Getting the Most out of Executive Coaching

Fearless Inventory

The first step in getting the most out of executive coaching is the willingness to take a fearless inventory of current strengths, habits and perception by others. High achievers are famously driven, confident and successful, yet self-critical, so this inventory brings balance to those paradoxical tendencies.

Why take an inventory? It turns out that highly efficient leaders have many processes embedded as a habit, whether that’s a work-out routine, a rhythm for checking emails, establishment of standard meetings, a predictable reaction to challenge, or a level of risk tolerance affected by past experiences. The more we have on auto-pilot in this way, the less brain power Is spent on routine issues. This has tremendous benefits for efficiency, but the cost is a narrowing of attention. If you know what route you will take to work, you don’t waste time deciding, and you may literally miss the opportunity to notice flowers are blooming or trees are leafing. But if a detour upends your morning routine, then you are spending energy paying attention top a process that is otherwise routine.

Therefore it makes sense that we have as many things as possible in a routine. The cost of that, however, is that habits which served us well 8 or 10 years ago may be outdated, just like our cell phone’s technology is outdated every 4 years or so – and yet may still be in use. How do we download an updated operating system for ourselves? By challenging the habits that served us. The ways to do that are to get feedback from people or from a self-assessment, or to concentrate on noticing our own reactions as if we’re watching from a balcony.

Assessments

Executives’ reflection can take the form of formal or informal assessments. Formal assessments may include an on-line feedback tool such as a 360 questionnaire, asking for feedback from managers, peers and staff. Some of these include customers, supplier or other stakeholders. Feedback from all around can also be gathered through interviews by the executive coach.

Other assessments may include personality preferences such as Myers-Briggs, a behavioral inventory such as DiSC, problem solving styles like Hogan, or conflict style preferences like Thomas-Kilmann.

Informal feedback can simply take the form of the leader asking colleagues – and even family members – what one thing, if I changed it, would make the most difference in my effectiveness.

Power of Noticing

Executive coaching engagements use the leader’s recent experiences as the material for learning, building on strengths, and expanding skills. For that reason, homework between sessions often involves noticing. This noticing forms the foundation of understanding habits and strengths, and from there, the opportunity to assess if those habits are best serving outcomes. If not, the executive coaching session provides a forum for exploration.

Noticing assignments will depend on the leader’s goals and sources of frustration or blocks to energy or productivity. It may take the form of noticing when comments are a trigger, causing an outsized reaction from the situation. It may be noticing a bias about someone’s critical facial expression, which may turn out to not carry any particular criticism. Noticing may involve bringing into awareness the meaning that is being made of conflict inn a meeting, or an inquiry which may be a challenge or simply an inquiry.

Motivation

Getting the most out of executive coaching also relies on the leader understanding his/her motivation for advancement. Some leaders relish the opportunity to leverage influence and improve the organization’s success: to win. Some are motivated by striving to develop the skills to attain the next level promotion. For others, it’s the organization’s purpose in the world:  making a difference, a meaningful contribution. Others enjoy the mentoring aspects, developing their staff and seeing them advance over the years. And other leaders love the freedom to innovate, or simply are lifelong learners and know there is always more knowledge, insight and wisdom to be added. Any of these will support the effort to make changes to expand one’s range.