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10 Tips to Successfully Find an Executive Coach

August 5, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: We have a client that shared their frustrations in their search for an executive coach. Their story went something like “So many coaches… So little time!” With little/no barriers to entry, no coordinated/consistent professional body providing certification credentials, and every Tom, Dick and Harry calling themselves a coach… We feel your pain at Tip of the Spear! With a deep bench of professionals that have not only “been there” but have “done that” we’d like to think that we’re a different type of Business Advisory Services firm. So if you’re looking for results-oriented executive coaching that can help you take a step back and redefine your approach to become a better manager and leader, you’re in the right spot! In the following post, we brainstormed 10 tips to successfully find an executive coach… Enjoy!

Tip #1: Life Coach vs. Executive Coach

Not all coaches can fulfill the role of the executive. Some coaches are well intentioned folks that have a passion for motivating you in the right direction from a “personal” or “life” perspective. They work more on your personal growth. However, executive coaches hired by our firm focus more on professional development areas that you and your company have identified as essential to your success.

Tip #2: Clarity in All Things

A good executive coach is one that is able to explain his/her processes clearly. S/he will identify goals with you and define action plans on how you can achieve them. Along the way during coaching conversations, they’ll share first/second-hand perspectives that will aid you in framing your desired outcomes.

Tip #3: Customized Approach

There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach when it comes to executive coaching, simply because business challenges vary from company to company and from individual leader to leader. You may get referrals from other leaders in your industry, but what worked in their firm may not work in yours. Hence, look to hire a coach that best suits you/your organization’s needs rather than just hiring on the basis of experience and testimonials.

Tip #4: Expanding Vision

Following from the previous point on Customized Approach, the executive coach you hire should identify problems in your professional space and offer unique perspectives and solutions. They should be able to explain how their services will benefit you/your organization instead of quoting random case studies and statistics of how centered executive coaching helps businesses.

Tip #5: Test Before Hiring

Depending on your agreement, you will be spending significant time with your coach (Our typical engagement lasts 12-months). So instead of directly hiring a coach, we always recommend spending an hour with a coach to see if you actually “feel” comfortable around them or not (Think of it as a “test” drive!)

Tip #6: Never Settle

Many executives dread the coaching experience. That is why they will say yes to any coach that their company recommends. But this is a mistake. Settling is never worth it. You should thoroughly interview every coach you shortlist, and take second opinion if possible.

Tip #7: Detailed Answers

Anyone can memorize an article like the one you are a reading right now and quote a fact or two about executive coaching. However, a pro will be able to give you in-depth information and explain their coaching processes and how they will help you tackle specific issues. If the coach you are interviewing is regurgitating generic information, you are better off without them!

Tip #8: Confidentiality

This is perhaps the most important point. Never work with a coach with whom there is even a slightest suspicion of business information going outside your conversation (worse yet, outside your organization!)

Tip #9: Real Results

Effective Centered Executive Coaching enables clients to better themselves (Leader Centered Coaching), their constituents (Stakeholder Centered Coaching), and their organizations (Business Centered Coaching). Good coaches help their clients understand how they can best contribute to success, and achieve better results so as to climb up the corporate ladder. If a coach can’t point to actual clients with whom they achieved real results, don’t hire them!

Tip #10: Who is the Star of the Show?

Finally and most importantly, you should never work with a coach that makes themselves, and not you, the star of the show. Professional coaching certifications are a given (For example, the International Coach Federation’s Certifications – See them by CLICKING HERE. Keep in mind, the job of a Centered Executive Coach is to help you become better as outlined in Tip #9 (Real Results).

If you’d like more information on Tip of the Spear’s Centered Executive Coaching offerings, CLICK HERE.

7 Ways to Climb the Corporate Ladder Faster with Executive Coaching

August 4, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Some “leaders” head off to leadership development programs dreading the experience before they even get there… A terrible attitude to possess! The situation gets even worse when they’re forced to participate by organizational higher-ups. However, we encourage our leadership development participants to instead take on our programs aggressively! Why? Our research at Tip of the Spear tells us that those that participate in executive coaching (Centered Executive Coaching to be precise) climb the corporate ladder faster than those that do not! You do want to climb the corporate ladder, right?

We’ve listed 7 ways in which executive coaching can help you climb the corporate ladder faster as follows (Think of them as benefits that you/your organization will receive):

#1: The Culture of the Individual/Organization Improves

Sometimes, all you need to tackle problems in your company is a fresh and impartial set of eyes that are viewing the situation from a different perspective/vantage point. When an expert does an honest evaluation of where you need help as an executive, and offers results-oriented solutions, the culture of the organization significantly improves. This includes both behavioral and policy changes.

#2: Leverage your Strengths

Along with identifying your weaknesses, results-oriented executive coaching also helps you to identify your strengths and help you leverage them to take your company to the next level. Some people are skilled in a particular discipline, such as marketing, finance, or engineering, but they consider themselves incapable of handling administrative and managerial tasks. Effective Executive Coaching shows leaders how they can leverage their strengths to become better executives.

#3: Manage your Time and Resources

In this cutthroat competitive business environment, executives are expected to get results… Fast! This calls for an efficient management of time and resources. Successful executive coaching programs are those that help you prioritize and best utilize your time.

#4: Develop Vision

This follows from point #1 (The Culture of the Organization Improves). Not only does an executive coach offer you an unbiased viewpoint, but also shares with you how to evaluate your business through impartial lenses. This means down the road, your vision is broadened to encompass the entire business enterprise.

#5: Personal Development

While sound, results-oriented executive coaching also takes into account how other people in the organization hinder your abilities as an executive, emphasis is also given to personal leadership development. Specifically, a coach will assess your skills and highlight areas where you can improve as a leader.

#6: Providing a Sounding Board

No leader can work without support of his/her team. But more importantly, executives need a sounding board that understands those things that affect them personally and take a toll on their professional life. Moreover, the sounding board lends you an ear to listen to your ideas, no matter how scattered they might be, and then refocus them appropriately to keep you on track.

#7: Stress Relief

Finally, executives often come under stress (understatement of the post), especially when they have to meet goals on tight budgets and deadlines. This can sometimes cloud their thinking process. By having someone to help process information, they can achieve greater clarity of thought and make better/informed decisions (This will in turn help drive company success).

Summary

Once again, there several benefits a leader can receive from working with an executive coach. By keeping your mind open and receptive to new ideas, you can achieve success as an executive with the help of an expert that identifies problems and motivates you to execute solutions.

For more information on Centered Executive Coaching programs at Tip of the Spear, CLICK HERE.

The Leadership Challenge: Should You Conduct Leadership Development Like The Navy SEALs?

August 1, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Ever wonder what the parallels are between The United States’ Navy’s Sea, Air, Land Teams (known as the Navy SEALs) and your daily business activities? After all, in your daily leadership role for your organization hopefully you’re not in live “combat” situations (This is quite the leadership challenge!) So what similarities do exist, and once identified would be the potential for greater success in your civilian leadership role? In this post, Tip of the Spear takes a look at the incredible awesomeness (no other way of saying it) that a Navy SEAL experiences and points out four (4) conditioning secrets that you can use to better yourself, your team, and your organization!

The Navy SEAL’s motto is ‘The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday.’ The most revered, versatile and skilled units in the world may have a thing or two to teach you about leadership development. Navy SEALs are considered the ultimate warriors of the United States Military Special Forces, and for all the right reasons. They are motivated, dedicated, focused, well trained, passionate and specialists in troubleshooting the unexpected. Perhaps not as aggressive and dangerous, but leadership challenges also require someone with similar skills and personality traits to plan accordingly and execute in business situations. See if your leadership development program measures up to these incredible standards!

Mental Toughness

The biggest weapon that the Navy SEALs officers have are their heads (think of it as their thought patterns, with mind over muscle/matter). Physical wellness can only get you so far without mental agility. Mentally strong are those who don’t feel sorry for themselves, don’t let the opinions of others get to them and do not use failures as excuses to give up. Other common traits of mentally strong people include those who welcome change, are risk takers and don’t waste time on things that they cannot control. If your heads not in the game, don’t expect those assigned to you to follow for very long!

Lead by Example and Sacrifice

Here is another one of the leadership challenges: Your team wouldn’t jump in the business “fire” until they aren’t are sure that you would be willing to do the same for them. Navy SEALs officers don’t throw their teams in the line of fire while they stand securely in safer zones. If anything, they lead the team into the danger zone. That’s exactly the kind of attitude a strong leader needs to demonstrate as well. Remember, leaders lead!

Don’t expect your team to lose sleep for three consecutive nights in a row while you sleep tight and then eventually take the credit for all their hard work. Nobody likes a leader that carries the ball into the end-zone from the 1-yard line if the team was responsible for going the majority of the way down the field. Doing so makes your team lose morale and just might make you lose a highly valuable team. Your team needs to know that you have their back and are willing to get dirty in the trenches with them not just at the end when the scoreboard gets lit up, but all the way prior to that time.

Make it Happen!

The SEALs are not asked whether or not they are ready to take on a challenge. They are told to ‘Make it Happen.’ The boss or commanding officer does not care how their team accomplishes its goals as long as they can be assured that the job would be done (within certain limits, right?) This shows the team that their leader trusts them to make the right decisions and to take responsibilities of the tasks at hand. You, as a leader, in your leadership development need to show similar faith in your team and allow them the opportunity to “Make it Happen!”

End Objective

If a team is not allowed to get out of their comfort zones without fearing consequences, their contribution to the force, whether in the battle zone or at the workplace, would be highly limited. As a leader, you need to eliminate parameters that restrict you and your team’s progress. Find the internal motivations for people to do what you need them to do, as well as the extrinsic motivations. Inspire them and encourage them to get out of their comfort zones. You need to continue setting new goals for yourself as well as the team to take you to the next level.

Summary

Any project (whether on the battlefield or in the office) and any task (whether it is to defend your country or your company’s integrity and reputation) requires hard work, determination, multitasking, discipline and the right attitude. Navy SEALs may have a task much more difficult and different than youear leadership role (mistakes cost lives, not loss of jobs!) but it is eventually all about taking the bull by its horns and turning the odds in your favor. Your ability to focus as a leader, recall your leadership development lessons, and execute accordingly in order to be successful!

For more information on Tip of the Spear Leadership Development programs, CLICK HERE.

10 Ways Your Peers Communicate Better Than You Do as a Leader

July 29, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Competition for the C-Suite is fierce. In order to compete effective (and Win!), you need every advantage you can get. At Tip of the Spear, we’ve seen a few good leaders, and far more that fall into other categories (i.e., Bad Leaders). If you genuinely want to excel as a leader (especially in terms of leadership communication skills), you shouldn’t ignore the traits of successful people around you. In this post we’ve done the competitive analysis and will share how other leaders might be communicating more effectively than you!

The following is a list of 10 ways your peers communicate better than you do as a leader (Are you considering some communication skills training for leaders as part of your individual leadership development plan? You might after you consider them!):

#1 They Solve Problems

Analyzing situations and coming up with solutions that no one else could decipher is a mark of true leadership. Excellent communication skills training for leaders involves helping clients and employees to understand the solution. In this respect, the leader becomes the teacher/detective/solution sluth.

#2 They Understand Their Audience

There is no one-size-fits-all leadership development approach. True leaders know the unique needs of their audience and respond to them effectively. If you, on the other hand, don’t care what people want and consider what you say to be holy writ, you will see your circle of influence falling way short sooner or later.

#3 They Don’t Play Safe

Leaders are thinkers and innovators. Nothing appeals to them more than new challenges and opportunities, the majority of which can be simulated in leadership development. There are many people in this world who are born in comfortable households and receive good schooling, and they excel at their academics. However, the corporate world (or even the non-profit sector for that matter) hardly sees any stability nowadays. It is how you stay true to your vision (see point 4) and teach your team to do so in changing climates that defines where/how you stand as a leader.

#4 They Ingrain Their Vision in Their Organization

No organization can sail the tides and reach the heights of success without a well-defined vision. It is the job of leader to share with their employees what direction the company has to take, and what should be their contribution in it.

#5 They Take the Initiative

A leader is the one who gets things started. They delegate, but don’t leave the business on auto-pilot. As a leader, you have to identify the unique skills of each employee, and then use him/her in the most effective means possible in executing initiative.

#6 They Are Always Available

To use an example from popular fiction, imagine Batman not answering the bat signal because he is catching up on his reading. That would be disastrous for Gotham City. As a leader of the organization, you should always be available to address the questions and concerns of employees, customers, and other stakeholders.

#7 They Assume Responsibility

Effective leadership communication entails that you don’t hide behind your company, but rather become its ‘poster’ representative in the face of controversy. This means you should be honest about personal mistakes, as well as of those successes that work in your organization.

#8 They Strive to Learn

Leaders never stop learning. While many executives enroll for leadership development communication skills training programs, there are several ways you can learn on-the-job, and a one of the most effective tips in this regard is to listen more to what people around and under you have to say about business issues.

#9 They Instill Positivity

Times can be tough, and some decisions are simply impractical. However, there is a way to deal with such situations and decisions without sounding negative. Instead of frowning on missed opportunities, focus more on the lessons learned and take corrective action.

#10 They Think Before They Speak

Great leaders know how to use the right word in the right manner at the right time. They don’t fill their speech with jargon, and they don’t speak more than they have to.

Summary – 10 Ways Your Peers Communicate Better Than You Do as a Leader

There is a lot that you can learn from your peers in terms of communicating effectively with your team, your customers and partners, and the society at large. You should take advantage of communication skills training for leaders to gain a competitive advantage!

To learn more about Tip of the Spear’s “Communicate with Influence” communication skills training for leaders series CLICK HERE.

Should You Work On Your Communication Skills as a Leader?

July 28, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Should you work on your communications as a leader? According to Bill Gates and John Maxwell, leadership is the ability to influence and empower others. Along with a host of other personality features, communications skills are what help leaders achieve their goals and drive their companies forward. Communications skills training for leaders are of prime importance for people that assume leadership roles in organizations. So to answer the question if you should work on your communication skills as a leader… The answer is a resounding yes!

Let’s go over a few reasons why as a leader you should work on your communication skills in a leadership development capacity:

Public Speaking

Public speaking not only exerts your influence as an authority in your industry, but it is also a great way of driving in monumental amounts of referral leads to your company (Think of it as an addition to your marketing initiatives). For many businesses, referrals are the number one driver of revenue.

So, if you are looking to grow your business (and who isn’t?), you need to work on your leadership communication skills in a leadership development area (You do practice, right?) This means that you have to work in a way that makes sense to every audience member. This also holds true for in-house communication. Clear and concise messages and instructions tell your employees what and why something needs to be done, and also how they should go about doing it.

Feedback – Both Giving and Getting

The economy isn’t good to everyone. If you haven’t already experienced it, there will come times in your business when you will have to make tough decisions in the face of uncertainty. It is tempting to hide things from your employees so that they may not feel demotivated, disengaged, or leave your business altogether.

But what greater leadership has shown us at Tip of the Spear is that the more honest you are about what the organization is going through, the more your employees trust you. (Remember the old leadership buzzword “transparency”?) This also brings about some of the best feedback from your team that can prove to be crucial for the survival of your business. This is yet another example of how leadership communication skills help companies tread rough waters.

Continuous Improvement (Constantly!)

Finally, as a leader, you will have to deliver speeches, send out emails, and write memos day in and day out. This can be overwhelming, right? Communication skills training helps you by teaching you how to convey the same message to different audiences, and teaching you to identify the most effective ways of communication that you can use as templates to streamline conversations in order to meet your busy schedule.

Summary – Communication Skills Training for Leaders is a “No Brainer!”

To sum up, whether it’s the business’ bottom-line or the quality of in-house operations, leadership communications skills are what make or break an organization. That’s why at Tip of the Spear we believe leaders should aim to polish their communication skills for leaders so they can manage their business and build rapport with all stakeholders at all levels (both internal and external the organization).

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