Since the Holiday season is well underway and New Year’s resolution time is just around the corner, it’s not too early to start planning on growing your company next year. Here are three important considerations before hiring an executive coach to assist you in your plans for 2016. These tips will help you make the best use of your investment once you begin making changes.
Maintain your commitment to change
Change is not easy. But, strangely, it is one of the constants in our lives. We don’t like change and tend to resist it. For your executive coaching sessions to truly make a difference in your leadership style, you must be willing to first see things differently and then do things differently.
The most successful executives I’ve worked with are committed to changing their behaviors throughout our coaching engagement. As a result, they recognize the importance of taking constructive feedback to heart.
The early stages of this work may be the most difficult—a lot of feedback but little progress. Just remember that maintaining your commitment to change over time will become easier as you begin to see the fruits of your efforts.
Be aware of how your behavior impacts others
Self-awareness is a key attribute of any good executive. Unfortunately, some leaders in the C-suite don’t know the trail of destruction they leave behind them. Or worse, they know and don’t care.
Having a baseline level of self-awareness and a willingness to become more self-aware are essential before engaging an executive coach. Without this you’re wasting your money and your time.
Resist backsliding
Once you’re up and running with your executive coach, be careful about backsliding. It’s easy to revert to old behaviors without realizing it. Again, this is a self-awareness issue. One tip is to consciously fill the void created when stopping old negative behaviors with new positive behaviors. For example, if you’ve recently stopped micromanaging your direct reports, fill that new void by positioning yourself as a strategic advisor and senior statesman.
If you remain open to change, are self-aware, and put in the hard work necessary to improve you leadership and communication skills, you will get the most from your executive coaching relationship. Best of luck and let me know how you’re doing.
For more information on Cecond Opinion and the ways we’re assisting executives and their teams to become more successful, please contact Frank Rowe at frank.rowe@cecondopinion.com or call 610 256-4717 for an initial assessment.
