What is Executive Coaching? A Comprehensive Guide

Hey there, coach! Have you ever wondered, “What is executive coaching?” Maybe you’re curious about how it could amplify your coaching career or enhance your clients’ leadership skills.

Well, you’re in luck because that’s exactly what we’re diving into today!

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the essentials of executive coaching, unpacking everything you need to know to enrich your coaching practice.

And hey, we’re Cass and Tee, the dynamic duo behind Lovely Impact, your go-to resource for all things coaching. With a wealth of experience in the industry, we’re thrilled to share our insights and help you navigate the exciting world of executive coaching.

Ready to get started? Let’s delve right into the heart of executive coaching and discover how it can elevate your coaching journey.

Understanding Executive Coaching

Alright, let’s dive in and talk about what makes executive coaching so unique and powerful! First things first, let’s clear up any confusion. 

Executive coaching is NOT mentoring, counseling, therapy, or career coaching. It’s a totally different beast, and it’s in a league of its own when it comes to personal development.

So, what sets executive coaching apart? It’s all about the BUSINESS! 

The main purpose of executive coaching is to develop individuals within companies, whether they’re big or small, with the ultimate goal of making the company more successful. It’s like giving your business a secret weapon!

Here’s the thing: The decisions leaders make have a massive impact on the entire company and all the hardworking employees who keep things running smoothly. 

When leaders make good decisions, the business can soar to new heights. But when they make bad decisions? Oh boy, it can be a real nightmare for everyone involved.

That’s where YOU come in as an executive coach. You have the power to guide company leadership to reach their full potential, and make decisions that will take their business to the next level. 

Can you imagine how amazing it feels to know that you’re directly contributing to a company’s success? If that sounds like a thrilling and rewarding career, keep reading!

What is Executive Coaching

Let’s get into the nitty gritty of our question:  What is executive coaching? Executive coaching is helping people in positions of business leadership to work at their highest potential. 

In other words, you bring out the iron block and work with clients to sharpen their leadership and management skills. 

You’ll do this by guiding them through structured, thoughtful discussions either one-on-one or in group sessions. 

Goals of Executive Coaching

What is executive coaching without SMART goals? Yep, that’s right. Just like life coaching, everything circles back to an essential piece of coaching; walking with clients on equal footing and clearing obstacles that keep them stuck. 

As an executive coach you create goals with clients related to skills that business leaders need to make their company thrive. 

They include:

• Enhancing the decision making process: Decisions have a HUGE impact on business and the hardworking employees. Learning to avoid tunnel vision and explore all outcomes of a decision is vital.
• Pointing out blind spots and fixing them: Are we ok to mention tunnel vision again? The thing is, it’s easy to get stuck on processes and details and ignore everything else. You’ll remove the blindfold so clients and get a 360 degree view of what’s going on in their business. 
• Blasting through limiting beliefs: We all hash it out with our inner critic and place limits on ourselves. Create goals that silence the negativity beast.  
• Improve communication: Where there are humans, there’s always a need to improve communication. We’re creatures who demand clear communication. It’s the only way to succeed.
• Crushing poor behaviors and habits: Nobody’s perfect! However, when you’re building a profitable business, client’s will want to pack these habits away and ship them to Timbuktu! These won’t be needed on their journey to success. 

Don’t get too attached to these, of course. Goals can relate to so much more. 

Remember, all goals are client driven. They’re the stars of the show and the ones doing the choosing. You just step in and reign things with hints of practical guidance if needed.

Benefits of Executive Coaching

Business leaders are busy! 

Crammed schedules, managing teams, piling paperwork, and keeping customers happy fight for their attention every day. Just one thing out of sync and the whole business can come to a screeching halt! 

The last thing they think about are the interpersonal skills they need to keep their business running. 

But! When they see parts of their business failing, the red sirens start blaring and they know they need intervention. And they need it FAST!

That’s when you enter and look at your client’s inner framework with a fine tooth comb. 

• What’s going on in their mind that creates a mental block and limits performance? 
• Where can you plant seeds of self-awareness so their business can run smoother than silk?

You’ll also provide tips and tricks so they’re not caught up switching inefficiently between tasks and losing productivity. 

Let’s not forget work life balance! You’ll help them release their white knuckled grip on the work day so they can go home, kick up their feet, relax and come back the next day rejuvenated. 

With your guidance, your client will be humming at a full 100%. All while being able to enjoy their personal lives more fully. 

Plus, they’ll reach their leadership potential and you get the awesome show of seeing pesky wrinkles in the business workflow get smoothed out and business measures explode with success!

What is executive coaching without the stellar outcomes it brings?

The results of executive coaching are super clear. The International Coaching Federation did a study that showed a 70% increase in goal attainment for people who had executive coaching. 

How’s that for executive coaching benefits? You get to witness the spectacular growth and expansion of some pretty cool businesses. All from your amazing work!

The Executive Coaching Process

Seems like a mystical process happens behind closed doors during executive coaching. 

Then poof! When the smoke clears, a charismatic leader emerges. It might leave you scratching your head wondering how it all happened. 

Don’t worry!

We promise that the process isn’t mysterious at all. And it’s definitely not spontaneous. It takes some work, but with the proper processes in place, it’s totally doable! 

What is executive coaching like in terms of the actual transformative journey?

We’re gonna let the cat out of the bag and show you exactly what happens during the executive coaching process. 

Assessment and Goal-Setting

The first stage is getting to know your client. You’ll approach this like a detective with a magnifying glass in hand. Examining all the details of your client’s and their business EXTRA close. 

The best way to do this is to do assessments to give you the clearest possible picture of your client’s current state. 

You’ll uncover:

• If you and the client will work well together: Make sure your client’s goals and mission align with yours AND your coaching strengths and style. 

• Your client’s work and professional history and how that relates to goals: If your client has relevant experience, that’s a solid stepping stone that you can use to bolster their confidence. 

• Your client’s strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement: Strengths are another way to boost confidence. Don’t let your client run away from weaknesses! Find workarounds or walk with your client closely to improve them. 

• Your client’s true goals and aspirations and structuring them into SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound): This isn’t just for middle school PE class. SMART goals work for business leaders, too. Your client might believe they have certain goals, but sometimes they need to be adjusted to make them realistic and achievable. Create goals that are balanced between reality and a dare to dream big! 

• Obstacles that are in the way of achieving goals: Your client could think it’s one thing but it might be another. As a mindset warrior you know that sometimes you’ll have to fight to dig deep and to get to the real root of a problem. 

When all the information is collected, the next step in the process is regular coaching sessions. 

By regular, we mean scheduled in a calendar. But they’re anything but ordinary!

Coaching Sessions and Techniques

What is executive coaching structured like? As a capable and skillful coach, you have complete freedom to decide how to assemble that parts of your executive coaching program. How cool is that?

But if you’re a beginner, you might have questions about how often to meet with clients. 

Worry not, we’re here to shed light on the most common structure and techniques. 

Most coaching programs last about 6 months. But guess what? Once again, you have the freedom to decide how long to work with clients. 

You want to have a client aboard for 3 months? Go for it. Ready for a long haul and have a 12 month vision? It’s all you, superstar. 

Just choose a time length where you’re confident that you can foster transformation. 

Next, decide if you want coaching sessions to occur weekly, twice monthly, or once a month.  

Now on to good stuff. 

During the sessions you’ll actively listen, and ask insightful and powerful questions to disrupt patterns of thinking and create serious self-reflection. 

This is key. 

Can we mention tunnel vision, yet a third time? 

Here goes! Business leaders often fixate on details that don’t grow their business. Knowing when and where to ask questions that create eye opening, earth rocking realizations is your superpower! 

Another superpower you have is your ability to reignite the dream! 

When business gets crazy or repetitive, it’s easy for clients to lose their passion, burnout, and feel like their last option is to throw in the towel. 

You stand with feet firmly planted, hold up your hands and stop them from wandering away from the thing you know brings joy to their life. 

You provide not just a spark, but a raging fire of motivation. You’ll spur them through a discussion to help them align with their purpose and find their “why.” You get them excited to wake up everyday and make an impact. 

During your one-on-one time, you’ll work side by side to:

1. Identify challenges
2. Make strategies for improvement
3. Review progress 

Remember, coach. Anyone can create SMART goals and Google how to run a business. 

What sets a good executive coach apart is the ability to empathize, be curious, and connect clients with their purpose. 

➡️ Grab our FREE Coaching Session Template— a secret weapon for organized, efficient and powerful sessions. 

Progress Monitoring and Accountability

So, in the end, executive coaching isn’t a wave of a magic wand 

(Although, that would be awesome! Wouldn’t it?!) 

It’s a strategic and equal partnership with a focus on leadership development.

But we’re not out here winging it hoping for the best! With executive coaching you’ve got to be a stickler for keeping track of progress. 

There are a few ways to do this.

One way is to do assessments. 

Some coaches use a scoring system to monitor habits and behaviors. 

Others pause to do interviews and talk about what went well and what didn’t so go well. 

When you see where your client is at, you adjust the course as needed to make progress and shake things up to fit your client’s needs. 

And hold them accountable for their actions and decisions. When resistance to change happens you’re the cheerleader that pumps up your clients to change their behavior to match the goals.

After that, you do the assessments and interviews again. Using your eagle eyes you uncover bumps in the road, behavior patterns, and scout out traits for success.  

Look out for these especially! Hidden talents and positive traits come in all sorts of surprising ways! 

You’ll ask yourself throughout your executive coaching program with your client: What is executive coaching doing for my client to propel them forward on their desired path toward success? 

The only way to know is to do assessments to get the full picture. You absolutely must include these in your coaching packages. 

Let’s continue with a biggie.

Support, support, SUPPORT! 

During assessments, you might notice progress might go up and even down or be all over the place.  

Remember, business leaders are humans trying to roll with the punches, too!

This is where empathy takes center stage. It can be a whirlwind or even jarring experience to work on yourself and build a company at the exact same time! 

You’ll have the dynamic talent and know-how to keep motivation strong and your client moving forward while helping them feel safe and supported. 

➡️ Keep your coaching on track with our FREE Monthly Coaching Review Form! It’s the perfect tool to reflect, celebrate, and sharpen your approach for even better sessions next month.

Becoming an Executive Coach

Does working to develop strong and charismatic business leaders get you jittery with excitement? 

Here’s what you’ll need to get started as an executive coach.

Qualifications and Experience

The market is swarming with potential coaches. Don’t get caught up in the feeding frenzy!

You want to be the luxury sports car that stands out on a busy freeway and gets everyone STARING.

Packing your professional bag with first rate qualifications and experience will get you further in your coaching career and get you to stand out above the rest. 

What is executive coaching as a career going to require from you? 

Let’s look at the items you’ll want to take along.

1. The most important thing to have is personal experience as a leader or in upper level management. Having past experience directing and managing a team and making executive decisions shows you KNOW the business grind. 

2. Be aware of how businesses are run. Knowing how to navigate the confusing maze of best business practices is crucial. Past experience with HR, consulting, CEOs, and professional therapists shows you know how to run a tight ship!

3. Earn your certification. Certifications are the undeniable proof that you’ve been trained and got the basics down to a solid coaching career. Don’t shirk on this. We promise taking the extra time to knock this one out is worth it! Start by looking into the International Coaching Federation or Udemy courses.

4. Gain a proven track record. Success happens little by little. Keep track of ALL your wins and results — and don’t be afraid to show them off to future clients. In order to play at the top of any game you gotta learn, practice, improve, rinse and repeat! 

Each new coach-client relationship is an opportunity to catapult yourself to the next level. Ups and downs will happen. Stick with it! Keep learning and practicing. You’ll get there, coach! 

Developing Your Coaching Style and Approach

Here’s a nugget of wisdom for you. As you work with clients, they leave behind a trail of breadcrumbs for you to find your personal coaching and style approach. 

When you find it, it’s like everything clicks, and you know exactly what kind of coach you want to be. 

However,  you really can’t find this without having tested the waters yourself and having had a few clients. 

So, the more clients you have the more you can refine your coaching approach and develop your unique coaching style. 

What happens when you step out of bounds and leave your signature identity behind? 

You burn out fast. 

That’s why it’s so VITAL you stay on the rails of who you are as a person. 

Ask yourself: What is executive coaching doing not only for your clients, but for you personally? 

When working within your signature identity and staying true to yourself, you naturally and seamlessly grow into your executive coaching career — rather than forcing yourself into a mold.  

That’s just one fabulous benefit. 

The other is — when working within your signature identity and unique coaching style —  you can position yourself as an expert. 

BECAUSE you’ll be super comfortable in your role.

You’ll attract similar clients who have seen your past results and want the same. PLUS, it’ll be easier for clients to find you. 

Which is really the point of it all!

Building Your Reputation and Network

Alright! Now you’re armed with your signature identity in hand, ready to find clients, and impact your corner of the world.

But first! What is executive coaching without the reputation and network that comes along with it? Your reputation and network are the engines to your career. Without it, you’re not going anywhere. 

Here’s how to keep on rollin’. 

When a client completes your program, your offboarding process should include asking them for a testimonial. Or permission to use their results as a success story. Don’t be shy! It’s do or die time. Seriously!

Future clients and your network will LOVE having evidence that you know your stuff and drive results. If they ask for proof and you don’t have any…. Uh-oh. That’s an awkward conversation. 

Be prepared. 

Ask for testimonials and success stories to show future clients and your network YOU’RE the perfect fit. 

Next is crafting your brand identity and curating how your network and target market sees you. You want to touch base with your target market and network…often. Don’t be a stranger, ok?

Frequent contact shows you’re an expert and readily available. 

To position yourself as an expert in executive coaching, you can:

• Write leadership content on social media: It might feel like you have nothing to say. Here’s a little secret. Nothing is really original. All thoughts are just packaged differently. Loosen up and SHOW UP. Your target market will teach you what you should write about. 

• Stay on their minds with email marketing: Think about the hundreds of emails you get in a single day. You might think you don’t want to “bother” your audience. Hey, coach… if your emails are engaging and relevant, your audience WILL look forward to them. We guarantee it!

• Educate with blogging: What do people want to know about executive coaching? What are the pain points of your clients? In other words, what problems keep them up at night and how can you fix them? Blogging is your chance to take a deep dive into the executive coaching world. 

Whatever you choose to do, each piece of content you put out should be a masterful presentation of valuable knowledge and insider know-how. The main thing is to be consistent with it!

Finally, get out and socialize! Attend business mixers, industry events, and networking events. 

Just like Cinderella shows up in a gorgeous ball gown, drops her glass slipper, then leaves the ball goers talking… follow her lead! 

Show up with a compelling elevator pitch and leave behind your business cards to make a memorable first impression! This is the best way to make a splash in the executive coaching world. 

⚡Looking to shine online? Say hello to Callie, our executive coaching website template that’s perfect for spotlighting your incredible journey and expertise.

Offering Executive Coaching Services

The easiest way to sell what you do is to get clear on your signature identity and programs. 

Who you want to work with and what exactly you want to accomplish? 

When you know your offerings inside and out, you get noticed by clients. Not just any clients, either. 

IDEAL CLIENTS. 

Identifying Your Target Market

Who you work with sets the tone and trajectory of your career. Give it some careful thought and consideration.

“What is executive coaching?” is a question often asked by people in a variety of leadership positions who want to enhance their skills. 

Not everyone is looking for this type of service and personal development. So, you want to look for clients in the right places. 

Here are some ideas to get your mental juices flowing about who’s in the market:

• Healthcare and pharmaceuticals
• Finance and banking
• Engineering, design, and architectural firms
• Attorneys
• Manufacturing and production
• Sales and marketing
• IT and Technology
• Small businesses and startups
• Education
• Retail

Once you find an industry that piques your interest, consider the seniority level or your ideal client. 

Are they high powered CEOs, mid-level management bosses, aspiring team leaders, business owners, presidents, or directors?

Seniority level helps you micro-niche down even further and laser beams your offerings to your target audience even better. 

When you find your tribe, think about what problems they face. What is executive coaching going to fix or solve for your clients?

They might have problems with:

• Team leadership: Is your client lying awake at night frustrated because of a team that can’t be reigned in?
• Loss of vision and purpose: Has your client’s passion been bulldozed by piling tasks and overwhelming work flows? Now they just want to trash the whole idea! 
• Operations dysfunction: Perhaps your client has lackluster organization skills and is anxious to get things moving smoother.
• Work-life balance: This one is all too familiar. Your client might struggle to leave work AT the workplace.
• Lack of motivation: The well of inspo has dried up, and your client needs a good ol’ kick in the pants to get going again. 

These are just examples. However, get specific on what kinds of problems you’re solving. 

This is a stellar way to build connections with your target market and create messaging that speaks to their heart. 

➡️ Dive deep into your Target Market with our Niche Clarity Workbook—it’s your ultimate guide to attracting and converting your dream clients with ease!

Structuring Your Coaching Offerings

You’re the one and only architect of your offerings. You get to decide how to structure your offerings. 

What is executive coaching going to look like in your practice? And what is executive coaching going to include for the individuals who pay for your services?  

Maybe you want to work exclusively with individuals to foster quiet contemplative sessions. 

Or, you love you vibing to the robust creative and collaborative energy in group programs.  

If you thrive on taking center stage and putting on a show, think about taking up the mic at corporate trainings or office employee development workshops. 

Whatever way you choose to deliver your executive coaching talent, make sure you package the offerings in a way that’s simple, sellable, and complements the way you love to work. 

➡️ Ready to create offers that really sell? Dive into The Money-Making Offers Workbook for Coaches! It’s your go-to guide for crafting and selling irresistible, client-attracting coaching packages. 

Measuring the Impact of Your Coaching

Take a minute and consider: What is executive coaching provided to clients actually impacting? 

How do you know you’re not just a hamster on a wheel going nowhere fast with your client in tow?

No one likes to run in circles, so let’s give you some hints about avoiding all that. 

Bringing in tools to measure impact is a surefire to let you know you’re getting somewhere

IMPORTANT NOTE: Success is a moving target! A win for one person can be a loss for another. Even more confusing is when a win for a client one week, turns out to be a loss for your client later on in your program. Yikes!

How can you keep up? Never fear. You’ll have a way to know what’s going on in your client’s mind.

Your first measure for success is asking your client what they envision success to be. That’s your benchmark. You can interview your client and see how they feel about their goals. 

Do they have a sense of completion, have their values changed positively, do they feel they have developed good habits?

If the answer is yes, yes and YES! Impact was made. Congrats, coach, you rocked it!

To top it off, if they receive positive feedback and testimonials from others, you know you’ve done your job right. 

Next up, what is executive coaching changing as far as numbers go for your clients? Is there a way to get hard numbers for measuring impact?

You know the saying, numbers don’t lie. They can paint a picture more clearly than with interviews alone. 

If you’re all about tapping away at a calculator and crunching numbers, you’re in luck! 

Let’s bring in the math and some ways you can track progress with numbers to get a complete view.

1. Surveys and questionnaires. Get the client, supervisors, employees, or other individuals to fill these out before and after your coaching program to see how you’ve impacted your client.

2. 360-degree feedback. This is a multi-rater feedback method used to get client performance assessments from multiple perspectives including managers, peers, subordinates, or customers. No stone goes unturned here! All perspectives are welcome. 

3. Employee turnover, retention, and engagement. This is a terrific way to measure the health of a business, and effectiveness of leadership. Collect these numbers before and after your coaching program and feel good about the improvements. 

4. Increased ROI. Probably the most desirable impact of your executive coaching. While we like to think about financial ROI and moolah rolling in, the effectiveness of your executive coaching can be found in other business measures, too, such as productivity, growth rate, or customer satisfaction.  

For you executive coaches who double as math whizzes, it’s like eye candy to watch these numbers point to success!

Frequently Asked Questions About Executive Coaching

Ready to dive deep into the world of executive coaching? We’ve gathered some of the most common questions popping up all over Google to help clear the fog. Whether you’re a seasoned coach looking to specialize or a curious newbie, these answers will shed light on the intriguing realm of executive coaching.

What’s the purpose of executive coaching?

Executive coaching is like having a secret weapon in the realm of leadership development. Its main purpose? To propel executives and high-potential employees toward unprecedented levels of success. Through personalized, one-on-one interactions, executive coaching helps these professionals enhance their leadership skills, fine-tune strategies, and boost their overall performance. It’s all about unlocking potential and maximizing effectiveness, paving the way for personal and organizational triumph.

What is the executive coaching process?

Think of the executive coaching process as a thrilling journey towards self-improvement and professional mastery. It typically kicks off with an assessment phase, where coaches and clients establish goals and pinpoint areas for development. This is followed by the intervention stage, where the real magic happens—coaches introduce strategies and techniques tailored to the client’s unique needs. Regular feedback sessions ensure the process stays dynamic and responsive, culminating in a final evaluation to celebrate progress and recalibrate future ambitions.

What is the difference between executive coaching and professional coaching?

While both flavors of coaching aim to season your career with success, executive coaching is specifically tailored to the marinade of the corporate leadership world. Professional coaching can apply to a broad spectrum of careers and focuses on overall career development and performance enhancement. Executive coaching, on the other hand, zeroes in on developing the strategic muscles and leadership finesse needed to navigate the boardroom and beyond. It’s the bespoke suit versus the off-the-rack ensemble—both can dress you for success, but one is distinctly tailored to your measurements.

What are the four elements of executive coaching?

Picture executive coaching as a four-course meal, each course designed to satisfy a particular developmental craving:

1. Self-awareness—Whetting the appetite with introspective insights.
2. Social awareness—Savoring the nuances of interpersonal dynamics and organizational culture.
3. Self-management—Choosing the best actions and reactions from a menu of possibilities.
4. Relationship management—Cultivating a network of positive, productive connections.

Each element is crucial, serving up a complete diet that fosters a robust leadership presence and a thriving professional environment.

Final Thoughts

We hope this guide has sparked your curiosity and excitement about the world of executive coaching!

Let’s quickly jog through what we’ve uncovered together: from getting to grips with what executive coaching is all about, to diving into the dynamic steps involved in becoming an executive coach. We’ve touched on everything from setting powerful goals to building your very own coaching style.

Now we’d like to turn it over to you:

Which part of executive coaching feels like a game changer for your coaching journey? Is it mastering the art of goal-setting, honing your unique coaching techniques, or perhaps the thrill of helping others reach their leadership potential?

Got questions on how to kickstart your path as an executive coach or curious about anything else from the guide?

Jump into the conversation by dropping a comment below. If this guide has given you some aha-moments or handy insights, don’t keep them to yourself—go ahead and share this blog with your network. Let’s keep the learning and excitement going!