Have you experienced inconsistent returns from your investment in executive coaching? Inconsistent returns are frequently attributed to the challenges leaders have in linking their coaching engagements to the needs and goals of their businesses.

That’s why the best strategic coaching programs require a much greater degree of focus and coordination. Everyone (top management, targeted executives, and coaches) needs to know the game plan and be committed to carrying it out. In highly effective programs, desired business factors are clearly identified, including:

  • Company culture
  • Leaders’ competencies
  • Prioritized business goals

Once these factors are defined, coaching becomes a tool for implementation.

Critical Coaching Moments

Many of our clients here at FiredUp! Culture have informed us that their most meaningful outcomes from executive coaching have occurred around transitions. It makes sense. Coaching has a stronghold opportunity during moments of change, because these uncertain times provide fertile ground for new mindsets and leadership growth. While it might seem easier to take a reactive approach, when companies are proactive and offensive-minded, they’re able to both stimulate effectiveness in leadership and have a profound impact on business results.

There are a few critical coaching moments that can be cultivated during organizational transitions.

A grounding influence

When organizations are rocked by sudden change, it can be a disorienting situation for all involved. Coaching provides support and guidance to executives, while helping them stay grounded in the company’s strategy, direction, and values.

Support in sharing a clear vision

Challenging times call for greater clarity and action. A coached executive is more effective at transmitting and translating their vision to team members. This leads to higher levels of performance, synergy, and retention across their organization.

Improved maximizing abilities

Leaders are frequently called upon to do more with less but never more intensely than in difficult times. It’s not a simple task. Rather, it calls for deep insight. Effective leaders must be able to accurately use the correct tools in order to optimize talent and productivity, including accelerating staff realignment and organizational change.

Encouragement in delivering

Coaching helps leaders spot the opportunities within corporate transitions. It also assists them in evolving their higher-level executive habits in order to assure stakeholders, empower employees, and deliver on key initiatives and goals.

Let’s Try Changing the Lens

A commonly held point of view is that coaching needs to be driven by businesses. Yet, most organizations do not prioritize coaching engagements, resulting in lost prime advancement opportunities with their executives. 

There’s another way to consider coaching. Rather than looking at it as something to incorporate in reaction to a sudden change, perhaps companies would better understand the value of coaching if they switched to a proactive, transition-focused lens. That way, not only would they be able to better address the challenges and opportunities present throughout inevitable transitions, but they would also experience multiple benefits rippling throughout their cultures, infusing focus and the energy to drive results.

It’s time to get FiredUp! and level up your leadership skills. Contact our team today.

Editor’s Note: This blog post was originally published April 2015 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.