Senior leaders are hesitant about coaching outcomes. How can you earn their trust effectively?

As I reflect on the importance of building trust with senior leaders, I believe that a “Holistic” approach is key. By incorporating Spiritual Intelligence into our interactions, we can deepen the connection beyond the surface level. Understanding their challenges not just from a business perspective but also from an “Emotional and Holistic” viewpoint can foster a deeper sense of trust. When we align our coaching efforts with their Inner Values and Beliefs, we create a more profound impact that resonates on a deeper level, enhancing not only professional growth but also personal fulfillment.

Fostering trust with senior leaders starts by demonstrating a thorough grasp of their individual challenges and objectives. Show genuine curiosity in their viewpoints and value their expertise to establish a meaningful connection. Transparency in your coaching approach is essential; clearly outline your process and the intended outcomes. Explain how your strategies are customized to address their particular needs and how progress will be evaluated. Building trust hinges on leaders feeling listened to, comprehended, and assured that your coaching will deliver pertinent and actionable guidance.

A key aspect of the coaching engagement is helping senior leaders define their objectives. During the first session, the coach and the client can dedicate time to specifically define these objectives, ensuring they are not only defined by also fully understood by both parties. For instance, the coach can start with a broad question, such as "What do you hope to achieve by the end of this engagement" and from there delve deeper by asking clarifying questions: -What exactly do you mean by...? -Can you describe what you envision when you say...? -How will you know that you have achieved...? This process is not limited to the first session. It can continue throughout the coaching with regular check-ins "Are we on track with your goal?"

Ask leaders questions i.e.: What are the most important bottlenecks of leader's organization and what could change when they eliminated them? What is the ideal situation in their business and what needs to get done to achieve it? What are leader's character strengths, and talents and how they could be best used to improve their work and help grow their employees? What happens when leaders still don't work on improvement of their weaknesses? Which ones are the most challenging, and what they cause? Why Musk, Gates, Page, and other big businesses owners hire coaches? Why they use coaching? Where do leaders get regular inspiration from and how they work on their own internal resources of that inspiration? How about their energy level?

I highlight real-world success through case studies to show evidence of impact to my clients and the companies I serve. Case studies provide concrete evidence of the transformative power of coaching. By detailing specific examples, I can demonstrate how my coaching has helped clients overcome challenges, achieve their goals, and enhance their overall effectiveness. For instance, sharing stories of improved decision-making, increased productivity, and enhanced leadership skills illustrates the tangible benefits of coaching. These examples make the abstract concept of coaching more concrete, showcasing the potential outcomes clients can expect and building trust in my services.

Tailoring coaching strategies to fit each leader's unique style, preferences, and organizational context is crucial. Show your adaptability by customizing your approach accordingly. Leaders appreciate when they perceive that you are not employing a one-size-fits-all method but are instead carefully designing a plan that aligns with their specific circumstances. This personalized approach fosters trust in the coaching process and increases their receptiveness to the benefits it can bring.

It's always about another human being. Listening to the leader and their willingness to change with regard to their stakeholders' point of view and their organizational goals and then applying what best serves leaders' development is what executive coaches are expected to offer. Personalized means tailor-made to best support them in their transformation. It's like a suit. The best is always made when the measurement has been taken by the tailor then it fits perfectly. So what gets measured to be done by the leaders and definded by them is coaches' destiny to help leaders ASAP achieve what they desire. That's all it is about executive coaching.

All coaching programs must be tailored to address the client's specific needs, or they will be ineffective. To ensure a personalized approach, I begin every engagement by asking three pivotal questions: 1. What do you want? 2. What do you think is getting in the way? 3. What do we need to do to get to where you want to go? These questions form the foundation of a bespoke coaching plan, allowing us to identify core desires, obstacles, and actionable steps. By clarifying these elements, we craft a customized strategy that addresses each client's unique situation. This tailored approach ensures that the coaching process is aligned with their goals, empowering them to achieve the transformative results they seek.

As an executive coach, not to be confused with a consultant, I partner with my clients (whether it's an individual, team or whole organization) to ensure the original objects are met. When you set clear objectives for the coaching session AND ensure that your methods are sustainable, the ongoing support and longer term success are a natural product of coaching. Said another way, a coaches methodology should ensure that there isn't a "train and walk away" (that's training and not coaching) component to the methodology that's used, along with tailoring the approach to the individual needs will accomplish ongoing support.

It is important to include quantitative and qualitative success measures in every executive coaching engagement. Without them, coaching is reduced to pleasant conversations that may engage the leader, but don’t show the ROI that they and their organization require. Quantitative measures should be aligned with business imperatives. They include how the leader has moved the needle through pre-and post 360° assessments that show growth in skill levels or pre- and post team engagement surveys that show a better team culture. Qualitative measures include internal measurements or feelings that the leader reports, such greater confidence, less burnout or fatigue and better decision-making, to name just a few.