It could be that you are looking to pursue a new career or are on the hunt for a leadership role, or maybe you have been coaching individuals for some time now, helping them navigate their personal lives, and find that you are ready and perhaps even eager to apply your skills on a larger scale. The reasons may be endless, but whatever it is that pulled your attention toward executive coaching, you have come to the right place.
Your mind might be whirling, trying to grasp the logistics of getting your certified executive coach certification in the first place. Maybe you’re fixated on how to land a job as an executive coach and what makes for a great executive coach, or it could be that you want to know the differences between an executive coach and an ICF certified coach, how much ICF certification costs, or even the simple question of what ICF certification is. But before you start looking for the answers to all of these questions in an unnecessary state of panic, let us first address precisely what an executive coach does.
An executive coach is a professional that focuses on coaching executives and high-potential employees. With the help of an executive coach, individuals have the support to envision their goals. They learn how to work towards them, discover and lock into their highest potential, and become problem-solvers, among many other things.
What an Executive Coach Is and Is Not
A standard error most people make is assuming that these professionals are synonymous with therapists, mentors, and even counselors. It is important to note that executive coaches are none of these things. Sure, it’s easy to presume that they provide advice and give their clients clear-cut solutions to problems, but that’s not necessarily the case. Instead, think of an executive coach as a mirror–with the help of a coach, clients can reflect on habits, behavior, goals, and any part they actively play in problems and difficult situations within their organization.
How Do Executive Coaches Help?
Aside from instilling inspiration in their clients to perform at their best and continue growing, a great executive coach is responsible for many other positive outcomes. But how is it that an executive coach helps a business?
One of the main goals of an executive coach is to assist participants in finding and performing at their highest potential. Executive coaches know how to engage with their clients; they know which questions to ask and how to ask them. By encouraging their clients to shift the focus onto themselves, their limiting beliefs and any preconceived notions they may have are challenged. Through this self-reflection, clients can adjust their perspectives accordingly, gain an increased self-awareness for themselves and others, and feel inspired to continue working towards more.
With the assistance of a coach, the participant can begin to see themselves more clearly. They become familiar with their strengths and weaknesses and understand how to develop and set plans to achieve their objectives. The result? Individuals are held accountable, start looking at problems with an open mind, and begin to consider solutions they would never have thought of in the first place.
In short, this newfound sense of motivation, ambition, and drive is what an executive coach helps clients find. Sometimes known as ‘leadership coaches,’ these professionals offer a great deal of support; often, all an individual needs to become the best version of themselves is support. If you find yourself ready to become the person offering that support, Symbiosis Coaching has you covered with the best training programs to get you on your path to executive coaching.
