The Leading Edge:
Executive Coaching: A Clear Perspective
By Velma Knowles, a certified John Maxwell Team coach, speaker, and trainer.
Remember the hit song, I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash? One of the many benefits of having an executive coach is you have someone who can help you to see things from a fresh, clear perspective.
Up until now, I never really had a good grasp on what an executive coach was, or even did for that matter. We’ve all heard of coaches for football, baseball, and other professional sports but when we hear of executive coaches we often think of someone specifically dedicated to making the top individuals in an organization successful. I’ve learned, however, that a good coach can help an entire organization to tap into their potential at every level.
In 2013, I was years into a corporate career, and just like that, my position was downsized! The company went through a merger and my position was eliminated. Although it really wasn’t personal, it sure felt personal to me. As a part of my outplacement package, I was given the chance to work with an executive coach. I failed to leverage the valuable services of this expert. I flat out didn’t understand how the coaching and client relationship worked.
My coach would ask me question after question without giving me any answers. Sure, he was a nice guy and all, but each time we talked, all he said was, “What did you do this week to accomplish your goals? How do you think you should do that? Why do you think you feel stuck?” I felt as if all I got from my executive coach was more questions when what I really wanted were answers.
I believed that my coach needed to be a lot like a sports coach. I figured he should be on the sidelines saying, “This is how you do it!” Even though I didn’t know it then, I had it completely wrong. I never understood the process of coaching and I became frustrated from all those probing questions. I missed the opportunity to listen and think through the answers. After some growth, I realized that I needed to expand my awareness.
In 2016 I joined the John Maxwell Team. It gave me the opportunity to study the art and science of coaching. My mentor was Christian Simpson, one of John’s faculty members, and a very successful executive coach in his own right. With his smooth British accent, Christian explained the difference between a coach and a mentor: “When a person shares information with you, they are teaching or training. When a person shares their experience with you, they are mentoring. But, when a person is asking questions and listening deeply to the answers, they are coaching.”
On went the light bulb!
Asking questions and listening, that’s what my executive coach was doing! He was asking me those tough questions to get me to think deeply. The problem was not with my executive coach, it was actually with me. The answers I wanted were within and I just needed to stop and think to find them.
Today I understand more clearly that the coaching process has 3 objectives:
- To help you create a greater awareness for yourself.
- To help increase responsibility for yourself.
- To help develop accountability for yourself.
Coaching is not about the coach! It’s all about the client. It’s’ about the coach talking less and listening more and letting the client set the agenda. It’s about the coach being fully present, listening deeply, asking questions and building rapport. It’s about driving meaningful change so that the client can uncover the answers.
Great leaders know the value of having an executive coach. They can help you grow, see things more clearly, and help you answer the questions to improve your consciousness to move you forward. If you want a clear perspective, invest in yourself and get an executive coach, because for things to change for you, they must change in you.
About Velma:
As a certified marketer, speaker, trainer and coach, Velma works with businesses, associations and professional leaders to help them grow their organizations, their teams and themselves. She is the Founder and President of Leaders Pathway, the place where leaders go to grow.
As a business consultant and thought leader, Velma offers practical marketing, branding and strategic planning insights, to businesses that enhance their growth. Regardless of your industry, business or location, she provides professional development services to increase your leadership, team building and communication skills. Velma is a certified instructor with DISC, and she offers behavior assessments, training workshops, seminars and one-on-one coaching.
Velma’s passion is to help individuals and organizations develop a solid pathway to growth, both personally and professionally. Her education and knowledge includes, over 2 decades of national and international experience. She is an MBA Graduate from The University of Tampa, Certified Marketing Executive from SMEI, and a Graduate speaker, coach and trainer for Dale Carnegie and the John Maxwell Team.