So you want to coach CEO’s? GREAT!
Working with CEO’s and Entrepreneurs is some of the most rewarding work you will do as a performance coach. Why? Because you know if you help this one person, who has chosen to be a leader, building a business, the ripple effect is going to be incredible.
From this one person, who now understands the value of coaching vs dictatorship, there will come employees with better quality of life, who then will be able to take those principles home and be better and more present partners.
We firmly believe that there has been a permanent shift in the arena of leadership, where leaders now understand that in order for their businesses to be successful, they have to take on a coaching mindset and improving their performance. For those who it does not come naturally – it is critical for them to hire a coach.
Per Entrepreneur Magazine, “Many leaders become so focused on growing their businesses that they become disconnected from the people around them and what it takes to lead those people through change,” she says. “A good executive coach can help a CEO see the impact of this type of behavior, and make a huge difference in a company’s success.”
Most CEO’s bring to the table a particular set of skill sets and your job as an executive coach will be to help them level up in the areas there are lacking. Whether that be sales, strategy, communications or teamwork, you must be clear on the area of executive coaching you
The article also provides some insight and suggestions on how CEO’s should hire and manage their coaching relationship.
- Find a coach who you respect as a mentor; someone from whom you can learn; who has a good grasp of best practices related to your job or industry; who can provide an objective, unbiased perspective on the decisions you make and your interactions with others.
- Take the time to debrief specific actions, conversations, presentations and beyond with your coach. “A debrief is easy to shortcut in a startup because they’re moving so fast. Having a coach forces you to reflect, regroup and learn from your successes, as well as your mistakes.”
Key times leaders may want to look for performance coaches – this is important so that you can target your market – are:
- Entrepreneurs who need to remove themselves from operations- read the doing – to overseeing and management.
- Transitioning from management to CEO via a promotion
- Entrepreneurs who have reached that 4 – 5 year mark and are at the make it or breakpoint
- Mission-based entrepreneurs who are more versed in the mission, than operations
Showing up as an executive coach will require a higher level of commitment and research to be sure you are able to immerse yourself in that person’s world for the best outcome. However, know that the reward is that much sweeter when you help someone build or grow a company, pursue their passion and show up for all the people who rely on them in an impactful way.
To your success,
Jairek Robbins