An effective Executive Leadership Coach will use some form of leadership assessment tool to assess the level of skill / behaviour you have at present, and highlight how they will help you develop from that baseline. There are a myriad of effective tools in the marketplace, just make sure that the tool provides useful information for you in its own right – it should be in plain language and discuss leadership behaviours. It should also measure behaviours that can develop and grow, that you easily relate specific behaviours to. The tool used should be more than a personality test, which are often generically written (4 types, 4 colours etc) and not designed to change over time.
Ensure the tool being used can be used again in several months time so that you can have a tangible measure of growth – after all, ‘what isn’t measured, isn’t done’. Most effective leadership coaches can provide you with a PDF of a standard report from their chosen leadership assessment tool, and many will provide an assessment / short debrief as part of their introductory process.
The Velocity Leadership CheckPoint
At IMLD we use the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint to assess a leaders skills before every coaching and training program. It is a powerful tool in determining which behaviours a leader need the most improvement in, as well as help identify strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Skilled coaches can then essential insight on how you can develop those areas, as well as the links between leadership behaviours and results in your performance, your team culture and you business results..
Without a clear start point, many leadership coaches are ‘flying blind’ to determine what needs addressing in a leaders behaviour to become a better leader. The leader being coached may have an idea, however their view may be skewed by recent events, opinions of others or an avoidance of facing the real issues. An effective executive leadership coach uses a leadership assessment tool like the CheckPoint as an ‘extra tool in the toolbox’ for assisting leaders improve their performance. Without one, they are far less efficient and effective as a coach.
Executive Leadership Coach Review:
Ask:
- ‘What leadership assessment tool do you use?’
- ‘Can I have a copy of a standard / example leadership report’
- ‘Do you offer an assessment prior to committing to a coaching contract / process’
The 9 Questions To Ask When Choosing An Executive Leadership Coach
These 9 simple questions will help you identify the good from the bad, the amateur from the professional, the executive leadership coach worth paying for compared to the one that is an expensive waste of time.
- Question 1 – Do you have a coach yourself?
- Question 2 – Are you an accredited coach?
- Question 3 – What is your experience as a leader?
- Question 4 – What is your own coaching style?
- Question 5 – Who else would you recommend?
- Question 6 – What recommendations and success stories do you have?
- Question 7 – What resources and tools do you have at your disposal?
- Question 8 – What leadership assessment tool do you use?
- Question 9 – How will you challenge me (and yourself)?
If you are talking or engaging a coach that can’t answer these 9 questions effectively – walk away! There are plenty of highly effective executive leadership coaches who can – and you deserve to work with someone that can back up what they say with action.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COACHING
Focussed, personal, confidential, honest and practical – all words that have been used in testimonials to describe the Institute of Management & Leadership Development’s Executive Leadership Coaching. If this sounds like something that could be useful for you or a member of your team, get in touch with us today for a confidential chat about your needs. If you would like to read what other clients experienced and gained through the Executive Leadership Coaching process, check out our LinkedIn recommendations, reviews and testimonials.
Are you interested in becoming the best business leader you can possibly be? Visit our Contact Page or book in a Q&A discussion with one of our experienced facilitators HERE to learn more about all our leadership training programs and workshops.
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How To Choose an Executive Leadership Coach – The 9 Questions to Ask