Why Your Executive Staff Needs a Coach

So, do you know why your executive staff needs a coach? If you’re reading this, you might not be part of the executive staff team. However, you realize that the C-staff could use help. The reason I say this is that many, if not most, executive staffers don’t know they need coaching. Some believe they don’t need it because it wouldn’t help. So, what can you do to convince C-staffers they need a coach?

Why Your Executive Staff Needs a Coach

Two Benefits of Executive Staff Coaching

The question is how do you convince the upper echelon of your organization they need a coach? The problem is they are driven, over-achievers, who have reached a level of success not obtained by most people. They’re at the pinnacle of their profession, and they’ve done it on their own. So, why would they need coaching?  The best way to convince them of the need for a coach is to share the benefits of having a coach — explain what it does for them.

Improved Communication

Any group of people working closely together will have communication breakdowns. At the executive level, this can be disastrous. Human beings expect others to be like them. We all subconsciously believe others think as we do, are motivated the same, share our learning style, and communicate alike. It doesn’t work that way. If you ask a c-staffer if they occasionally have miscommunications, they’ll admit they do. Heck, everyone does. Here’s where coaching comes in. A coach can help an executive staff learn to communicate more effectively with each other and throughout the organization. The benefit to the team is more precise communication and fewer misunderstandings.

A Shared Vision

I worked with a business led by three owners, a majority owner and two partners. All three had different visions for the company, and although the met on a regular basis, and made decisions about the future of the organization, they never fully shared their independent visions for the business. This led to confusion and disappointment.

I facilitated a vision team where they each shared their visions, and then worked together and compromised to create a unified vision. When completed, their decisions were focused on a mutual vision, which became their mission.

Even when the C-staff shares a similar vision it may be unfocused or miss the mark. “Where is your organization going? What’s down the road? Do you see and recognize every possibility? I ask because so many leaders get stuck in the trenches and find it difficult to see the forest for the trees. So, maybe it’s time to call in the troops. Ask a couple of loyal and valued employees, enlist a vendor, seek out local business people you respect, and form a vision team. Because you never know what they may see in your future.” — How a Vision Team Could Save Your Business. The benefit to the staff is a more unified purpose with the team driving the business in the same direction.

More Benefits of Having a Coach

There are other benefits to the executive staff, such as sharing leadership best practices, silo busting, and defining roles on the team. The bottom line is that everyone needs a coach.  Ted Williams was a decorated WWII fighter pilot, and the last professional baseball player to hit .400 for an entire season. Mr. Williams was arguably the greatest and most consistent batter in MLB history, and even at his peak he had a batting coach.

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a management training plan? Businesses and universities use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook, a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. I’m also available to conduct training.

Photo by Rodeo Project Management Softwa