Executive coaching is a valuable tool no matter how long someone has been a leader. Above all, good leaders strive to always learn and grow. Once growth stops, the effectiveness of your leadership diminishes. Creating awareness, generating action, and facilitating learning and growth are all things every executive should strive for. For success, read more about the topics to discuss with an executive coach.
In today’s article, we explore some of the more popular topics to discuss with an executive coach. Alongside these topics are key questions to ask during your coaching sessions.
Productivity & Time Management
First, a good executive coach will focus on helping you improve your personal productivity and time management skills. Productivity and time management are cornerstones to a successful executive.
Questions to ask:
- How can I better focus my time?
- How do I prioritize tasks?
- When is it time to say no?
- How should I organize my week?
- What should I be delegating to others?
- Are there any must-use tools or software to help with my time management?
- How do I keep myself accountable?
Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Second, Emotional intelligence is the ability to do several things, including perceive, manage, and regulate emotions, and is an integral part of being a successful leader. You can work with an executive coach to better understand your EI and find ways to strengthen it.
There are four EI categories: Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness, and Relationship Management. All four should be discussed with an executive coach.
Questions to ask:
- How can I de-stress after a bad day at work?
- What is a healthy way to celebrate success?
- How should I respond when someone challenges me?
- What steps should I take to recover from failure?
- When delivering bad news, what’s the best approach?
Leading and Managing Change
Do you want to be a successful change leader? Certainly, an executive coach can get you there. Leading through change is difficult, but an imperative part of being a leader in 2021. With the right coach, you can not only lead your team through difficult times, but you can also help them thrive.
Questions to ask:
- How can I successfully communicate change to my team?
- What can I do to support my team through change?
- How can I inspire my team to collaborate on ways to get through change?
- What should I avoid saying/doing when faced with change?
- How can I better manage stepping outside my comfort zone?
Delegating
Strong delegation skills are a must when it comes to being an executive. Without delegation, you’ll surely fail, no matter how smart or experienced you are. If you struggle with delegation, hiring an executive coach is indeed highly recommended.
Questions to ask:
- Where do I stand currently when it comes to delegation skills?
- How can I identify the right people to delegate to?
- What can I do to improve my communication skills?
- How do I set realistic deadlines?
- How involved should I be?
- What steps can I take to encourage those I delegate to?
Communication & Presentation Skills
Communication and presentation skills are a cornerstone of success when it comes to being an executive. Whether presenting to subordinates, colleagues, or even a board, the better your skills, the more effective you will be.
Questions to ask:
- How does my body language impact my messages?
- What is my vocal tone and does it show I am credible?
- What steps can I take to be perceived as credible and trustworthy?
- Which type of communication is most effective?
To conclude, if you’re ready to up your executive game, we have something for you to try. The award-winning coaches at Ignite Your Potential are now offering free 25-minute introduction sessions.
Executive coaching is a valuable tool no matter how long someone has been a leader. Good leaders strive to always learn and grow. Once growth stops, the effectiveness of your leadership diminishes. Creating awareness, generating action, and facilitating learning and growth are all things every executive should strive for.