In the old days…

When I first began coaching members of the C-suite nearly 30 years ago senior leaders had no real interest in working with executive coaches. Back then, coaching was rare and those who were labeled as coaches were frequently called productivity improvement consultants. These clinical or industrial psychologists were brought in to communicate performance expectations on behalf of the boss, usually in a last ditch attempt to get a derailed key leader back on track. Although top leaders occasionally tapped into the expertise of leadership experts they did so in secret and their new abilities were almost always developed serendipitously versus strategically.

Shift gears to today…

A 2013 Executive Coaching Survey conducted by the Stanford Business School with The Miles Group concluded that nearly one-third of CEOs have worked with an executive coach and/or participated in some sort of intensive leadership development experience. Almost half of senior executives in general have participated in coaching. Interestingly, all the leaders surveyed (100 percent) said they would welcome coaching to enhance their development.

Today’s top leaders recognize that senior level roles by design are isolated, complex and fraught with both political and psychological dynamics that are difficult and exhausting to sort out alone. Many times, these leaders experienced the collateral damage associated with bosses who led inappropriately because they were not sufficiently self-aware, vulnerable or emotionally intelligent. Choosing to achieve results where both people and work are aligned, these leaders are eager to get another perspective and gain new skills in areas that were once labeled as “soft” or low priority.  The newest breed of top leaders have benefitted from coaching that helps them increase their self-awareness, make honest assessments about how their personality impacts business decisions, reflect on their ego/motives and clarify the values that will carry them through turbulent times. The consequences of the absence of these capabilities played out in front of these leaders early in their careers. They saw leaders flame out or destroy promising futures because they were not interested in their own growth and development as a top leader. Read More