Coach at Business Is My Religion and French real-estate investor. My mission is to enable people to have access to financial security.
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In the business world, being an executive can be a major source of stress due to the many responsibilities the role entails. This is why it is not uncommon for people to call on the services of an executive coach. The role of a coach is not to do the executive's job, but rather to help hone their abilities and enable them to achieve their objectives or overcome a challenge. If you are in the process of becoming an executive coach or if you are a beginner in this field, here are some essential tips that can help you to establish yourself as an executive coach and gain confidence in your practice.
1. Use your analytical mind.
Of course, all the skills you have acquired during your years as a business leader are indispensable to carrying out your new role as coach. However, don't think that these skills are sufficient on their own, as you need to be able to apply them when needed and in an optimal way. This is why it is essential in your coaching position to cultivate your analytical mind, which will enable you to pinpoint the particular points on which you have to act. You want to put your skills to work for your customers in the best possible way and give them relevant advice. Knowing how to analyze something also means being a good listener. Listen to what your customers are saying and reflect on what is important to them.
2. Be curious and open-minded.
If you have decided to go into executive coaching, then you most likely have a strong taste for corporate culture and also for management. If so, don't hesitate to show it. Don't hide your interest in the different objectives of your customers. Keep in mind that you are there to help them achieve these goals and, for that, there must be transparent communication between both of you. Dare to be curious, do not hesitate to ask questions and show that you are just as interested as the coached executive in achieving their goal. This helps cultivate trust between you and the coached executive and, as a result, you will be able to move forward together more effectively. Also keep in mind that being curious goes hand in hand with being open-minded. So, listen to others but never judge them. If you do, it may hinder your coaching process.
3. Cultivate your sense of pedagogy.
As an executive coach, you are there to teach and to pass on your experience to your customer. In any training profession, there is a big difference between the knowledge you possess and your ability to pass it on. A person can be the most qualified in his field, he can know everything about his discipline, but still he can be a bad teacher if he does not possess a sense of pedagogy. To cultivate this essential quality, volunteer to share your knowledge but also be willing to learn from the knowledge of others. You must always place yourself in a dynamic of learning and transmission.
4. Be insightful.
To be insightful, you need to know which of your skills to call upon to provide an effective solution or advice when your customers explain the obstacles they are trying to overcome. This goes hand in hand with your analytical mind. Learn to read between the lines. Do not just operate in an overly academic way by simply reciting what you know. Your advice should hit the nail on the head and even surprise your customers. If you tell them things they already knew or had already explored themselves, your coaching will not be effective. Instead, give them a concrete perspective that they hadn't thought of to give them the tools to succeed. Remember to analyze the situation from every angle. The solution your customers are looking for may be hidden. As a coach, it is up to you to help them find it.
5. Expand your customer's horizons.
Help your customer think outside the box. Don't just give simple solutions to problems, help your customer think critically. Broaden their goals and give them the confidence to achieve them. In my experience, confidence leads to results.
6. Be humble.
Finally, always remember your place, and don't try to venture into areas that are foreign to you. Know your limits and say when you are not able to fulfill a request. As an executive coach, you are there to help your customers to achieve the goals they have set for their business. Keep in mind that you are not their messiah and your role is not to solve all their problems. You have to recognize that you cannot act beyond a certain limit. When a problem extends beyond your experience, direct your customer to the appropriate professional.
In the end, your role as a coach is to give the executive the means to progress, even if those means do not come directly from you.
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