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What Causes Executive Coaching To Fail? (What you Should Do About It To Succeed!)

July 14, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Have you ever imagined of what the world could have been if there wasn’t failure nor success? You’d be forgiven to think that all there would be is success. At the same time, and it is very subjective, you could conclude that success and failure exist in a conflicting manner. Our executive coaching methodology here at Tip of the Spear (Centered Executive Coaching) is no exception to these! However, we’ve identified some of the most common demises to successful executive coaching as follows… Enjoy!

Lack of Proper Communication

First, the executive coaching engagement can fail because the coach and coachee (client) fail to communicate properly. A virtuous man once said:

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.”

–Strother Martin (in the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke)

Miscommunications occur in leadership development when an executive coach doesn’t take the time to understand the relationship surrounding the coachee. The coachee in turn develops negative attitude towards the coach, hence erecting barriers in the process. As a result, the coachee can end up becoming frustrated, and seeing little/no results from the coaching experience.

No Room for Human Error

Human beings can never be perfect. However, there is always a pursuit for perfection. The two very rarely meet! Know that there should always be room for imperfection. When the coachee and the executive coach enter an agreement, they make a dangerous assumption that “all will be well” and the organics of a business relationship will surface. Such assumptions can, and often will only lead to dissatisfaction and shifting of blame in the end. It is of paramount importance that all factors are considered (all the conditions of the organization) to allow for any unexpected occurrences and to provide success a shot in the executive coaching arrangement.

Partial Dedication

Coachees often fail to appreciate the value of the fact that they are the ones who are supposed to work and not their coaches. As a result, they opt to leave the whole duty to the executive coaches who carry on to the end without helping them in any way whatsoever. This unfortunately can be very common. Before this process rises to the relationship surface, the coachee should know that he or she plays a central role in the success of the program.

Destructive Criticism

The executive coach can get frustrated in the middle of the leadership development program. This happens especially if the coach cannot handle pressure and criticism from the coachee (or the sponsoring committee from the organization that is paying for the initiative). The ability to deal with negativity and any other issues arising from the client is a virtue that should not depart from the executive coach. Coachees should also be educated (and dedicated) to behave maturely and to promote a conducive coaching and learning environment.

Setting Surreal Targets or Goals

The setting of goals is a must in an executive coaching initiative. There is no success in any undertaking without the ingredient of being goal-oriented. It enables the two parties to remain on course and hence realize the ultimate purpose. The organization should involve both the coachee and the coach in setting the standards to make the goal inclusive and without working any assumptions.

SUMMARY

A cocktail of the above-mentioned reasons could see the titanic of the executive coaching to sink (or remain afloat!) On the contrary, if their remedies are put into application and in record time as we prefer at Tip of the Spear during our Centered Executive Coaching initiatives, success is realized more times than not (and with a 100% satisfaction guarantee!)

Why You Need Centered Executive Coaching More Than You Think!

July 4, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Centered Executive Coaching can help you become a better leader, a better leader of others, and a better leader of your business… Period!

Many clients we introduce the Centered Executive Coaching model to as part of their leadership development would like to consider it as just another ordinary Executive Coaching program. On the contrary, Centered Executive Coaching is a subject that holds a gravity that cannot be compared. With it’s multi-focus offering, Centered Executive Coaching addresses three aspects of every business required in order to succeed:

Focus Area #1: The Leader (Leader Centered Coaching)
Focus Area #2: The Stakeholders (Stakeholder Centered Coaching)
Focus Area #3: The Business (Business Centered Coaching)

Centered Executive Coaching therefore exactly what should be done if you purely understand what it means to manage your time well, how to make timely and logical decisions, and to strike a balance between the personal and professional target in life and needless to say, meet your best productivity and job effectiveness among other reasons.

Centered Executive Coaching Equals Balance

Does Centered Executive Coaching help you balance your life? As an executive, your life majorly revolves around your office and other related duties at perhaps the expense of your family and personal life. This should not be the case. Having an executive coach helps one strike a balance between their personal and professional goals. This makes one forget about minor stresses that may be very injurious to their lives (or business).

Centered Executive Coaching Equals Better Decision Making

In the same vein, the aspect of decision-making is very significant. Both in the office and at home, the value of making quick decisions cannot be overrated. Centered Executive Coaching equips you with the important techniques to handle the hurdles at the workplace as they come. This is of great relevance especially if anyone wants to achieve success in life (both personally as well as professionally).

Centered Executive Coaching Equals Better Time Management

Time management can be thought of as a real disease. Any successful person in the context of holding an executive position cannot afford to not manage their time effectively. In the current life where change is the only constant thing, there seems to be a short time but with a lot in store to be done in a single day; quality time management is a must. This is a skill that never escapes you if you are being executive coached individually with by a coach who understands your tight schedule.

Centered Executive Coaching Equals Practicality

Centered Executive Coaching is very practical and its applicability in real life is something that has passed the test of time and events. Unlike being coached as an organization, your executive coach leads you through matters that affect you and you alone. This is attributed to the fact that nothing else has an agenda in the process except yours. This personal touch ensures you feel extremely esteemed and makes you implement what you have learned with the vigor and the urgency it deserves.

Centered Executive Coaching Equals Better Leadership

Logically speaking, not every being on this earth has a burning desire to lead. You are capable of managing, but perhaps not being a capable leader until you go through Centered Executive Coaching. This coaching exposes you to the most current challenges and their solutions one-to-one (1:1), plus how to go about solving future challenges when they arise. As a matter of fact, clients have said that Centered Executive Coaching helps keeps them competitive amongst their peers.

Spoiler alert- reading through this leadership development post is one thing- getting started is a completely different one. When will you get started? When will you reach the level of leading with influence? Also, if you need help with your communication skills training as a leader, please read a previous post on our Leadership Communication Skills Training.

The Best Communication Skills Training for Leaders: Key Qualities

July 3, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: When considering the best leadership communication training programs, there are certain key qualities that you must consider in order to get your maximum return on investment (ROI).

Since the inception of communication skills training for leaders, one point has been repeatedly emphasized: You cannot be a leader if you don’t communicate well (And for good reason too!) After all, if you, as a leader, fail to get your message across to your audience, they won’t be compelled to follow you. I hear this all the time in executive coaching conversations. This is just one of the things that you need to learn to become a successful leader. Thankfully, you get to learn about this in communications training. If a leadership communication skills training program doesn’t include this point, it isn’t good enough. In fact, there are some other key qualities you need to check, including:

Range of Communication Styles

As a leader, you need to know about different communication styles. This way, you can use the most appropriate one in any given situation. This will make you a more effective communicator and therefore a better leader. Hence, it is a given that you should look for a communication skills training for leaders program that covers a range of communication styles. There is no point in learning one particular style. After all, no two persons are the same and you have to deal with a variety of situations as a leader. So, you have to be prepared for it.

Variety of Personality and Behavioral Techniques

Along with being able to communicate according to situation and location, you have to gauge the personality and behavior of the person/people you are communicating to. This becomes more important when you have to address a group of people. This is why it is crucial that the program you select helps you learn how to understand the different personality types of people you talk to in your capacity as a leader and how you have to communicate with them.

Suitable for Beginners

Some courses are advanced and require the participants to have some prior knowledge of communication skills. If you lack the requisite knowledge, the program is no good for you. So, you should opt for a program that is designed for beginners. While it is a given that you have the necessary charm and charisma a leader requires, but a lack of communication skills shouldn’t be a hindrance to your ability to learn them.

SUMMARY

These are the key qualities that make a communication skills training for leaders the best. Of course, you have to factor in price and location, but your final decision should be based on the three points covered above!

5 Questions If Leadership Communication Skills Training Is for You

July 2, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: “Training is a waste of time!” a leader stated proudly in a recent executive coaching conversation. “I already know it all!” is what they should have said! In this post, we challenge you to ask yourself five (5) questions to see if communication skills training for leaders is right for you. After all, the best thing you can do for yourself is invest in communication skills training for leaders… Enjoy!

There are seminars, books, and courses dedicated to teaching leaders communications skills. This is because even leaders need communication training. So, if you are a senior executive or even a CEO, communication training for INC 5000 organizations can prove to be invaluable.

However, in order for such training to be fruitful, you must be mentally prepared. The following are 5 essential questions that will help determine if leadership communications skills training is right for you or not:

Do People Really Listen To Me?

Since you are already in a position of leadership, you will find that people do respond to what you are saying. However, ask yourself, are they really listening, or just complying to your authority as subordinates? You never really know if you are an effective communicator unless you come in contact with people who are not obligated to listen to you, such as media personalities. So, if you think you may experience conveying your message to the latter, you definitely need training.

To What Extent Is Leadership Communication Skills Training Relevant?

But what if you don’t talk to media personnel that much? What then is the use of communication skills training? The fact is that learning to make a great first impression with your communication skills is relevant to all areas of your life, both personal and professional. This will help you network effectively, and thereby add more members to your group of contacts.

What Skills Specifically Will I Learn In Leadership Communications Skills Training?

In its essence, communication skills training for leaders teaches you to choose the right things to say in the most effective manner. In the context of communication, it means being persuasive, assertive, and not letting the audience take control. This is achieved via:

One-to-one and group sessions
Recorded sessions to evaluate delivery skills
Mock interviews, meetings, and social settings (i.e., cocktail parties)

What Major Benefits Do Leadership Communication Skills Training Offer?

Perhaps the most amazing benefit of communications skills training for leaders is that you learn to execute your message with clarity. No matter which industry you operate in, the ability to explain what you do in layman term’s goes a long in building credibility and positioning yourself an expert in your community.

What Can I Do to Follow-Up Leadership Communication Skills Training?

Since communication skills training for leaders is an ongoing educational initiative, you should look to elicit follow-up from your trainers. Specifically, you should look to reinforce your training, analyze results and offer further coaching for improving communication results. That way, your skills remain as sharp as ever instead of waning down a few months after you complete training.

SUMMARY

So, to sum it up, communication skills training for leaders is right for you if you don’t feel confident in front of new/old audiences, you want to be an effective speaker 24/7, and you want to build instant credibility.

What Causes Communication Skills Training for Leaders to Fail (And What to Do About It to Succeed!)

July 1, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: It is no secret that leaders are smart and capable. During the course of their careers, they have perused best-selling books on leadership, taken leadership training (including associated assessments), and attended multiple communication skills training lessons. But with all of those training opportunities under their belts, they still fail to effectively lead. Think of the fruitless and unconstructive discussions at meetings and business divisions that somehow never seem to make a profit (or scratch the surface of their potential profit). If you’re a leader facing similar circumstances, but are unable to determine the root cause, you have come to the right place. In this post, you will learn why communications skills training for leaders often fails and what can be done to counter this… Enjoy!

Less Emphasis on the Practical Aspects of Leadership

The fundamental flaw in most books and courses on leadership is that there a greater emphasis on the theoretical aspects of leadership instead of practical ones. Sometimes, there can be an information overload. The need of the hour is for communication skills trainers to teach leaders about what has to be done in their position and the courage to take some flair for it.

On-the-Job Training

While communication skills training for leaders involves simulated events where trainees are required to take charge of the situation, followed by critique of how well they were able to do. The limitations of such a model will be discussed at the end, but here the emphasis is on on-the-job leadership communication training.

This means the mentor or coach accompanies the executive at the workplace as the latter leads a session, conducts training, or oversees a meeting. This is where the actual leadership skills will be tested, instead of a safe, simulated environment. The coach has to make sure that s/he doesn’t interrupt or correct the trainee during any task, but only to offer insight during breaks in private.

Having Superficial Notions about Communication

Another reason communications skills training for leaders often fails may have nothing to do with the “tool” and everything with the “technique’ involved. Most leaders only have a surface level understanding of what communication is. For them, it is only about emails and memos. However, communication is a diverse topic that has to be approached from various angles in order to be effective (and every angle therein!)

The fundamental principle is the clarity and consistency of messages you send to your workforce. Bad leaders send mixed messages and keep their employees in the dark. This creates friction, and is a primary cause of low job satisfaction and retention. Good communication skills training should address this issue if they are to make leaders better.

Focusing on the Training Aspect

Finally and most importantly, is the mere fact that such leadership development programs place emphasis on “training” instead of “development” of leaders. These two words are not interchangeable, contrary to popular opinion. Training, in its essence, is rote learning and one-way reception of fixed norms and principles, while development is dynamic. It focuses on unique personalities of each person and the end goal is helping trainees achieve their true potential as leaders.

SUMMARY

To sum up, simply going for communication skills training is not enough as a leader. You need to make sure that the leadership development actually focuses on developing leaders. This involves teaching real-life lessons, clear-cut communication, and paving the way for future development.

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