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Here’s how executive coaching can empower CEOs to enhance their leadership, navigate complex board dynamics, and drive both personal and organizational growth.
How can directors and executives reframe coaching as a strategic lever for leadership success?
In the September episode of the BoardVisionTM podcast, “Coaching the CEO,” NACD advisor Susan Paley spoke with Dawn Zier, an executive leadership coach with The ExCo Group and a board member of Acorns, Hain Celestial Group, and Prestige Consumer Healthcare, on the importance of coaching for CEOs and executives. They discussed when a coach may be needed, how boards should view and support coaching engagements, and how these engagements can positively influence the board-CEO relationship in the boardroom.
Below are a few key takeaways from their conversation.
Support, but don’t control, the coaching relationship. For coaching to be an effective tool for growth, CEOs and executives need a trusted, judgment-free environment. Coaches seek to create a safe space for these individuals to address any concerns they have or feedback given by the board.
To preserve confidentiality between parties and enable a successful coaching relationship, directors should endorse coaching as a developmental resource but resist managing the relationship or seeking specific details about progress unless they are freely given.
Leverage coaching to improve executive presence and influence. For C-suite members struggling to work with directors, coaches can act as a sounding board for how an individual approaches these discussions. Coaches can help executives reframe ideas and adapt their engagement styles, allowing them to better navigate complicated board dynamics. For this reason, if a CEO does not already have a coach, the board may suggest hiring one.
Find the right fit when selecting a coach. Chemistry is critical to a successful coaching relationship. CEOs and executives should have the opportunity to meet with potential coaches to determine the best match, as the ability to be vulnerable underpins this partnership.
While boards often take a hands-on approach to find a coach for a first-time CEO, directors may allow a more experienced executive to seek out their own coach before approving the engagement. Nonetheless, the final choice of who the coach is should remain with the individual leader.
Listen to the full episode below and tell us how your board utilizes executive coaching at editors@nacdonline.org. The BoardVision podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and the NACD website.