Executive Coaching – A Great Value for Any Executive Facing Challenges

By Laureen DeBuono

Executive Coaching – A Great Value Add For Any Executive Facing Challenges And With A Desire To Grow and Enhance Their Leadership And Strategic Approaches 

Several of us at FLG coach senior executives as part of the services we provide to our clients.  Coaching is such a value-add for an executive who is stepping into a new position or repositioning themselves within a company. Executives need a thought partner to bounce ideas off of and then to winnow ideas into practice. They likely need assistance in building leadership muscle with the team and/or with the Board of Directors.   

If you get  (or make for yourself) an opportunity as an executive within a company to retain a coach – GRAB IT! 

As a long-term FLG Partner who has been a CEO, COO, CFO, Board Member, and General Counsel, I have found that my operating experience, in particular, goes a long way in the effectiveness with which I coach clients. My approach may be different from other executive coaches, but let me provide you with some insight as to how effective coaching works. I typically coach CEOs, and my coaching has evolved over the years into a more informal role as a sounding board who suggests approaches to solve issues more quickly and effectively. 

#1. First, learn what is challenging for the executive and why they want/need a coach. 

I like to start a coaching assignment with a “get to know each other” meeting with my client.  

• Where they are from – what was high school and college like and what did they excel at (or not), the first job and then the climb after that – what did they excel at, what did not work and why, and how would they like to improve or enhance their skills within their organization. 
• What are their challenges?  Do they see any continuous themes/behaviors in their work life that they need to adjust or change – to become more effective as a leader, decision-maker or strategic thinker?   

As an example, I recently coached a CEO who was “dumping” on certain of his executives and holding them accountable for work that was really the purview of the CEO, and about which they had little information.  As a result, the CEO received very negative feedback from this team – yet was completely unwilling to accept it.  My job as his coach was to get the CEO to accept the feedback in a way that he would hear it, accept it, and then modify his behaviors so that this “dumping” would not occur in the future.

Ultimately, his relationship with his team changed such that reciprocal loyalty was instilled amongst all of them – and they together, with shared information, were able to build an effective strategic plan for the company.  Hearing the feedback in a way it could be readily received, and then accepting it, was key to helping my client build his leadership muscle. 

 #2. Discuss your coaching approach. 

I typically walk through the approach I take with my client up front.  In the past, I used to handle more “formal” coaching assignments where there was a 360-interview schedule first, and afterward, we would then “match” the needs stated by the client to the team comments that emanated from the 360 – to determine how to get the client to where they needed to be in terms of leadership. Nowadays, I find that my coaching practice is more informal – and what the client needs is not necessarily a 360 and feedback, but a trustworthy sounding board with whom they can share their ideas, concerns, shortcomings, etc.

For a CEO, it is indeed “lonely at the top”, and sharing their deepest concerns or challenges with their team or BOD is often not a suitable option – at least initially. They want an independent resource to talk through issues, to challenge them, and to help them come up with solutions – which can be refined and “checkmated” before sharing with their team or BOD.  This is how I currently approach coaching.   

Let me share with you two examples. I coached a CEO who, over several meetings, shared his frustration with a founding member of his team.  We walked through the issues and behaviors, and what his approach would be to confront this colleague.  It was very direct, to the point that the approach could be considered harsh and put the colleague on the defensive.  We then discussed several ways to deliver the message with a softer approach, which would more likely make that colleague actively listen to the problem, understand its ripple effects, and want to resolve it. So much of coaching is sharing ideas with the client on how to deliver a message to a work colleague in a way in which that  person will actually get it, and act on it in a way that moves things forward effectively. 

In the second example, another CEO brought on an executive consultant whom she wanted to make president of the company quickly.  We discussed the “why”.   Why so soon?  Shouldn’t that person “earn it”?  The point I was trying to make was that the consultant “earning it” would engender respect from the BOD for both of them, as well as building loyalty from the team.  We discussed providing the consultant with “winnable” problems to solve over a relatively short period of time – and then assessing whether the presidency was “earned”.   Again, the coaching was around providing an approach to elevating the consultant to the presidency in a way that made sense and engendered respect for both the CEO and the consultant.  And… the advice was taken, and it was a big win for both of them. 

 #3. Effective coaching should be time-sensitive; not go on forever.

I typically meet with my coaching clients once a week or sometimes twice a month. Consistent check-ins are important.  We review any “lessons learned” from our last session and then dive into the issues “du jour” – be they operational, strategic, or people issues – and then brainstorm smart approaches to their resolution.  My goal is to help my clients build or enhance that leadership muscle. 

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I am a firm believer that if a coach is doing an effective job, there is an endpoint to the coaching (twelve to eighteen months) where the client can be flexing leadership muscle in all the right ways, without coaching assistance.  Reaching that point is the huge value-add that a coach can bring to a client.    

If you or your company would benefit from the services of an executive coach with real-time operational and strategic experience, please reach out to FLG Partners, and we can pair you with the appropriate FLG partner/coach to help you and your team lead more effectively. 

Author Laureen DeBuono is an FLG Partner, former Managing Partner, and Executive Coach to CEOs