Breakthrough Executive Coaching

Working with executives to explore their early development, relationships and behaviour patterns leads to heightened self-awareness. For senior leaders this can also lead to significant breakthroughs in ways of being and acting. My experience of working with executives in this area is that there is an initial reaction of ‘raised eyebrows’ and some trepidation about what this exploration might involve. However the majority of people, to their surprise, find the experience both enjoyable and enlightening.

Lets explore a specific example seen in many organisations - perfectionism. Many leaders we work with have been successful by being exceptionally good at what they do and therefore find it hard to create real space to lead and influence a full agenda. Instead they feel a need to drive every piece of it. Demonstrable progress may be made as they develop and a leader’s leadership team may report that more responsibility is being shared. However the senior leader’s perfectionist approach to both work and life is still infusing at some level everything they do. It is contributing to maintaining their momentum of success and yet it will arguably prevent them from ultimately reaching the highest echelons of his/her organisation and certainly from developing a richer more balanced life. For example, during the course of the leader’s career insufficient delegation may have been one area which perfectionism underpins. Many mechanistic approaches to coaching will have a useful and valid place in helping the leader make progress. However the underlying pattern of behaviour is likely to keep resurfacing in different shapes and forms throughout the development of his/her career and life.

On occasions it can be necessary for a coach to work at a deeper level to help a leader become aware of deeply held sets of beliefs which are shaping how they operate at work and to learn how to shift them. Persistent unhelpful patterns can be replaced by more productive behaviours. Such insights can be richly rewarding for the leader, his/her team and the organisation - on many different levels. The challenge, the joy and the privilege of working at this level is one of the rewards of executive coaching.

Laura Tovey

Executive Coach. Hanover Executive