Caryn Walsh is an International Business Consultant, Executive Coach, Keynote Speaker. She is in Fiji four times a year.

As an Executive strategy, building talent and Organisational capability needs to have the spotlight on leaders, at any level, and strategically developing people throughout the Company as part of how it operates. People in any Organisation don’t make a difference, they are THE difference. ‘Smart’ decision makers know this.

Business Owners and Executives realise they may have similar products or services to their competitors, but it is their leaders and people down the line who make the ultimate difference!

To be better than competitors, Organisations must have competent and committed leaders and engaged, enthusiastic people.

To upskill people in key roles, Leadership Coaching has become a strategic advantage for many Organisations who strive to enhance leadership capability rapidly.

Leadership Coaching is a process that is built on a relationship between the coach and the leader, with the primary purpose being to build the leaders capability to achieve short and long term business goals for the Organisation.

Each Coaching experience is Unique

Whilst many executive Coaches follow a process or formula that works for them, the gifted Coach draws on a variety of different strategies, approaches and techniques with the leader, customizing what they need to help them grow in their role and become competent over time.

The length of coaching is decided at the beginning of the relationship, but can be extended if needed.

This one on one method of ‘educating’ an executive is priceless in that

the focus is on the individual’s areas of growth

the relationship between the Coach and the person they are coaching becomes the ‘safe’ space where the leader can explore their feelings and thinking patterns about their role

specific insights and self-awareness are obtained by the leader about themselves and areas to improve or enhance

it encourages them to look at themselves, gain honest self-knowledge, learn more about what motivates them and their behaviour, understand their personalities better and the values they have that drive their behaviour

the Coach walks the journey with the leader, guiding and directing them along the path – building their leadership capacity as the coaching relationship is developed

teaches the leader to achieve key business goals and outcomes that are critical in their roles and to the Organisation overall

Unlike a Business Coach (who helps the business owner grow their business and take it where they want it to go) a Leadership Coach focusses on ensuring that the leader has the necessary skills, competences and personal attributes to make complex decisions, deal with a range of difficult issues and lead their people positively, and with integrity, at the same time.

Self-Awareness before Exemplary Leadership

One of the fundamental roles of a Leadership Coach is to help the leader understand themselves better.

This means getting to know themselves well, having a firm grip on areas in which they may not be that strong (like showing empathy or presentation skills) and being open to learning how to acquire new skills and implement them.

Leadership Coaching is just as much about learning key interpersonal skills (such as gaining insight, listening and empathy) as it is about being at the helm of a team or Organisation (and meeting key business outcomes and making sound decisions arising from complex business issues.)

A recent study by the Stanford Business School found that nearly two-thirds of CEOs don’t receive executive coaching or leadership development and almost half of senior executives in general aren’t receiving any, either. Paradoxically, nearly 100 percent said they would like coaching to enhance their development

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/douglas-labier/why-ceos-dont-want-execut

The Secret Weapon

Many larger Organisations, often concerned about the slow development of identified ‘future leaders’, turn to leadership coaching to ‘fast track’ their talent, using external Leadership Coaches to move their leaders through the ‘pipeline’ in preparation for more responsible and demanding leadership roles.

In short, the Leadership Coach becomes the ‘secret weapon’ they are using to rapidly build leadership capacity.

Critically important is the ‘fit’ between the leader and the Coach.  On paper, the Coach may appear to be the right person to grow the leader, but unless the relationship between the two, on which the success of the initiative depends, is strong and solid, the exercise becomes compromised and unsustainable.

The strength of the coaching relationship between the client and Coach is the most powerful predictor of coaching outcomes.

Spending time building a strong relationship with a client is critical for successful and effective coaching

Source: https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-27/edition-8/does-executive-coaching-work

Leadership Coaching – being a force for good in a struggling World

Modern day Business and Leadership Coaches need to see in their role in the context of helping our world become a better place.  Coaches are not only working with the leader helping them grow in their role, but they are also morally obliged to assist them in contributing to the ‘greater good’ for all mankind in their role and in whatever they do.

As part of their role, it is becoming increasingly important for Executive Coaches to teach and hold leaders they coach, responsible and accountable for doing ‘good’ in their role, at whatever level.

The power of social media can be used by modern day leaders for the common good, to help the vulnerable and marginalized, to build solid relationships around them, to help protect Mother Earth and to slowly, step by step, bring about World Peace.

This begins in the Leadership Coaching relationship which infers that Leadership Coaching plays a much more significant role than only working with one person.

At the helm of the movement of growing Leaders and holding them accountable for growing people and having larger impact in their roles are international business masters such as Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Airlines.

There is the movement towards joining business success with addressing social needs, where ‘taking care of people and the planet are at the very core of all businesses everywhere in the world.’

Our current world of transparency and social media demands that ‘business reinvents itself and becomes a force for good in the world.’

Richard Branson, 2017

Creating Greatness as a Leader

Leadership Greatness is about self-mastery.

Doing the best possible job you can and being the best person you can be, in everything you do.

This means making a positive impact on your teams, your customers, your Organisation, your families and your communities all the time.

Whilst Leadership Coach is a conduit to helping a Leader achieve exemplary performance, greatness is something each individual Leader must master.

And that involves looking after others and contributing to a better world, step by step.