As a high-achieving individual, it is natural to want more. However, you may reach a point where achieving more feels difficult or impossible, especially when it comes to growing in the executive space.
That’s why many people call on the support of an executive career coach who is equipped with the knowledge and experience to help them navigate the unknown on their way to the top.
In this post, we will give you the rundown on executive career coaching. We will discuss what it is and what you can expect when working with an executive career coach. We will discuss a few additional benefits of career coaching to wrap things up.
Table of Contents
What is Executive Career Coaching?
5 Things to Expect from Executive Career Coaching
Additional Benefits of Career Coaching
Final Thoughts
What is Executive Career Coaching?
Executive career coaching is a resource available to professionals who are looking for support as they advance in their careers as executives. An executive career coach will help you assess your goals and create an actionable plan to achieve them.
Career coaches, in general, equip you with the information that you need to foster the skills and connections required to take the next steps in your career. Executive career coaches, also known as “executive coaches,” create their programs and processes to cater to those looking to make advances within upper management, administrative, or C-level sort of roles.
You can work with a coach in one-on-one sessions for a more personalized experience, but some coaches offer the option to take part in group coaching programs, as well. Which route you take will depend on your unique needs and goals.
When you hire an executive coach, choosing somebody with relevant experience and positive past results is important. It is also crucial to select a coach whose values align with your own.
5 Things to Expect from Executive Career Coaching
If you are embarking on your executive career coaching journey, you’re likely wondering what this experience will entail.
Each coach has a different approach, but there are certainly some commonalities that most good coaches will share. That said, let’s take a look at the five things you can expect to achieve and experience while working with an executive career coach.
1. A Thorough Assessment
Once you connect with an executive coach, the first step is typically an assessment. The coach will work with you to establish a better understanding of your current career, experience, education, and so forth.
This is typically done through a variety of questionnaires and interview sessions. It is important that you are transparent with your coach, especially at this stage so that they can get a realistic gauge of where you are at.
You will likely be forced to take a real look in the mirror through this process. Being honest with your coach will force you to be honest with yourself. This may sound overwhelming or intimidating, but you will walk away with a newfound sense of clarity and self-awareness.
2. Brainstorming and Strategizing
After your current situation has been assessed, it is time to start discussing future plans. Your executive coach will help identify and expand upon your goals to help you understand what you could achieve.
You’ll likely discover some interesting things about yourself at this stage. A good career coach will invite you to share your goals and visions, and they will push you to think harder to discover if that is what you really want. Your coach may help you realize a different goal that you hadn’t yet considered.
As you brainstorm, your coach will also identify your weaknesses or shortcomings that will need to be addressed as you move forward. If you have previously plateaued or become stuck in your career, the coach will dive into the roots of that stagnation.
3. A Roadmap for Reaching Your Goals
Equipped with a clear understanding of your wants and dreams, your executive career coach will help you create an actionable plan for reaching your goals.
Your plan may involve building new skills, earning a specific certification, doing mindset work to prepare your headspace for new opportunities, making connections with people in your industry, and so forth.
The plan will be unique to you, but it will incorporate tried and true techniques to help you reach your desired success.
4. Action and Accountability
Once you’ve received your roadmap to success, it is time to put your head down and get to work. Typically, your plan will involve lots of small steps that will bring you to several milestones. Breaking it up like this makes it easier to reach the larger goals that you are setting out to accomplish.
Reaching the smaller goals requires consistency. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, it may require checking in with yourself and taking care of different tasks each day. With that comes the need for accountability.
Accountability is such a huge component of success. Ultimately, you have to hold yourself accountable, but an executive coach will support you with accountability as you learn and grow.
5. Unbiased Guidance and Advice
Many people wonder why they should invest in a career coach if they have friends and colleagues to offer them advice and support. Unfortunately, personal relationships tend to come with a degree of bias.
When you invest in a career coach, you can rest assured that there are no biases or ulterior motives. You don’t have to worry that your coach is swaying you in one direction or the other, because at the end of the day, your coach just wants to see you succeed.
This is really important because you can go to your coach for advice on important matters. For example, if you get a really good job offer that requires moving away, your family or friends may discourage you from taking it because they don’t want to see you leave. A career coach, however, will help you weigh the pros and cons to help you decide if it is truly a good move to make.
Additional Benefits of Career Coaching
Executive career coaching comes with a variety of other benefits, as well. Some of the top benefits of career coaching include:
Personal development
A better understanding of the value you bring to professional environments
Learning new skills relevant to your dream career
Enhanced mindfulness and self-awareness
Better networking skills
Access to more professional connections
More confidence in interviews and professional interactions
Better decision-making skills
Like anything, you’ll get out whatever you put in. Your career coach will serve as your guide, but it is up to you to put in the work. You have to be willing to learn new skills and lose your preconceived notions in order to achieve your desired success.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking to reach new heights in your career as an executive or if you are looking to create a roadmap to become an executive, the support of a coach is worth its weight in gold.
When backed by hard work and dedication, executive career coaching will springboard you towards radical change. The executive coaching experience can be inspiring and eye-opening when you open yourself to change.
Here at Skye, we use an innovative algorithm to pair ambitious professionals with highly-skilled coaches. Whether your goal is to take a new path with your career or level up from where you’re at, we’ve got you covered.
