Let's start with a story about a leader. She's bright, comes with a track record of success, displays great ambition towards goals, has deep subject matter expertise and carries herself with great confidence and conviction. Her role is to create and support a strategic plan that will be critical to the long term success for her corporation. People that work closest with her are loyal, dedicated and committed to deliver on whatever she asks for. All signs are leading to long term success with bigger roles and broader impact.
Coaches help you navigate the path to success
Many of us would envy this spot. Maybe you are there already. Yet, there's a catch. What I just covered above in the story of this leader is one I've seen many times. Successful leaders, on a roll, feeling like they have the job by the tail and push on. I can count dozens of leaders that have a similar profile. Are leaders like this destined for the C-Suite? Many will be supported by a wonderful team of players committed to success too. Others will have mentors and colleagues that serve as advisors and supporters. Yet many leaders stall, start to question why they didn't get the job they felt was theirs. What's missing then? Some have it figured out. Keep positive relationships, get bigger roles and promotions. The difference in my opinion, starts with the individual leader knowing themselves. My time spent helping leaders get better every day has led me to this reality...to know oneself, you need to actively seek out feedback and perspective from others.
Helping successful leaders be even better is what a Coach can offer. Marshall Goldsmith, one of this worlds most successful executive coaches has shared that good leaders share 3 core beliefs:
1. I am Successful
2. I choose to Succeed
3. They will succeed
While these 3 core beliefs seem easy enough to understand and align with, there's a lot of work underneath each to achieve them. An executive coach serves as a guide to help leaders achieve their goals and create the sort of success and followership they are capable of. A coach provides an independent perspective, brings tools and resources to assist, advises and acts as accountability partner to help a leader achieve their potential.
To know oneself, you need to ask, listen, and thank others for what they've shared.