For years, the top leaders of the company have relied on powerful coaches overcome personal challengessharpening Guidance strategyAnd to improve individual and organizational performance. But with coaching usually since 200 to $ 3,000 hoursThe key question remains: really is the investment coaches?
According to experts on leadership and seasoned coaches, the answer is yes – but only when addressing with clear goals, personal responsibility and instructions from a trusted and experienced professional.
At best, coaching offers much more than advice. It provides a structured, external perspective that helps leaders to deepen their self -confidence, improve decision -making and develop more efficient communication.
“The leading teams are not something that is automatically understood,” says David Peck, Global leadership of powerful coaching practice Heidrick & Workglass. “Executive coaching at best allows the leader to find out where-what is important, how to focus, fine-tune or adjust his thinking and behavior in a way that can make significant changes.”
Coaches can be especially valuable for those on the way to C-suite. Management experts say it increases the transition of readiness, builds emotional intelligence and extends its strategic vision. “You need someone to give you a new way to see and do things,” says Liz Bentley, founder Liz Bentley Associates, a powerful coaching company for leadership.
Many main executives are lending coaching as a key to their professional output. Former Google Eric Schmidt CEO once called He hired a coach with whom he had met for about 15 years, the best professional decision he ever made. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Microsoft Founder Bill Gates has similarly offered The value of an external advisor for navigation in high betting.
While the return on coaching is often qualitative and individualized, research suggests that the payout can be significant. In the 2019 survey from the managerial consulting company FMI, 87% of respondents They said they noticed a significant return on investment from executive coaching.
The coaching market has spread rapidly in recent years. Between 2019 and 2022 the number of leadership coaches increased by 54%And the annual revenues of the industry have reached almost $ 4.56 billion, according to the Global Coaching Coaching International Coaching Federation Federation. However, this growth also created a crowded, inconsistent landscape. In addition to ICF certification, there is no universal licensing body or a set of credentials-which is difficult to distinguish seasoned experts from the self-proclaimed “guru”.
“The credential is a diluted representative for relevant experience and skills,” warns Dennis Baltzley, a global manager for the development of Korn Ferry leadership. He says it really matters, it is an experience in the real world and has shown success.
Gary Rich, founder of Rich Leadership and former CEO, agrees: “No one knows who is the seller of the snake oil.”
His advice: The veterinarian trains through trusted recommendations, check past clients and align the style of coaching. Some leaders want a thought partner. Others need truth-Teller who does not hesitate to evoke bad habits of leaders.
Above all, Rich emphasizes the experience of leading in the real world. “If the coach you are looking at is someone who runs a billion dollars, had thousands of people who work for them managed a big system, then at least know what it was like.”
However, coaching itself is not a magical repair. Experts emphasize the importance of entering the process with clear goals and growth thinking. “Honestly, most coaches are.” [hired] Because someone is unhappy in their work, ”says Shawn Cole, President Cowen Powerful search for partners. “If it is not driven by the desire for the development of real leadership, coaching can convert itself to therapy.”
Finally, coaching brings the strongest yields when used intentionally: growth, not just for mastering. And in today's complex business environment, this clarity can be the most valuable tool of leadership of all.
This story was originally listed on Fortune.com
