Professional coaches have seen it all when it comes to executive clients, from those who found fast success with their businesses to those whose missteps took their businesses in the wrong direction. Each of these issues served as a learning opportunity for executive clients—and their coaches.
Below, Forbes Coaches Council members share key leadership lessons they’ve gleaned from coaching executive clients. Read on for advice on how brand-new leaders can avoid making some of the same mistakes these coaches have seen their clients make in the past.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Facilitation Is Powerful, But It Takes Time
One lesson I learned as a coach is the power of facilitation. It comes at the expense of time, and many new leaders don’t want to invest time to facilitate. Being overly prescriptive leads to ineffective delegation and trust issues. Learn how to actively listen, use open-ended questions and facilitate conversations to lead effectively. You might be surprised by how smart your team is. - Terry Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
2. Everything In Life Comes With A Price
Success will most certainly require sacrifice. While you, as a young leader, might think that you are giving away the least important stuff (your time, personal life, energy, health, and so on), the value of these things will change along the way. Make sure to make a yearly investment plan for your personal life. What is it you risked? And is the outcome still what you’re prepared to pay? - Arvid Buit, TRUE Leadership
3. Don’t Assume You Know What Motivates Employees
Everyone is inspired by different things in life, and even more specifically, in the workplace. For example, don’t assume that all employees are motivated by public recognition or an extra day off. To know what lights their fire, you must seek to understand. Ask genuinely, and listen! - Cheri Rainey, Rainey Leadership Learning
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4. If You Don’t Listen, Employees Will Leave
Your team needs to share, vent, rant, talk and feel as if they matter and belong. To be a full resource to the company, an employee needs to feel free to share ideas, concerns, questions and feelings about a client or subject. You, as a leader, must show them that it’s safe to do all of the above with you. If you don’t, they will not be the human resources you hired in the first place, and they will leave. - Mark Antoine, Inspired Keynotes
5. You Don’t Have To Be The Expert On Everything
Don’t feel as if you have to show up as the expert on everything. Ask insightful questions to get up to speed quickly. Leverage the expertise of your team. Give people an opportunity to shine, and build trust by treating the experts on your team as the experts they are. Being an effective executive is not about being an expert in everything, but about being an excellent leader of experts. - Brandy Simula, Brandy L. Simula Coaching and Consulting
6. To Coach Others, You Must Coach Yourself First
New leaders must be able to analyze their own thought patterns and emotions. By directing more energy into our personal cognitive processes, we become better equipped in understanding ourselves and how to improve our personal skills. Once we are confident in enhancing our own abilities, we are able to guide and lead others to their personal success. - Gamini Hewawasam, ManoLead NFP
7. Your Team Looks To You For Support and Encouragement
Today’s workforce looks to their leader for support, encouragement and an investment in their professional growth. As a new leader, open the door for opportunities. See the potential in your team and find ways to maximize it. Share your knowledge generously while welcoming others’ perspectives. And lastly, show genuine interest in what they do and recognize it! - Kathleen Shanley, Statice
8. New Leaders Often Try To Run Before They Can Walk
New leaders of a new team often try to run before they can walk. That’s because they underestimate the impact of team dynamics. According to Bruce Tuckman’s team dynamics model (forming, storming, norming and performing), their team is in the “forming” stage. By slowing down, leading with a clear vision, building trust and communicating clear objectives, they can build a team foundation that is strong and cohesive. - Gabriella Goddard, Brainsparker Global
9. Now You Must Achieve Results Through People
As a new leader, your professional learning journey begins again and will never end. Don’t rely too heavily on the same skill set that got you into leadership. The mission now is driving the same high-level results you delivered, but now through people. If you are doing more individual contribution work than leading, you are doing it wrong. - Anthony Howard, HR Certified LLC
10. Leadership Means Guiding, Not Directing
New leaders often believe that they need to have all the answers, having been promoted because they were excellent independent contributors or content experts. Yet, leadership requires you to let go of always having the answer and break the “telling habit,” and instead set clarity of direction around what needs to be achieved, ask more questions and cultivate the expertise of your team on how to get there. - Katie Anderson, Katie Anderson Consulting
11. Feedforward Is A Proactive Approach To Development
Feedforward is a coaching technique that provides forward-looking feedback to help individuals and teams improve and achieve their goals. It is a positive and proactive approach that focuses on development and improvement rather than past mistakes. By providing feedforward, leaders can help to build the skills and capabilities of their team members, leading to better performance and success. - Cristian Hofmann, Empowering Executives | SUPERGROUP LTD
12. Self-Doubt Is A Normal Feeling For New Leaders
Virtually all new leaders—whether they are stepping into their first leadership role or their tenth—wrestle with self-doubt. They tend to wonder, “Do I deserve to be at this level?” This self-questioning, combined with a general misconception that leaders walk into their roles with a lot of ego, makes most new leaders hesitant to ask for help. And that hesitancy elongates the learning curve. - Claire Chandler, Talent Boost
13. Not Prioritizing Health And Well-Being Leads To Burnout
Executives work long hours, and they eventually burn out if their health and well-being are not a top priority. Our executive clients need to bounce back, grow and thrive during times of rapid change and challenges. We offer support by teaching them techniques to improve their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health so they can lead effectively and live their best life. - Cindy Lamir, Impact Business Coaches
14. Leaders Must Move From ‘Doing’ To ‘Managing’
Your success in the new role will depend largely on how you transition from the “doing” of tasks and projects to the “managing” of relationships. There is a delicate balance in moving from being the “doer” to focusing on how you can influence and shift how people perceive strategy, a deliverable, and such. Focus on building relationships with authenticity! - Sohee Jun, S.J. Consulting, LLC
