The Why for Coaching: How Executive Coaches Helps Clients Navigate Change and Transformation

If you’ve ever tried to proofread your own writing, you know just how hard it is to spot your own mistakes. That’s why all the advice about writing your first draft includes putting it in a drawer for a few weeks before you try to revise it.

Life is no different. When we’re too close to a situation or problem, it’s nearly impossible to see the whole picture and think clearly. This is usually what leads to uncertainty, and often, causes people to do nothing, because they are afraid to do the wrong thing.

Of course, rationally, we all know that change is the only constant, and that doing nothing is almost always worse than any choice you could make. It’s just hard to force yourself to take action when you’re faced with uncertainty.

Executive coaches fill this void. They’re experts who are not close to the problem or transformation you’re facing, so they can give you professional, unbiased advice about what you should do next. Here’s a little more about what executive coaches do, and why they’re so important to navigating the future of career and success building.

What Are Executive Coaches?

You’ve probably heard a lot of people describe themselves as coaches lately. There are intimacy coaches, weight loss coaches, cancer coaches and more. At the heart of all these types of coaches is a person who has experienced the came kind of challenge, transformation or uncertainty you have, and come out of it triumphant.

Some types of coaches have formal training, but that’s not always a prerequisite to become a coach.

In the case of executive coaches, the best ones are those who have mastered the art of leadership. They’ve experienced the turbulence that change brings and know how to face ambiguity and transformation.

Usually, when you work with a coach, you already know a lot of what they are saying, deep down. It just takes a strong, confident voice to help you follow your gut.

Who Needs An Executive Coach?

The most obvious people who need the services of an executive coach are people in positions of leadership in the business world.

All too often, whether you choose it that way or not, the people around corporate leaders are inclined to agree regardless. We don’t like to use the phrase “yes man” but when your subordinates depend on your favor to keep their jobs, it can be daunting to offer constructive criticism or a differing view.

It’s not their fault that they choose to bolster your ego rather than being honest about the best course of action, but it’s still a liability.

In cases like those, executive coaches serve as an independent, unbiased and objective sounding board. They can tell you the things that others are afraid to say, and they can illuminate issues you might not have considered yet.

But leadership doesn’t only exist in the business world.

There are leaders in politics, and solopreneurs building the next big thing. There are heads of families who have to manage change and transformation on behalf of people who depend on them. There are community leaders and future leaders who are working towards transforming their lives.

All those people could benefit from the advice and support of an executive coach.

Beat Analysis Paralysis

We’ve already touched on the problem of doing nothing because you’re too afraid what might happen, but many people don’t understand just how profoundly this can influence the results you get.

When we are faced with a choice, especially when that choice has the power to affect other people, it’s only natural that we spend time analyzing and agonizing about the choice. We want to be sure that we choose the right thing, that will benefit the most people, or at least hurt the fewest.

That’s a natural reaction, but sometimes, the decision and the change it will bring is so momentous that we get stuck in the analysis phase. We choose to do nothing, without realizing that choosing to do nothing is still a choice.

Situations like this, where there is uncertainty about a decision or course of action, are tailor made for executive coaches.

Because they are removed and insulated from the situation and the people involved, they can focus on the concrete information, and use that to decide on the best course of action. Sometimes, they can even suggest other options that you might not have noticed because you were so focused on the options you thought you had.

Make Big Changes

There’s one thing that’s certain in life and that’s uncertainty.

Whether it’s a sudden divorce, being downsized out of a job, health concerns or something else, you have to learn to roll with the punches – and there are always punches.

Situations like this, where there is transformation not of your choosing, can be particularly challenging. When we feel blindsided by events, it’s very hard to adjust our mental model from feeling surprised and even hurt, to looking for opportunity in the changes we face.

Because that’s another universal truth. Chaos might not be our favorite place to operate, but there’s always opportunity in chaos.

An executive coach can help you to stop focusing on what has gone wrong, and to start looking for the opportunities that have or will arise from the situation.

Weather the Storm

When we think of agility in business, we tend to think of our ability to pivot to take advantage of situations that arise. However, very often, agility in business is the result of something going very badly wrong.

Many of the biggest changes and transformations in life and business are driven by necessity. Sink or swim. Do or die.

As much as you might think that the best thing for you to do is keep treading water when that happens, the best thing might actually be to steer into the storm.

Executive coaches help leaders to develop the agility they need to change course quickly, to make rapid decisions, and to reap the ROI that higher risks almost always be. They help leadership to make the brave but risky choices that can take businesses and organizations from just doing okay to excelling.

Keeping Your Eyes on the Prize

The final reason why you might want to hire an executive coach is that the higher we rise in business, in life and in the world, the less in touch with the world we become.

When you have reached a certain level of leadership, you probably don’t talk to the people who helped to get you there and keep you there much. There are probably many people who keep the true nature of the culture that surrounds you from you.

It’s hard to get a clear picture of your impact on the world when you have risen to challenges and taken on a leadership role.

An executive coach can help you to stay in touch with reality, and keep you grounded. They can help you to focus on the things that really matter and ignore the things that don’t.

When you get right down to it, success is always internally generated. Executive coaches are just people who help you to discover what you can really do.

Dr. Terry Jackson is Executive Advisor, Thought Leader, Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coach, Top 10 Global Mentor, and a Top 50 Thinkers50 Global Coach in Transformation. Dr. Jackson partners with Executives and Organizations to align Strategy, People and Processes to transform and sustain Peak Business Performance.