My job as a Coach is to till the ground, generating positive emotions and resources, until Leaders are more receptive to seeds of growth and change.
The first step is to meet these clients where they are, accepting all their resistance and perceived obstacles, without judgment or agenda.
I then add the essential ingredients for new growth, the proverbial water, sunshine, and nutrients, by helping a client to identify and amplify internal strengths and external supports and try on new ways of looking at theirsituation.
All of this is made possible by a safe, open, and positive space for reflection.
Executive Coaching in particular, is a growing and changing field that helps Leaders improve their abilities, boost their performance, and reach their objectives. Having worked for many years as a Coach with Leaders, I’ve noticed some emerging trends in Executive Coaching which I would like to outline:
- Being genuine: As a Coach I can help Leaders practice authenticity, which is the foundation of trust, respect, and influence. Authenticity means being faithful to oneself, expressing one’s feelings and views honestly, and aligning one’s actions with one’s values.
- Creating personal and business brands: As a Coach I help Leaders develop a powerful personal and business brand that showcases their values, vision, and distinctive value proposition. Branding is crucial for differentiating oneself from the competition and attracting the right clients, partners, and opportunities.
- Extending Coaching across levels: As a Coach I offer my services to a broader range of Leaders within organizations, not just the Senior Executives. Coaching can benefit emerging Leaders, Middle Managers, and High-Potential employees who need support in developing their leadership potential and overcoming challenges.
- Matching coaching with leadership competencies: As a Coach I customize my coaching programs to address the specific leadership competencies that are most relevant and important for their clients. These competencies may include strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, communication skills, innovation, and change management.
- Developing in-house coaching capabilities: As a Coach I train and mentor internal coaches within organizations who can provide ongoing coaching to their colleagues. This can create a coaching culture that fosters learning, feedback, and growth among employees.
- Expecting more from coaching partners: As a Coach I need to demonstrate my value proposition, credibility, and impact to my clients. I need to provide clear goals, metrics, and outcomes for their coaching programs, as well as evidence-based methodologies, tools, and best practices.
- Embracing the metaverse: The next frontier for me as a Coach is to learn how to use avatars, VR, and AR to create immersive and interactive coaching experiences in the virtual world!