The people who are supposed to navigate others through crises and lead them to success also need support from time to time. That's exactly what executive coaching is for. What exactly makes such coaching special, how you as a coach can tap into this target group for yourself and what horses have to do with the whole thing, you will find out in this article.
Leaders are role models. Their employees act according to their behaviour. Their actions and appearance can therefore be an important success factor for a company. Excellent leaders are aware of this. Just as they are aware of the fact that they must first learn to lead themselves before they can effectively instruct their employees.
This is exactly where executive coaching starts: with the issues and topics of the leaders themselves, so that they can recognise and fulfil their own needs on the one hand and those of their team members on the other.
The world of business coaching is exciting, diverse and growing fast. Therefore, there's a lot to learn about it. So let's look at some basic questions first:
What is executive coaching?
In order for leaders to expand competencies and unleash potential, they too need support from time to time. Coaching sessions for executives help those who are otherwise at the top to achieve goals, exploit their strengths or develop solutions. Coaching sessions work with clients on their personal and/or professional challenges. Business coaches support them in using self-determined tools to achieve desired changes - be it to take a further career step, to remedy grievances in the company or to build a better connection with employees.
Who is executive coaching for?
Whether your client is an owner, a long-time board member or executive, a new entrepreneur or professional, or simply a division, department or team leader in a company, leadership training and coaching is for anyone who is responsible for managing and coordinating others in one way or another.
Coaching for leaders can help when starting out in the job, as well as in times of crisis or change in the leader's professional or private context. So there is also no "optimal" time for coaching. On the one hand, they can be continuous companions in the success story or they can be used selectively when a concrete problem needs to be solved.
Can I offer executive coaching as a systemic coach?
Yes, if you have completed training as a systemic coach, you are also qualified to coach managers. After all, they are "only" human 😉 Nevertheless, it helps if you yourself have experience in management, leadership and coordination. This makes you double as qualified and lets you tailor your offer even better to the target group.
Nevertheless, interest is the most important thing. So if you decide to specialise in the target group of executives as a coach because of other experiences and qualities, this is of course also possible. After all, you don't share all your experience with other clients, but you can still support them in their plans.
Reasons for executive coaching
Executives often feel "alone at the top". For this reason, many appreciate an external sparring partner who has an open ear for problems and worries, but also ideas and dreams. The desire for a reliable and confidential contact person leads them to coaching.
This point of contact is particularly important because we are currently moving in the so-called "VUKA world" in the work context. VUKA is an acronym for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. It describes a complex, fast-moving and uncertain everyday working life that can turn 180 degrees in a very short time.
It is precisely through this world that managers are supposed to navigate us. A task that could conceivably be easier. Since challenges and hurdles are easier to overcome together, leadership coaching is an essential resource for leaders to gain clarity, make decisions and go through reflection processes. It is a resource that can support them in passionately carrying out their tasks and excelling in them.
"Problems are a good opportunity to show what you can do"
- Duke Ellington
The content of the coaching sessions can vary from person to person. Possible content and topics for executive coachings could be:
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Arrange thoughts concerning task of leading
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Develop company strategies
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improve dealing with conflict and relationships to employees
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Coordinate agile working
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Change Management – guide change porcesses
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Company and error culture
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Leading in times of crisis
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Work-Life-Balance or Work-Life-Integration
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New Work – teams in home-office or lead in a hybrid workspace
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Establish an executive position
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Have fun at work
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Improve communication in the company
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Form operational handover and educate next generation leaders
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Starting aid for next generation leaders
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Build entrepreneurship and start up
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Professional reorientation und potential analysis
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Being a woman in executive positions
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Positive leadership & and empowerment
Tip: As a coach or trainer, you can also specialise in all of these areas - or combinations of them - in order to always be able to work with your desired clients. In this blog article you will learn how you can position yourself as an expert.
Recharge your batteries...
In the morning three meetings in Vienna, in the afternoon a call with business partners in Graz, in the evening the train to Innsbruck for the training the next day. In between, two presentations to new customers, a quick one-on-one conversation with a new employee, 21 unread mails in the inbox and the coffee in the kitchen was warm at some point. This is the agenda of many managers in Austria.
Recharging the batteries in nature can be a real boon in this stressful everyday life. So why not combine the good with the useful and use equine assisted coaching?
... through horse-supported executive coaching
Horses? Yes, you read that right! Horse assisted training and coaching are also on the upswing in the business sector. And rightly so! When executives repeatedly fail to complete tasks satisfactorily or when they fail at projects over a longer period of time, either the demands are too high - or there are simply mental barriers in the way.
In this case, executive coaching with horses can be the right approach. Horses mirror human behaviour and give immediate feedback. They need clear leadership, unambiguous communication and sense when authenticity is missing. Leaders can benefit from this experience and learn a lot about themselves and their appearance in horse assisted coaching. The lessons and impulses that can be derived can be used directly in everyday professional life.
With the certificate as a horse assisted coach and trainer, you are equipped for assignments in the areas of "business and private". This means that both private clients and entrepreneurs are in good hands with you. If you would also like to offer a equine assisted leadership seminar or coaching, you can find out more about our EAC training here.
ordion Description
Supporting managers - coaching course as a starting point
You find the topic of leadership development exciting and would like to get started as an Executive Coach yourself? Are you already working as a trainer and would like to offer coaching as well as seminars for managers in the future?
Then our training to become a qualified systemic coach is the right ladder for your career. It provides you with the essential know-how for successful work as a coach. With a specialisation in business and executive coaching, nothing stands in the way of competent support for leaders in different contexts.
If you have any questions about business coaching and your training options in this area, please contact your team@il.co.at. We will be happy to advise you!
