Are you interested in potentially getting a leadership coach, but you aren’t sure if it’s right for you? Or are you interested in learning about what leadership coaching is?
Then you’re in the right place.
Today you’ll learn if leadership coaching is the right fit for you to ensure you level up in your career.
Ready to learn more?
Let’s dive in!
What Is Leadership Coaching?
Leadership coaching is a partnership between a coach and client to help the client achieve their goals and develop impactful leadership skills.
This sounds great, but what does leadership coaching actually entail?
How Does Leadership Coaching Work?
The first step to leadership coaching is getting your needs assessed.
One of the first things a coach might ask you is, “Where are you at now with your leadership skills?”
This includes talking about and assessing your strengths as well as your weaknesses.
Then your coach will help you map your goals. Where do you want to be?
Once you get set on these two main questions, then the real coaching begins. You and your coach will work together to create a coaching experience that will help you reach your goals.
Oftentimes a leadership coaching session will consist of lessons on leadership qualities, exercises based on leadership techniques, role playing real-life scenarios, and more depending on your needs.
Leadership coaching is tailored to each individual as no two leaders have the exact same leadership styles. The same goes for leadership coaching: no two leadership coaching sessions are the same.
What Is the Goal of Leadership Coaching?
The goal of leadership coaching is to work on a variety of skills to enhance your leadership abilities and make you more effective in executive roles.
Furthering these skills can help you advance to the next level of leadership and attain your career goals.
The individual getting coached helps determine the specific goals to focus on during a coaching relationship.
Benefits of Leadership Coaching
Research studies have shown that coaching can lead to specific and important behavior and mindset changes.
The behavior changes stemming from leadership coaching result in improved leadership practices and outcomes.
Mindset shifts also impact a person’s ability to lead. By breaking down current beliefs that are hindering your leadership, you are able to replace those unhelpful assumptions with more effective convictions.
A Metrix Global study found that executive coaching has a 788% return on investment (ROI) based on factors such as increases in productivity and employee retention.
A 788% return on investment means that for every dollar invested turns into almost eight times its original value.
To put this number into context this ROI is outperforming the average stock market return which typically is only 10% per year!
An article by Forbes states, “Studies show that coaching is effective at reducing procrastination and facilitating goal attainment, and there is a growing body of empirical research that supports the findings that business coaching really does facilitate goal achievement.”
Imagine what you could do if you were able to achieve more of your goals.
Furthermore, the Institute of Coaching also found that 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence, and over 70% benefit from improved work performance, relationships, and more effective communication skills.
What Skills Are Taught in Leadership Coaching?
Leadership coaches guide the growth process through a range of soft skills and hard skills.
Some soft skills might include
- Communication
- Problem solving
- Delegation
- Time management
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict resolution
- Networking
- Negotiation
- Stress management
- Trust building
- Collaboration
- Strategic thinking
- Goal setting
Some hard skills might include
- Project Management
- Strategic Planning
- Risk Management
- Technical Writing
- Data Analysis
- Budgeting and Financial Planning
- Performance Metrics and KPIs
Who Is Leadership Coaching for?
Everyone!
Okay, maybe not everyone.
Leadership coaching is beneficial for two main groups of people: current leaders and high-level executives and those who want to become leaders and high-level executives.
For people who are already in leadership roles, coaching enhances their leadership abilities while offering new insights, perspectives, and tools to become even more effective.
For example, let’s say you are an executive at your company. You possess an array of technical skills and each month your numbers are strong. However, some people have complained about your delivery and how your messages are perceived in the organization. You would be a great fit for leadership coaching.
For those who want to advance into leadership and high-level executive positions, leadership coaching establishes foundational skills that will give you a decisive edge in becoming the best candidate for those sought-after roles.
Online Leadership Coaching vs. In-Person Leadership Coaching
Online Leadership Coaching
As the name suggests, online leadership coaching is conducted…online.
Nonetheless, a few different types of leadership coaching are available via online platforms.
One type of online leadership coaching is accessible though online courses. You can move through these self-study courses, oftentimes featuring pre-recorded material, at your own pace.
Group coaching is the second type of online leadership coaching. This method brings together a group of individuals with similar leadership goals into a collective online group. The benefits of joining such a group is that you not only receive direct help from the coach, but you also get advice from peers who are in a similar place as you are but have their own unique experiences to draw from.
The last type of online leadership coaching entails meeting with your coach one-on-one. The benefits of this approach include meeting directly with your coach, whose sole focus is meeting your specific needs and helping you achieve your professional goals.
In-Person Leadership Coaching
In-person leadership coaching is similar to online leadership coaching, with one key difference…you meet (drumroll please) in person!
The two most common types of in-person leadership coaching are group leadership coaching and one-on-one leadership coaching.
In-person group leadership coaching is very similar to online group leadership coaching. Both involve a coach taking you and a group of like-minded peers through a journey of leadership development. One advantage of in-person leadership coaching is increased interactivity among participants who aren’t limited by the constraints of virtual spaces. An added perk is getting to know the other people in your program even better than you would online.
In-person one-on-one leadership coaching is also quite similar to its online counterpart. One advantage of meeting in person, however, is the increased ability to work on body language. Although typically underrated, body language often plays an integral role in many leadership skills, so being able to see and work on body language with a coach can be advantageous.
Is there Really a Difference Between Online vs In-Person Leadership Coaching?
For the most part, no. You will still address the same topics in a similar manner.
One benefit of online coaching is you aren’t limited by your geographic area. Online leadership coaching connects you to the most effective coaches based on your individual needs. Plus, you save the time and money associated with traveling to meet with your coach.
With in-person coaching, on the other hand, you will be able to work on those in-person leadership skills that you need for effectively leading others in traditional brick-and-mortar settings.
How to Know if Leadership Coaching Is Right for You
Even if you’ve read this far, you might still be skeptical about if leadership coaching is right for you, or if it is worth investing your time and money into.
Is Leadership Coaching Worthwhile?
Leadership coaching has numerous benefits. Working with a coach allows you to fast track your progress much quicker than if you worked on these skills alone.
Leadership coaches can help you see blind spots in your development that you might not otherwise realize about yourself.
However, leadership coaching is not worthwhile for everyone.
A crucial variable in the leadership coaching effectiveness equation is your motivation level to become the best possible leader.
No amount of coaching or knowledge will be helpful if you aren’t looking to improve.
What makes Leadership Coaching so Effective?
A professional coach evaluating individuals’ areas of improvement is a major benefit of leadership coaching. Oftentimes, coaches can pinpoint specific areas that go unnoticed by the clients themselves.
Having a leadership coach also brings an unbiased perspective to the self-improvement arena. With the benefit of multiple perspectives, you gain a more realistic view of your habits and tendencies.
Another reason leadership coaching is so effective is your coach holds you accountable. It’s easy to fall off track with our goals and habits. However, when someone is checking on your progress, you will have extra motivation to follow through with the work.
One other key reason leadership coaching is so effective is that you get to work with masters in the field. Leadership coaches often already know the best tips and strategies to reach your end goals. This will save you the trial and error time of figuring out if a tip or technique will actually work for you.
Downfalls of Traditional Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching offers tremendous benefits; however, it would be unrealistic to not mention the potential limitations or drawbacks of leadership coaching as well.
An article by the Harvard Business Review shines light on the potential dangers of leadership coaching, specifically when psychological issues are present.
Leadership coaching is not a substitute for psychological help like therapy. Leadership coaches are not trained in psychology; therefore, they are not equipped to detect or help those suffering with underlying psychological issues.
The previously mentioned HBR article cites an example of a high level professional who unknowingly suffered from narcissistic personality disorder. Working with a leadership coach instead of getting professional psychological help only made the situation worse.
When deciding if leadership coaching is the right fit for you, it is important to assess any underlying needs as well.
How to Start Leadership Coaching
Once you decide leadership coaching is the right fit for you, you might be wondering what the next steps are.
How Much Does Leadership Coaching Cost?
Leadership coaching can cost anywhere from $75 to $800 per hour for individual sessions depending on the coach and their program.
Many coaches offer package deals for one-on-one coaching, which allows you to get a discount for paying the cost up front. This is the best option for individuals looking for long term solutions. These packages can range anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the coach and length of time.
Group coaching also ranges in price. These often are paid up front at a lower rate than individual coaching packages. Group coaching packages range from $250 to $4,500 depending on the coach, the size of the group, and the duration.
How to Find a Leadership Coach
Self-Reflection
The first step to finding your ideal leadership coach begins with conducting some self-reflection.
- What areas do you want to improve in?
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- After six months of coaching, where would you like to be?
These questions will help you sort out what are the areas you want to improve the most. This will give you the best sense of what kind of leadership coaching you’re looking for.
Research
To ensure you partner with the best coach, you will want to do some research.
After you determine your main goals, you want to find a leadership coach who specializes in those areas.
For example, if you struggle with communication and/or presentation skills, you should seek a coach with expertise in the communication field.
If you struggle with procrastination, goal setting, and mindset, you want to find someone who has experience and knowledge in those areas.
If you struggle with a technical aspect of your current (or aspirational) role, you will be best served by working with a coach who has experience in your field. For example, if you want to be a superintendent of a school district, you want to find a coach who is familiar with the education system and can help you navigate the complexities of that specific context.
Reach Out
Once you find a coach who aligns with your goals, your next step is to reach out to them to schedule a consultation. Once you contact your potential coach, they will let you know what their coaching program entails to see if it will be the right fit for you.
If you feel like leadership coaching is the right fit for you and are looking for potential coaches, feel free to reach out to us. We specialize in leadership, communication, performance, mindset, goal setting, conflict resolution, stress management, and much more.
Use the form below to contact us and see if our services are the right fit for what you are looking for.