This Is What CEO’s Really Want From Their Coach

It might come as a shock, but two thirds of CEOs don’t receive any form of outside counseling on their leadership skills. Yet most of them say they would welcome the support of a leadership coach. However skilled and competent they may be, they still have blind spots. And addressing those blind spots is the core of good leadership coaching.

Here are the top areas CEOs would like to address with a leadership coach. Whatever your current level of leadership, use this list to guide you as you work with your own coach, mentor, or support team.

Assistance with Self-awareness. It can be hard to assess your own strengths and weaknesses—our most dangerous blind spots are the ones we aren’t even aware of. That’s why it’s essential to build your self-knowledge with someone who can maintain a neutral point of view.

Coaching in conflict assessment resolution. Leaders who can’t manage conflict tend to shy away from it, and the outcome of conflict avoidance is never good. But a leader who can manage conflict in a constructive way can get to the root of issues and create win-win solutions.

Training in effective communication. Most leaders are good speakers. But not many know how to listen, and listening is one of the most important elements of communication. If you aren’t communicating well, you aren’t leading well.

Mentoring in delegation and planning. Leaders are great at getting things done, but many have a hard time letting go of tasks and delegating to others. Planning and delegation fuel efficiency and professional growth for teams and individual members.

Guidance in talent and building dynamic teams. Encouraging talent and building strong teams is a complex process that’s constantly in motion, with different needs at different stages. It’s one of the greatest challenges in leadership to keep all those elements in balance.

Education in Interpersonal skills. Every leader needs interpersonal skills in their toolkit. Leaders are called on daily to motivate, inspire, and coach their team to work together effectively, and that means building strong relationships at every level.

Support in development and growth. It’s impossible to move ahead while you’re standing still, and too many leaders focus exclusively on their team’s development while they neglect their own. Learning to leverage your weaknesses and build on your strengths keeps you on track toward your individual goals—and prepares you to keep your team and organization moving in a positive direction.

Leaders who have benefited from coaching know that the process may start with a few specific actionable themes but in time can grow into an essential partnership, one that provides trusted guidance and a clear, objective reality check.

To gain the most from a coaching relationship, make sure your coach is smart, intuitive, a great communicator, and able to tailor the training to your individual needs instead of applying a canned approach.

Lead from within: A good coach never makes you feel bad about yourself but leads you to a sense of excitement to try something new or to do things in a different way.

#1 N A T I O N A L  B E S T S E L L E R

The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

• 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
• A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
• How to Succeed as A New Leader
• 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
• 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
• The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
• The Deception Trap of Leadership

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