Can You Benefit from A Coach?

Written By Larry Goddard

By Larry Goddard and Laurence Franklin 

As the world’s best athletes, golfers, and even chess players know, a good coach is a must in creating long term success. For a business leader, the need, and the benefits, are the same. You can be a better executive if you have a resource that you trust and respect, who helps you achieve your true potential.

The expression "it’s lonely at the top" applies to business owners and leaders. While you can and should be collegial and collaborative with your team, when it comes to tough decisions, "the buck truly does stop with you". The belief that as an owner, founder, or executive, you should be able to manage and lead without any outside help can create stress and result in sub-optimal outcomes. A coach or a mentor can provide both advice and a support system that gives you and your business a competitive advantage.    

A good executive coach can help you:

  • Develop and fine-tune your strategic vision and growth plan

  • Set priorities

  • Improve communications and leadership skills

  • Analyze and understand opportunities, challenges, risks, and threats

  • Optimize your time management

  • Evaluate and optimize your team

  • Develop alignment

  • Build your strengths and shore up weaknesses

  • Make decisions

  • Act as a sounding board

  • Think out of the box

  • Discover your potential

  • Work smarter

  • Provide alternative viewpoints

  • Point out blind spots and possible pitfalls

  • Challenge your thinking

  • Boost your spirits when needed

Executive coaches generally do not – and should not:

  • Make decisions

  • Tell leaders what to do

  • Get involved in day-to-day management

Many of the best executive coaches are former “C” suite members who have extensive business and life experiences. If you’re looking for a coach, you should take your time and ensure that there is a cultural fit and a business fit. Is the candidate is someone who has the relevant experience and a style and set of values you can trust, engage with, and feel comfortable opening up about your business and leadership issues?

You might consult with your coach only periodically or have regular working sessions. Often the relationship builds over time and becomes long-term. The key is that having a “go to” person who has only your and the business’s best interests at heart, and who provides actionable advice, your performance and results are enhanced.  

© Copyright 2021-22, The Parkland Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Larry Goddard
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