What Is an Executive Coach?
An executive coach works with individuals to help them improve their professional and management skills, gain self-awareness, and become an impactful leader. Paul Bernard will bridge the gap between a company’s expectations for its executives, and the executive’s current management style and behavior. Paul Bernard will evaluate client performance in the context of organizational structure, company culture and values, and market and industry conditions. Paul Bernard doesn’t just give clients solutions to their problems. Rather, he guides executives and empowers them to solve their own problems.
What Does an Executive Coach Do?
Coaches ask questions, bring new ideas to the table, set goals and timelines, and provide clarity when confronting challenges. Paul Bernard will conduct an initial phone conversation and may also administer behavioral assessments, to grasp a client’s individual situation. Executive coaching is confidential; coaches won’t share any information without the client’s permission. Paul Bernard is direct, resourceful, and has developed a diverse set of tools and tactics to approach executive issues.
First, the executive coach analyzes the gap between the company’s expectations and the manager’s performance. Then, the manager’s effectiveness is examined from several points of view, including behavioral and style issues, company culture and values, and changes in the industry.
Second, the executive coach develops a specific coaching plan to help managers improve their performance. The plan will include work in some of the following areas:
- Problem solving
- Establishing effective business relationships
- Learning to think strategically
- Managing time more efficiently
- Delegating effectively
- Improving communication skills
- Balancing work, life, and family
Finally, the executive coach chooses the most effective coaching format:
- One-on-one sessions
- Joint sessions with manager and subordinate(s)
- Team development
- On-site, day-long observations of an executive, followed by feedback.
Benefits of Executive Coaching
Executive coaching offers many potential benefits for both employers and individuals, including:
For the Employer
- Improved leadership skills for a key executive
- Higher team performance
- Better ability to complete important projects on time and within budget
- Improved ability to manage change and ambiguity
- Enhanced leadership development pipeline
- Improved staff morale
For the Executive
- Improved self-awareness and self-confidence
- Enhanced management and emotional intelligence skills
- Greater ability to manage creatively in a more challenging business environment
- Increased ability to handle uncertainty and change
- Better ability to think and act strategically
- Enhanced reputation as a senior manager and leader with influence and impact