Coach or Trusted Advisor?
What Executives Really Think About Coaching
Let’s face it. Most senior executives don’t think that they need (or want) a “coach”. Coaching is something they may have received earlier in their careers if at all, like one executive that told me his boss had recommended a professional writing skills coach to improve his professional communications. But, by and large, most executives have relied on trial and error, finding good mentors, reading an occasional book or confiding in family and close friends. These methods can be effective; however, they take years if not decades to develop the necessary leadership acumen to get to the top (if you’re lucky).
An Executive’s Viewpoint
I recently met with one of my favorite mentors, a retired senior executive. I asked him if he had ever used a coach, and if not, why not? His answer: “it just wasn’t something available to me, and I don’t think I really needed coaching.” There was a certain look he gave me when I mentioned the word ‘coach’, so I probed further. In his view, coaching was too vague or generic for most executives. “Executives think about strategy, performance and results for their stakeholders. What they really want is a ‘trusted strategic advisor’”. He also said that a trusted strategy advisor must be someone with relevant experience who understands the executive’s industry. Contextual experience and understanding are important. Without these, a coach won’t be much help to the executive.
Executives Are All About Results
Executives are extremely busy people. They are busy creating or implementing their strategy, improving performance and driving for results. They need a trusted strategic advisor to provide targeted advice, to brainstorm ideas, to challenge perceptions or provide different perspectives. I know I’ll upset some of my coaching colleagues when I say executives are not looking for a “voyage of discovery” where the coach is learning real-time about the executive’s business and asking generic questions like “what thoughts are coming up for you right now?” Certainly, good questions are important, but questions that are strategic and contextual are essential to help executives solve their complex challenges. The advice also must be timely, confidential and come from a partner the executive trusts.
Experience Working with Top Executives
My experience working with top executives confirms this perception. I was once called to meet with the CFO of a well-known technology company. They had recently gone through a reverse merger, and this CFO was launching an initiative to restructure the company and implement new business operations systems. He was a highly regarded CFO, and the Board had entrusted him to lead the transformation. I thought he wanted to talk to me about helping with the IT implementation. However, he started the meeting by telling me that he was looking for a “strategic partner” for his business initiative. He wanted someone experienced with business transformations that he could strategize with, help him think through the business and political risks and ramifications, have confidence to step up and challenge his ideas and most of all, he wanted someone he could trust to give him unvarnished advice and that he could trust completely. This was the start of a strategic relationship as his trusted advisor and a successful business transformation.
Summary
In summary, senior executives want and need a trusted strategic advisor, one that understands the executive’s challenges and goals they are trying to achieve, and they want that advisor to demonstrate commitment to help them achieve the best possible outcome. The executive wants a trusted advisor to help reduce or eliminate blind spots, and are bold enough to challenge existing thinking and create new insights and perspectives. Years of working with executives have instilled in me valuable insights on the executive mindset – how and what they think about, how they make decisions and their biases, and most importantly how trust is the key factor in building a strategic advisor relationship that works.
If you’re a senior executive looking for a trusted strategic advisor, let’s set up time to discuss how I can provide you with the support you need to navigate the challenges ahead.