
At the Mic
What is an executive coach?
Paravelle Explainer Video
Exploring the definition of executive coaching With Executive Coach David Bates
What is an executive coach video transcript​
There's a lot of confusion about what we define as an executive coach. There are questions like "What's the difference between an executive coach and a life coach?" and "Is an executive coach like an athletic coach?"
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There are some similarities but there are also a some differences.
The International Coaching Federation or ICF has been around since 1998. And, they define coaching as a "partnership in a though provoking, inquiry-based process". So… what's that mean?
It means a coach asks questions and then listens very carefully to what and how you answer.
You don't have to be certified by the ICF to be a coach. And, coaches can use this inquiry-based process in a lot of different areas.
In executive coaching, the primary focus is on business leadership mindset and activities. That's different than the core focus for a life coach which tends to be more oriented around health, fitness, personal finances, and other non-work areas. It's not that a life coach avoids work related topics but those aren't the primary focus like they are with an executive coach. And, of course, our life at work and outside of work are directly tied.
Here's an executive coaching example.
A tech startup founder is feeling like work demands are taking more and more time away from non-work interests. The executive coach asks for more information about both the work needs and the importance of the things the founder does outside of work. They discover that a specific non-work activity creates energy that helps the founder be more effective at work. This discovery leads the founder to make intentional changes to their schedule and see how it helps.
Expertise is another area of confusion when people try to understand what executive coaching is.
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Many people look to executive coaches to tell them what to do. That's not actually how coaching works.
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There are important differences between executive coaching and other roles like mentor, consultant, trainer, and subject matter expert - differences we cover in other videos.
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The truth is that an executive coach doesn't have to be an expert in your specific discipline. But, an executive coach with strong expertise in your domain can actually be a benefit. That's because the kinds of questions they ask will be much more targeted. They will also be able to hear nuances in your answer that other coaches without similar leadership backgrounds might miss. You may also benefit from an experienced executive coach who can "switch hats" from time to time and offer you more specific strategic or tactical insights that can jump-start your own thinking toward creative solutions that will work well in your situation.
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That brings us to action. It's at the core of every successful executive coaching engagement. The difference between executive coaching and consulting or mentoring is that you, the coaching client, are responsible for identifying the actions you think will be most helpful. You'll be the one who goes out and takes those actions.
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Then, you'll come back and talk with your coach about what you noticed, what you learned, and how it is shaping your executive presence, mindset, and action plans.
Ok, to wrap up this quick definition of what an executive coach is, we've covered four things:
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An executive coach is a thought partner to a business leader like a founder, managing partner, executive director, CEO, COO, Chief Revenue officer, and other senior leaders.
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An executive coach focuses mainly on the work and sometimes helps dig into things that happen in life that affect the work.
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An executive coach doesn't have to be an expert in your specific field but a coach who knows how to "switch hats" effectively can help you find new ideas more quickly.
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And, an executive coach is highly focused on helping you identify specific actions - not just ideas - that will help you move from where you are to where you want to be.​​