Three Reasons for an Executive Coach
Most of us have had one type of coach or another. Whether we call them teachers, mentors, or coaches, they are individuals who educate us and make us better. But how? Here are three reasons to consider having an executive coach.
Accountability
The key to changing behavior is making a concerted effort and making certain effort is going in the correct direction. A coach encourages students to repeatedly practice a desired skill so that it becomes a natural part of their behavior. When Tiger Woods prepares for a golf tournament he takes 1,000 golf swings per day. Seth Curry practiced 500 three-pointers per day to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Both of them did this with the help of a coach.
Enhanced Performance
Often a coach will pinpoint areas where performance can and should be improved. It is all about navigating our blind spots. When I first started working with my fitness coach, I did not have a clue about how to get healthier and stronger. In fact, I went in over two years ago hoping to lose 5-10 pounds and increase my run speed by 30-60 seconds per mile for five miles. Today, my run times are still not as fast as I would like, and my weight has increased by 20 pounds, BUT my physical and mental health is much improved. Improved health was the real Key Performance Indicator (KPI) I didn’t know I was after. A coach helped me find it.
Focus
Recently when working with a visionary leader it became necessary to help them focus on what is important and urgent. A coach should help a leader identify the specific tasks only they can do, or where they can offer the most value. This should be where a leader spends their time. In a large organization, we may have the ability to delegate tasks to others. While working for Chick-fil-A there were many instances where I could ask someone else to complete a task because they were both better at the task and it was not the best use of my time. Now as an executive coach and CEO of a small business, I must be diligent at deciding what adds the most value and saying no to that which is either not important or not urgent.
World-class athletes, performers, and professional speakers all have coaches. I have a world-class executive coach and an amazing fitness coach. Below are several questions to consider today:
What would it take for you to consider having a coach and investing 75 minutes every other week to improve yourself?
What is one thing you would want to improve in your first 90 days of coaching?
What is holding you back from becoming the best version of yourself you can be?
