10 Reasons You Should Hire an Executive Coach

The sunset in Duck, N.C. An executive coach can help you sunset one phase of your life and lead to the sunrise of another, better part of your life.

A lot of people have coaches. Tiger Woods hired Chris Como as his “swing” coach. Top tier actors hire coaches to give them pointers on acting well. Even musical maestro Benny Goodman took clarinet lessons well after he became famous.

Mr. Como and other “trade coaches” help their clients shine in their trade. Executive coaches, on the other hand, look at the whole picture. These hired guns help their clients do better in across the spectrum of their lives.

Career not taking off? Not sure how to handle a challenge in a work or personal relationship? Wondering how to get that business idea off the ground? An executive coach can help.  Here is the Top 10 List of reasons you should hire an executive coach, even if you’re satisfied with the progress of your career.  An executive coach …

1) …is someone you can keep in confidence. Executive coach-client relations are entree nous —French for “confidentially between us”— so you can share information with your coach without worrying about a boomerang effect clipping the wings from your relationships.

2) …is a sounding board for your ideas. Have an idea but are too embarrassed to share it with your friends? See item #1 above. You can share your ideas with your executive coach to help you decide what to do, without the fear of being judged.

3) …keeps you on track. Are you meeting your goals? Are you doing the things you need to achieve these goals? Your executive coach will help you see when you take a detour and get you back on the right path. Also, see item #1 above.

4) …acts as a mirror that sees the gap between your “ego,” your Freudian “self-image,” and your true self. Are you being who you say you are? Are you doing things in your life that send a different message about you than you want to project? Your executive coach is your mirror. Also, see item #1 above.

5) …sees the “naysayer” in you. Are you being self-defeatist? What separates successful people from unsuccessful people is the ability to say “I can” and to turn that statement into “I will.” Your executive coach will tell you when you are being a naysayer and get you on track to believing in the art of the possible. Also, see item #1 above.

6) … alerts you to opportunities. Since your executive coach knows what you want in life, that person may forward articles of interest to you or job announcements that are right down your ally. That’s a good thing. Also, see item #1 above.

7) … plays matchmaker for you. Executive coaches talk to a lot of people … so if they get a hunch that you should talk to one of their contacts they will be sure to let you know. Sometimes meetings with your executive coach’s contacts may involve an extra charge, while other times they won’t. Also, see item #1 above.

8) … helps you address tough questions. Remember how this blog entry started. I wrote: “Career not taking off? Not sure how to handle a challenge in a work or personal relationship? Wondering how to get that business idea off the ground?” These are tough questions, and your closest friends may not have answers. Also, see item #1 above.

9) … serves as a cheerleader. Not feeling like you’re achieving your goals? Your executive coach reminds you of your small successes on the way to greater successes. Also, see item #1 above.

10) … provides a different perspective. Our beliefs can be paralyzing. Wouldn’t you like to hear an alternative perspective? Your executive coach can be the one to do that. Also, see item #1 above.

All opinions are my own and not those of my agency or the federal government as a whole. Photo by Jay D. Krasnow.