Choosing the Right Leadership Coach for a Successful Career

Beata Staszkow — April 10, 2017

Leadership coaching is becoming important and necessary for a successful and rewarding executive career. Smart executives seeks trusted advisors who help them to navigate the ins and outs of their professional and personal lives, keep stress low and assist in designing peak performance strategies. More and more companies now provide leadership coaching in some form, many outsourcing it to a seasoned coach.

To get the most from coaching it is important to choose the right coach for you. This blog provides information to help you do that.

Choose a Leadership Coach Experienced with working with Executives

One aspect you should ensure is that your coach is experienced at working with executives. The executive world is unique and an understanding of the pressures faced is an essential quality your coach needs. Coaches often make a great sounding board for ideas, and provide you with honest feedback. If your coach is inexperienced and fails to understand executive pressures, you will see little progress with your career and you may start questioning the coaching process.

Ensure your Leadership Coach is Mature

Older heads make wise heads and this is a quality to embrace in a coach. The better coaches all tend to be at least thirty, and are highly relatable and knowledgeable. Older coaches will also be more in tune with concepts such as confidentiality and stand their ground in debates. They will also have the experience to identify and sure up your blind spots.

Chemistry

By far the most important aspect is that you have a great chemistry with your coach. You have to be on the same wavelength. You have to feel you can relate to your coach and be willing to accept advice you don’t want to hear. When chemistry is in play this becomes far easier. Bill Gates believes that everyone should get a coach, and he obviously has a good one.

Honest Opinions

It is essential that your coach is not afraid to give you an honest opinion and is prepared to enter into a full discussion. This aspect is essential to progress. If you have subordinates, they may be afraid to tell you something “you don’t want to hear.” This can and does lead to poor decision making and results. A good coach can rectify this.

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