EXECUTIVE COACHING: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

by Tami Chapek, PCC, CEO and Founder | Executive Leadership Coach

Picture this: you are planning your next big career move or a new project initiative on the horizon — or better yet, just got a new job in that bigger role or those added project responsibilities. You are excited for the opportunity in front of you but quickly become paralyzed with fear about the “what if’s” that might come your way. You start to doubt yourself and your abilities, you second guess yourself, and you hold back from sharing your perspective, missing the opportunity to make things better for the district.

Sound familiar?

Now picture this, the same situation: you are excited for the opportunity in front of you AND feel confident about the steps you are taking to move yourself and others forward. You believe in your abilities, you make smart decisions quickly, and you offer perspective optimizing the situation for you and for the district. What changed? Fear is no longer the authority in your life — you are. You are more confident, more focused, and a stronger leader because you spent time developing your skills, perspective, and approach with an Executive Coach.

What is Executive Coaching?

Coaching is a term that is often used and rarely understood. We talk about coaching most often as a way to lead a sports team to a successful season; sometimes we correlate coaching to fixing a problem employee or to solve a situation; or often we don’t really know what coaching is.

The International Coach Federation defines coaching as, “Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.” What that really means is that coaching is:

■ Unbiased and 100% focused support

■ A series of conversations focused on YOU

■ Dedicated time to increase your self-awareness

■ Identification of aspirations and/ or obstacles

■ Goal-setting and action planning

■ Ongoing accountability and support

■ Exercises, tools, or strategies to achieve your goals or remove barriers

■ Safe space for growth and development

Simply put, coaching is a relationship that is dedicated to you and your needs alone. It is a safe space to uncover what it is that you really want, what might be holding you back, and time to work through strategies and skills to get you to where you aspire to be.

Why would I want coaching?

Coaching provides significant benefits. There is power in being listened to, taking time to reflect and connect with what you want, being challenged to consider alternative options, and in receiving accountability to support your progress.

Statistics show that individuals who receive coaching are more likely to:

■ Establish and take action toward achieving goals

■ Become more self-reliant and confident

■ Gain more job and life satisfaction

■ Contribute more effectively to teams and companies

■ Take greater responsibility and accountability

■ Work more easily and productively with others (boss, direct reports, peers)

■ Communicate more effectively

Coaching in organizational and leadership settings is an invaluable tool for developing people across a wide range of needs. Over 80% of individuals who receive coaching report increased self-confidence, over 70% report improved work performance, relationships, and more effective communication skills and 86% of organizations report that they recouped their investment on coaching. And the list goes on and on.

■ Coaching is a gift. Not a punishment.

■ Coaching is powerful. Not punitive.

■ Coaching is empowering. Not limiting.

Executive Coaching is great for:

■ Career path planning

■ Leadership development

■ Leadership and personal brand development

■ Confidence building

■ Gaining specific skills (emotional intelligence, communication, time management and prioritization, etc.)

■ Situational support (e.g. how to navigate specific challenges)

■ Change management

■ Team performance optimization

■ And more…

How do I get an Executive Coach?

Coaching is becoming a more and more utilized resource for leaders and individuals looking for support to achieve their goals. When seeking coaching, it is important to understand what training and credentials that the coach has, so you can ensure you are truly getting coaching — not mentorship or consulting. It is also important to find a coach that you personally connect with and can establish a strong working relationship with. ■ www.weinspirewe.com

WeInspireWe is a woman-owned, international Executive Leadership and Career Coaching Firm that offers a unique approach to growth for leaders, regardless of title or tenure, in their desires to improve themselves, their teams, and the district as a whole. With a team of certified coaches, we believe that every person, situation, and school deserves the chance to put their best foot forward — and we would love to support you in that mission.

We offer 1:1 Executive Leadership and Career Coaching — as well as group leadership coaching and training sessions, and keynote motivational presentations. Our commitment is to create powerhouse leaders who step into their fullest selves and we believe that by inspiring one, we exponentially inspire many We have a passion for supporting great leaders at work and in their own personal lives. We know that optimized leadership works to enable collaboration, innovation, and ultimately results in greater success for school districts and individuals involved.

If you have any areas in your personal or professional life where you are feeling stuck, or know you could be doing more, or are having difficulty gaining clarity, then coaching is a great gift for you.

www.weinspirewe.com