Originally published on June 3, 2024.
I'm a strong advocate for the use of executive coaching. As an executive coach myself you'd probably expect nothing else. But, I'm not just speaking as someone who provides executive coaching services but also as someone who has benefited from - and continues to benefit from - using an executive coach. I've experienced firsthand the power of having an unbiased sounding board and accountability partner work with me.
However, while executive coaching can be one of the most effective ways of accelerating your development as a leader, it's not the panacea for all situations or circumstances. There are times when an individual and an organization should consider other options for addressing leadership or organizational challenges. I identify below some of the circumstances where executive coaching may not be your first choice.
Executive Coaching in lieu of performance management
Good executive coaching should not be substituted for good - or bad - management. There have been a few occasions where I've been approached to undertake a coaching engagement where it's clear that a leader's or an organization’s perspective is that executive coaching will be the last-ditch effort to "salvage" an employee. At this stage, the challenge is often that the employee in question is on their last legs. Unfortunately, they may have arrived at this point because of a poor hiring process at the beginning of their tenure, poor expectation setting and communication on the part of their direct superior, or a combination of related factors. Ideally, executive coaching is more often applied to advancing an organization's high potential people rather than saving those people an organization no longer has any faith in. In these cases, I would usually prefer to coach both the employee and their direct supervisor.
Lack of defined outcomes or objectives
Any good executive coach will seek to establish an understanding of specific goals and objectives for the engagement. Whether the coaching engagement is sought out by an individual or secured through an organizational endeavour, its quality is measurably improved when all parties involved are on the same page when it comes to understanding what success is supposed to look like. If there are no clear outcomes established - whether at the outset or relatively early in the engagement - then there is a risk of "any destination will do" coming into play. As with any initiative, being able to define and measure success is key to achieving desired outcomes.
part I: Client is unprepared to work
An executive coach is there to challenge a client’s thinking and assumptions, to move them to new levels of performance, and to enhance confidence through action. But just as it is incumbent on the client (sometimes in partnership with your organization) to define the outcomes, it is equally essential that the client shows up in the coaching session ready to work. The time spent with a coach should not be akin to pulling teeth - the client is addressing their current challenges and taking charge of their future, and they should be prepared to work at least as hard as their coach. The client should not expect their coach to offer up ready-made solutions. A coach is there to help the client discover and execute on their own self-discovered plan of attack. If the client expects their coach to do the heavy lifting, they are probably not ready for, nor will they fully benefit from, working with an executive coach.
part II: Client is unprepared to work
The work in a coaching engagement doesn't just or even mostly happen when the client is face-to-face with their executive coach. The time with the executive coach is designed to develop plans, explore options, test assumptions, and commit to change. While a change in perspective and perception will happen in the executive coaching session, delivery and action happens in between sessions and back at the coal face of the client’s work. All the best laid plans are only as effective what actually happens when the client implements their plans. If the client has no interest in implementing their plans or making time for change in their work, it's best not to engage an executive coach.
Unprepared to Change
If you are thinking about engaging an executive coach, be prepared to change. Growth only comes from change. Change is usually uncomfortable. If you are looking only for validation or affirmation, there are likely other avenues for you to pursue. Engaging with an executive coach is not about maintenance or just having a great conversation. You - or your organization - is expecting you to evolve, grow, and change as a result of the investment of time and money made in an executive coach. Expect that when choosing an executive coach there will be new challenges, overcoming anxieties, and assertively progressing forward. The coaching engagement should evoke discomfort. Be prepared for and embrace change!
Unprepared to drive the agenda
Sometimes it's beneficial to think of the executive coach as a co-pilot: the client is in charge of where they need to go and they define the work for each session. Again, the executive coach will be there as a guide, a thinking partner, and a challenger, but the client is in charge. Just as the client is the leader in their business (and personal life), they are also the leader in their own personal development. The co-pilot can help to plot the course at each session, but, at the end of the day, it’s up to the client to focus on their path.
Unprepared to be truthful, candid, and honest
An executive coach is focused on their client’s success. Period. In that regard, if the client has done the best job possible in selecting their coach, they’ve determined there is a fit, they trust the person in front of them and they are confident in the coach’s track record in support of their goals. So don't beat around the bush. Time is money and if the client is going to move forward assertively, they need to be prepared to be vulnerable. It's in the client’s best interests and the executive coach has no other agenda than what works for their client.
Unprepared to own the coaching relationship
As tough as it might be for some executive coaches, the client is the customer and the customer is always right. Tell the coach - the vendor - what is working in the coaching engagement, what's not working and how the work can be changed to be more effective. If the client isn’t prepared to do that, they may be disappointed in the results they get or don’t get.
Coaching can be a powerful tool in moving leadership forward in a powerful way, but much of that success depends on using it in the right circumstances, for the right reasons, and with ownership of the effort on behalf of the client and the organization.
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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions
www.breakpoint.solutions
780-918-0009