Executive Coaches can make a significant difference in your career development. They will push you, make you think, and hold you accountable. They will challenge you and make sure you are not becoming complacent.
However, the future of executive coaches and executive business coaching is evolving. These coaching trends will play a role in how executive coaching firms help their clients and what clients expect.
1. The Increasing Importance Of Executive Coaching
Executive coaching is becoming even more important in the eyes of C-level executives and corporate boards. Traditional business consulting is waning as executive coaching is growing. Consultants are useful for providing expertise and frameworks for business. The top executive coaches do that at the same time they are focused on developing future leaders. Coaching helps facilitate a transfer or knowledge rather than just a tactical approach.
We all know how difficult it is to consistently attract and retain top quality talent. This can cause knowledge gaps in critical areas where coaching can help.
2. Executive Coaching Will Become Even More Commonplace
Once seen as something for the elite, coaching will become more of a norm in today’s business environment. It will no longer be seen as something only the largest companies do. It will be seen as a necessary competitive advantage as businesses grow and evolve.
3. A Multi-Level Coaching Approach: Short-Term Goals And Long-Term Goals
The best executive coaching programs will focus on both short-term and long-term business goals. While developing executive talent for career journeys, the top executive coaches will also be able to help with more immediate business goals.
Business leaders are under intense pressure to deliver on both current and future company goals. They require executive business coaching that can provide help in the near-term and long-term.
4. More Focus On Experience And Accountability
Clients want executive coaches with proven track records of delivering results. This raises the bar on the services that executives expect (and demand) of today’s coaches. The best executive coaching programs will provide a diversity of services.
Executives will scrutinise coaches more closely. They will look for specific industry experience, including qualifications and credentials. Becoming an executive coach will become more difficult as this scrutiny intensifies.
5. Increased Use Of Technology, Automation, And Artificial Intelligence
Technology has changed the way we communicate. In the past, it meant phone conversations or in-person executive coaching. Now, technology allows the top executive coaches to do video calls, web-based chat, texting, and more. The geographical barriers have been virtually eliminated.
Automation will also play a role as will AI by evolving interactions and escalating solutions. Accenture’s Future Workforce report reveals that 72 percent of CEOs believe intelligence technologies are critical to workforce development. Executive coaching will also evolve to take advantage of this emerging technology.
Performance feedback, mentoring, and training are just some of the tools that automation and AI can enhance. Executive coaches will be armed with powerful analytical tools to help diagnose, monitor, and track progress towards goals.
Some apps and assessments tools will help with coaching. Others will help executives to coach and manage their internal teams.
6. Providing Meaningful And Measurable Results
With today’s business climate focused on ROI, executive coaching firms will need to show quantifiable and measurable results. It will no longer be enough to show growth in leadership skills for executives. It will become important to connect the dots and show how the cost of executive coaching can be justified by meaningful results.
7. Coaching Will Be Even More Personal And More Relationship Driven
The top executive coaches have formed deep, personal relationships with the business leaders with which they work. This is increasingly important due to the intense pressure executives face. In order for the coaching relationship to be firmly established, there has to be a significant level of trust developed.
It can lonely at the top of organisations. Opening up to executive coaching means displaying a vulnerability and honesty that may be difficult with peers and subordinates. This personal relationship allows for a more open and transparent environment. This personal connection provides a safe place where real self-awareness, analysis, and growth can occur.
8. The Cost Of Executive Coaching Will Evolve
The cost of executive coaching will vary greatly. The best coaching companies and coaches will be in high demand and likely take a larger investment.
Costs will also be allocated depending on quality, credentials, accreditation, and depth of services. While full-scale coaching will be in high demand, so will niche coaching and ala carte resources.
Coaching Trends
While these coaching trends will continue to shape the future of executive coaching, some things remain the same.
Executive coaching helps unlock the full potential of top executives.
- Interpersonal skills
- Self-Awareness
- Conflict Resolution
- Team Development
- Success Planning
- Objective Analysis
- Future Vision
An intense focus on interpersonal skills and self-awareness will remain near the top of the list. Few people have the ability to see themselves the way others do. Yet, this self-awareness is key to managing and leading others. We all have blind spots and quirks that we may not be aware of without help from the outside. These built-in biases can cause problems in the workplace. Once we become aware of them, however, this insight can help frame how we move forward.
Interpersonal skills are critical to foster effective communication and motivation. Building meaningful relationships with colleagues and team members can help reduce friction in the workplace and make difficult conversations easier.
Executives And Executive Coaches Are Working Together
Another thing that will not change is the working dynamic. If anything, this dynamic will be even stronger as executives and executive coaches work together to achieve measurable results. This accounts for the company’s immediate needs while developing long-term strategies for future growth and leadership development.
