Six Triggers That Spell “I Need Executive Coaching”

As organizations and leaders, when is the right time to hire an executive coach?

According to Subash CV, a Master Certified executive coach, most C-suite leaders take up executive coaching certification when they aren’t able to grow, either professionally or at a personal level.  So an easy way to identify when a leader like you would need executive coaching certification is to assess whether you feel stuck professionally, personally, or emotionally.

Organizations usually hire executive coaches to enhance their leaders’  performance or to remove blocks that hinder them from performing optimally.  

We have identified some of the most common situations where leaders and organizations feel they need to hire an executive coach.  Given below are the questions they ask themselves in such situations.

If any of these questions resonate with you as a leader or an organization, it’s a sign that executive coaching certification is your best option and would reap maximum benefits for you. 

Read our blog Top Organisational Benefits of Leadership Coaching to know how executive coaching can benefit organizations.

Read our blog 11 Benefits of Executive Coaching to discover how coaching can benefit leaders.

Why didn’t I get that promotion?

An executive coach we spoke to recalls the case of a VP of Sales who was overlooked for promotion. He went into a shell. His performance plummeted and his personal life suffered. The VP’s company hired an executive coach for him. Through executive coaching, the VP was able to identify weaknesses that got him sidelined. He made peace with his setback, worked hard, and got his mojo back over time. 

How do I deal with my difficult boss?

Does this sound familiar? Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons high-performing leaders take up executive coaching certification is to manage a toxic boss. An executive coach can broaden perspectives to identify core issues and come up with solutions. 

Nitya (name changed) was heading a vertical in an MNC. She did not get along well with her boss or her super boss. Executive coaching conversations helped her to think long-term and adopt strategies to work better with both of her bosses. After two years, she was elevated to her boss’s position, when the role became available.

Executive coaching is a powerful tool that leaders could use to become more self-aware of traits that could hurt professional relationships. A seasoned VP who is also a coach recalls how his executive coach asked him to  ‘ask yourself if you are a good employee for your boss’. This shift in perspective helped him identify and rectify behaviours that had created a rift between him and his boss. 

Does this sound familiar? Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons high-performing leaders take up executive coaching certification is to manage a toxic boss. An executive coach can broaden perspectives to identify core issues and come up with solutions. 

Nitya (name changed) was heading a vertical in an MNC. She did not get along well with her boss or her super boss. Executive coaching conversations helped her to think long-term and adopt strategies to work better with both of her bosses. After two years, she was elevated to her boss’s position, when the role became available.

Executive coaching is a powerful tool that leaders could use to become more self-aware of traits that could hurt professional relationships. A seasoned VP-cum-coach recalls how his executive coach asked him to  ‘ask yourself if you are a good employee for your boss’. This shift in perspective helped him identify and rectify behaviours that had created a rift between him and his boss. 

Does this sound familiar? Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons high-performing leaders take up executive coaching certification is to manage a toxic boss. An executive coach can broaden perspectives to identify core issues and come up with solutions. 

Nitya (name changed) was heading a vertical in an MNC. She did not get along well with her boss or her super boss. Executive coaching conversations helped her to think long-term and adopt strategies to work better with both of her bosses. After two years, she was elevated to her boss’s position, when the role became available.

Executive coaching is a powerful tool that leaders could use to become more self-aware of traits that could hurt professional relationships. A seasoned VP-cum-coach recalls how his executive coach asked him to  ‘ask yourself if you are a good employee for your boss’. This shift in perspective helped him identify and rectify behaviours that had created a rift between him and his boss. 

What should I do to ace my new role?

N Venkatraman (Tram),  an established executive coach, shares the vignette of a senior IT solutions architect. This leader was made the mini-CEO of a business module within a very large domain. He was unfamiliar and uncomfortable with his new role. Executive coaching helped him come up with smart strategies to handle the not-so-comfortable areas through delegation and develop skills to manage the remaining domains. This left time for his core area, developing solutions. Needless to say, he aced his new role.  

To read the full case vignette, click here.

How can I pay better attention to my health and relationships without compromising on work?

Mercy (name changed) loved her high-flying career. But she did not have time for family, hobbies, and other interests. She especially felt guilty about not spending enough time with her children. The coaching conversations with her executive coach helped clarify her career and handle parenting guilt. She started meditating to keep herself grounded. Executive coaching enabled her to finally find peace within and live the balanced life she always wished to.

My current role/job does not give me growth. Is this the right time for me to move to another role or change careers?

Subash recalls the case of a scientist of 20 years who wanted to become a corporate leader. He was keen but apprehensive as there was much at stake. He used executive coaching to defog his thinking, lay out his options, weigh pros and cons, and make an informed, enlightened decision. He finally decided to take the plunge and work towards his dream.

Things at work and home are spiralling out of control. What do I do?

JC was a top executive at a Bengaluru-based firm. He was struggling on professional and personal fronts.  Executive coaching and healing helped him get his life back on track. JC is extremely grateful to his coach, who has also become a dear friend. JC’s word of advice to other leaders like him is – “It is important to have at least one or two people in your life who can provide you safe space; to have someone impartial and non-judgmental who can be your sounding board. It could be a spouse, friend, or executive coach. But you need one or two such persons in your life.”

These are some of the major circumstances where executive coaching certification can become a game changer for leaders and their organizations. Some other triggers for executive coaching are

For organizations

✤ Improving interpersonal skills of top performers.

✤ Enhancing the performance of leaders

For leaders

✤Handle loneliness at the top with an independent-thinking partner

✤ Manage stakeholders

Do you visit the doctor only when you develop a health issue? No, right? Most of us go for regular health checkups to pre-empt problems and maintain our health. Similarly, a leader need not wait for issues to crop up to hire an executive coach. A leader can benefit from executive coaching at any point of time in their career or life. 

To clear other common misconceptions about coaching, peruse our blog 

Seven Common Misconceptions About Coaching by Subramani Balakrishnan.

It is very important to choose the right executive coach to maximize your ROI.

Here are some signs that show it is the right time to choose executive coaching with Regal Unlimited!

● 50+ organizations and 1000+ leaders coached in the last 8 years

● 20+ experienced, ICF credentialed and certified executive coaches and leadership coaches who have leadership experience in various corporate domains

● ICF-mandated coaching process that is time-tested and highly effective in ensuring maximum ROI

● One-on-one executive coaching program in top Indian cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, etc. We also coach executives overseas.

● We offer top executive coaching certification programs and leadership coaching programs in India. Visit our executive coaching webpage to know more. 

Book a free discovery session with a Regal Executive Coach now

Contact us at info@regalunlimited.com for any queries.