads to turn it into clear purpose, goals and actionable plans.

The benefits of leadership coaching

Leadership coaching offers numerous benefits for individuals seeking personal and professional growth including significant personal and organisational return on investment. In my experience, the stand outs that make it worthwhile are below.

1.     Improved self-awareness and emotional intelligence

Research shows that 90% of HR Leaders believe that to succeed in today’s work environment, leaders must focus on the human aspects of leadership and that only 29% of employees believe their leader is a human focussed leader. This statistic reflects that despite leaders intent to be human focused, they aren’t showing up that way.

Leadership coaching helps individuals develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their strengths, blind spots, values, and beliefs. It enables individuals to align how they intend to show up to their people with how they actually show up and then close that gap.  By understanding their own emotions and the emotions of others, individuals can better manage relationships, resolve conflicts, and inspire and motivate their teams.

2.   Enhanced presence and communication skills

Effective communication is a fundamental skill for leaders. Leadership coaching supports you to consider and reflect on your skills in this space and how you can enhance these through the use of active listening, empathy, and assertiveness; as well as influencing others, and resolving conflicts. By enhancing your communication and interpersonal skills, you will build stronger relationships with team members, colleagues, and stakeholders and enhance your presence; and with this, others perception of your leadership.

3.   Increased confidence and decision-making abilities

Leadership coaching isn’t a place of advice giving. A leadership coach should support you to unlock your own wisdom to identify your available options, weigh the benefits and risks and define the plan to execute. A good coach may also provide tools and techniques to make informed decisions, take calculated risks, and handle challenges and setbacks.

The coach empowers you to be the best leader possible and by supporting your self-reliance, you gain more confidence in your leadership skills and decision-making abilities. The joy of this is that by developing your decision-making abilities, you can become a more effective leader who inspires trust and confidence in others.

4.   Better time management and goal accomplishment

This isn’t about providing tools and tricks for time management with the next great software program. This is about helping you to understand what your priorities are and focus on what will make the most significant and sustainable difference. Leadership coaches will also:

• support and educate for improved habit building skills and understanding
• unlock strategies to overcome procrastination
• provide tools and techniques to stay focused on your goals.

The reasons we ‘don’t get everything done’ is complex and unravelling what gets in the way is part of the coaches remit. Only by doing this can you ditch the endless to-do lists and reclaim the balance in your life that you need to feel fulfilled at work and at home.

5.   Overcoming limiting beliefs and behaviours

Leadership coaching helps identify and overcome limiting beliefs and behaviours that hold you back from reaching your full potential. It provides a safe, confidential, judgement free space to explore fears, doubts, and insecurities and develop strategies to overcome them.

By challenging your limiting beliefs and behaviours, you can break through barriers and achieve greater success. More importantly, you can stop feeling like it’s a constant battle to overcome these beliefs or having to adopt the toxic ‘fake it til you make it’ mindset.

How to find the right leadership coach for you

Finding the right leadership coach is crucial for a successful coaching experience. Here are some steps to help you find the right coach for you:

1. Identify your ‘why’ and needs from coaching: Before starting your search for a leadership coach, take the time to identify your problem statement and what you need from the coaching. Maybe you already know your goal and the specific areas of leadership you want to improve. Equally as likely, you may just know that something has to change and that you need support to figure out exactly what. Usually, there will be some sense of dissatisfaction that you need to resolve. By clarifying your why and needs, you can find a coach who specialises in those areas and can provide the support you need.
2. Research potential coaches: Once you have identified your ‘why’ and needs, start researching potential coaches. Look for coaches who have experience and expertise in leadership development, ensure they have some form of coaching qualification or certification – coaching is different to being a leader and a good coach has taken the time to hone their skills. Read their profiles, blogs and other materials to get a sense of their coaching style and approach. You can also ask for recommendations from colleagues, mentors, or professional networks.
3. Evaluate coaching styles and approaches: Different coaches have different coaching styles and approaches. Some coaches may have packages they offer that incorporate multiple elements and tools, and others may be purely the coaching time. Some coaches may focus on specific techniques or methodologies, such as cognitive-behavioural coaching or positive psychology coaching. Evaluate different coaching styles and approaches to find one that resonates with you and aligns with your learning preferences.
4. Choose a coach that aligns with your values and personality: It is important to choose a coach who aligns with your values and personality. Start by considering the tone and style of their website, social media and testimonials. A good coach-client relationship is built on trust, respect, and rapport. Take the time to have an initial conversation or consultation with potential coaches to get a sense of their personality, communication style, and values. Beware of any coach that will start a coaching relationship without ever having spoken to you and that has ‘non-refundable’ fees for long-term packages. Personality matters here and taking the time to speak to a few coaches will benefit you in the long run by ensuring you have a safe space that supports your goals. Choose a coach who you feel comfortable working with and who you believe can support you.

 

The Cost of Leadership Coaching

Leadership coaching is an investment, both in terms of time and money. It is important to consider the cost, financial and time, of coaching and weigh it against the benefits it can bring.

The investment in coaching can vary depending on the coach’s experience, expertise, and location/delivery. Some coaches may charge an hourly rate, while others may offer package deals or monthly retainer fees. Some coaches may have a set and forget style where the only time investment is when you’re together. Others may provide development activity between sessions. Take the time to have a clear understanding of the coach’s offers, fees and payment terms before committing to coaching.

While leadership coaching can be a significant financial investment, it is important to consider the long-term impact it can have on your career and personal growth. Coaching can help you develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to advance in your career, take on new challenges, and achieve your goals. It can also enhance your overall well-being and satisfaction by helping you become a more effective leader and live a more joyful and fulfilling life.

Consider the cost in relation to the benefit and long-term outcomes and don’t be afraid to ask any potential coaches how they will contribute to this or demonstrate return on investment. Will the skills and knowledge you gain from coaching lead to increased job opportunities, promotions, or higher salaries? Will it help you achieve your long-term career and life aspirations? By weighing the potential benefits against the cost, you can make an informed decision about whether coaching is worth it for you.

Invest in Yourself for Long-Term Success

For me, I’ve received leadership coaching multiple times throughout my career and every time it changed my life, lead to increased career success and salary, and a far more fulfilling life, so I’m biased. If you’re not sure about coaching, I’d welcome you to book a discovery call with me and we can talk through what coaching might look like for you – whether that’s with me or someone else.

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