19 Executive Coaches Shared The Definition of Executive Coaching, And Why Do Executives Need it?

Are you wondering what is executive coaching and why you need it?

Leading in any role is always challenging.

The secret to being a great leader is to work on the right thing—even if it’s at a slow pace.

To help you become a better leader, we have asked the following question to some of the top executive coaches:

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

All the executive coaches shared their definitions fantastically in their responses.

I’m thankful to all the executive coaches for their generosity in sharing their secrets for success as an executive. 🙏

Enjoy the responses, and here’s to your leadership success as an executive! ✌️

For more than 25 years, Roberta Matuson, president of Matuson Consulting, has helped leaders in highly regarded companies, including General Motors, Takeda, and Microsoft, and small to medium-size businesses, achieve dramatic growth and market leadership through the maximization of talent.

She’s the author of six books including, the newly released Can We Talk? Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work. Evergreen Talent, and the international bestseller, Suddenly In Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around, a Washington Post Top 5 Business Book For Leaders. 

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive coaching isn’t something that’s done to you. It’s something you do for yourself. Leadership is about perception. You may think you’re the greatest leader in the world, but if the majority of people disagree, then you’re in trouble.

We all have blind spots that we cannot see. Even though an executive may ask for feedback, most people in their inner circle are unwilling to tell them the truth. Having a coach whom you can confide in, and who will tell you the truth, is priceless. 

When I’m coaching executives, they’ll often say, “I had no idea this is how I’m being perceived!” or they may ask, “Why hasn’t anyone come to me before about this?” I then remind my client that the majority of his people would like to remain employed, which is why he’s in the dark.

I also have a number of executives come to me for coaching who are good managers but want to be great leaders. These are my favorite people to work with. They’re completely open to doing whatever it takes to achieve the results they’re seeking!

Marc Friedman is a former Partner in Dentons, the #1 Global law firm. In addition to his 45-year law practice, including as a law firm Managing Partner and Practice Leader, Marc has provided executive coaching and strategic counseling to a wide range of people in positions of influence to help them achieve their potential.

Marc is also an acclaimed business development coach. In this area, Marc works with his clients to understand their strengths and create a business development plan tailored to them. He has traveled to over 40 countries, and has lectured on five continents.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive coaching is implemented to prevent the failure of a business due to issues with the company’s management.

The Importance of Executive Coaching

Executive coaches are hired for different reasons, but the overall main reason is to make sure the leadership is the most effective that it can be.
For this reason, executive coaching has become massively popular, with virtually every CEO reporting that they would benefit from having a coach.
There are a ton of issues that can make the CEO less effective, which the executive coach will consider and help resolve so the business can be successful.

Helps CEOs Take a Step Back

CEOs are extremely involved with both the day-to-day operations and the company’s big picture. They are constantly living and breathing their work which can lead to skewed perceptions of issues.
It’s extremely important for a CEO to be able to discuss the operations and issues of their company with someone who has no direct connection to the organization.
This will allow the CEO to really see everything from a distance and get a more clear picture of what’s going on.
Also, the coach will give them an alternate perspective that is often much more accurate and concise than someone who works in the company.
Oftentimes, CEOs will need to speak their thoughts out loud to an outsider. This may lead to realizations about the business that they wouldn’t have had without a coach to speak to.

Improves Decision Making

Having an unbiased individual listen to the ongoing issues in your company is important. It allows you to get valuable advice when making big decisions.
They are not going to be swayed to any specific choice, as many of your employees and board members may be affected by biased opinions.
CEOs will need to know all the factors that go into the decision so they can properly explain it to the coach. That alone can help them make a better decision than if they were just deciding on their own.
For example, if an executive is unsure about which marketing strategy they should implement, they’ll need to demonstrate the pros and cons of each one to the coach.
This allows them to see the full picture, which will help them effectively decide.

Holds Executives Accountable

CEOs are often not held accountable because they don’t have someone constantly watching over them and checking their work and decisions.
This can make it easy for CEOs to lose sight of whether they are being an effective leader and keeping their employees motivated to work for the company.
Executive coaches will hold the CEO accountable because they won’t be afraid to tell them that they’re doing something wrong.
It’s the coach’s job to point out what mistakes management is making. They are there to hold the CEO accountable for poor leadership, poor decision-making, and ineffective management styles.

Increases Confidence

When a CEO knows that they can talk about their decisions, leadership styles, and any other issues they may be having, it gives them more confidence in their abilities.
This is because they’re going to an alternative source for help, instead of simply relying on themselves for every single decision being made.
Oftentimes, CEOs will constantly second guess their decisions because they don’t have anyone keeping them in check. This leads to a decrease in confidence and effective leadership.
Even if they still make the same decisions they would have made without the assistance of a coach, they will still have increased confidence. If your coach agrees with your decision, you’ll feel more validated.

Mary Lee Gannon, ACC, CAE is an award-winning executive coach, author, and founder of MaryLeeGannon.com, a consulting and coaching firm that helps leaders position their ‘Leadership Impact’ to enthuse transformational change – the same change that took her from welfare to CEO of organizations worth up to $26 million. 

She is an International Coach Federation Certified Coach, a Certified Professional Coach by Duquesne University, a Certified Association Executive, an alumnus of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Practices Program and the Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital Coaching in Medicine & Leadership Conference, a scholarship recipient of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute at Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership created at Google, and a member of Pittsburgh Coaches Association. She is the author of two books: Reinvent You – From Welfare to CEO and Starting Over.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

At a certain level, everyone is educated and a hard worker. Executives must differentiate themselves to stand out. Executive coaches provide a third-party perspective on what you don’t see to build your self-awareness and ability to self-regulate doubt, assumptions, expectations, and fear. They help you grow your executive presence with self-acceptance and knowledge of C-suite commonalities.

Jim has been certified as a professional coach and a Certified MasterMind Executive Coach. He has worked with various people ranging from R&D managers to Executive Vice Presidents in various industries that worked in retail, industrial, and B2B environments.

He has a BS in Chemical Engineering and an MBA. And has worked for a multi-national conglomerate for over 40 years with positions ranging from R&D, Process Engineering, Project management, Product management, Marketing, and Global account management.

Being technically educated and trained, He noted parallels between how a lot of the principles of science can be applied in life. He published a short book detailing these principles titled Life Imitates Science  He has also a contributing author to the best seller,  Business Model You.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executives are senior managers that have worked their way out of the day-to-day operation and have been put in a role of being a visionary where forward thinking is warranted. Activities include overseeing processes where efficiency and progress can be achieved for the company.

However being in an elevated position and out of the daily grind, Executives can lose sight of reality which can complicate their role. Executives can use coaches to help them stay grounded and keep things real. By working with coaches who will ask the tough questions and not fear reprisal, Executives can have a more objective view of what is needed as they manage forward.

Doug Thorpe is a performance-driven Senior Executive, Entrepreneur, Board Member, Thought Leader, and Coach with more than 40 years of success in executive leadership, management, and small business.

Leveraging his extensive experience, he is a trusted guide for mid-cap companies to large global enterprises requiring expert assistance with leadership development, team performance, employee engagement, culture shifts, and change management. 

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive coaching involves taking someone on a journey of self-discovery; finding the next level up for enhancing leadership skills and awareness.

It’s needed because we train technicians at all levels, but only support young managers by anecdotal correction. After multiple promotions, the mediocre manager becomes an executive and finds they just don’t know what they don’t know.

A coach becomes the guide on the journey to help with the right discovery of a leadership framework that fits the individual.

Dr. Joy Patton is a career military intelligence officer turned leadership and confidence coach. She works with military officers, corporate executives, and middle managers who want to gain clarity on leadership and career transition topics. Her ideal clients are successful leaders who have hit roadblocks for reasons that are beyond their control, and emerging leaders who are advocates for the vulnerable and under-represented.

Her coaching style elegantly combines executive/leadership and career transition coaching and her philosophy is centered on Marion Franklin’s Laser Coaching methodology and Georgetown University’s motto Cura Personalis, a Latin phrase meaning “care of the whole person.” She is a member of the International Coach Federation, an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with over 300 hours of client coaching experience, and a graduate of Georgetown University’s prestigious and globally-recognized executive leadership coaching program.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

I would define executive coaching as “a partnership between coach and client in which the client is the hero or heroine of the story, the plot is their journey to becoming stronger, more effective leaders, and the struggle may be that they don’t know how to overcome obstacles that may stem from confidence or lack of experience in a leadership role. Executives need a guide to help them understand and recognize system-level dynamics, someone who supports them in developing self-awareness, emotional self-regulation, managing stress, and sustaining levels of confidence, while supporting and serving followers and stakeholders. It’s a beautiful partnership that has a long-term impact.”

Chris Salem is a highly authentic person who for over four years has had a special passion for empowering and serving business leaders, entrepreneurs in various industries, sales executives, coaches, authors, speakers, and others, taking their business and life to another level.

Chris also delivers world-class content to audiences as a speaker that is high-impact which shifts people toward positive action. The focus is on the “root cause” that leads to changes and results, thus moving the audience toward improving their business and personal life. Always coming from the heart and personal experience, the audience is able to draw their own conclusions as to what is required of themselves to come out of their comfort zone and strive toward prosperity.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive coaching empowers people and businesses to be their best with the trusted advisor being the example and resource to guide them through their experience.

Executives who connect with executive coaches based on shared core values and experience desired can achieve more with the right structure and core foundation with accountability through their trusted advisors.

Christine Rose, ACC works with small business owners to grow leadership, effective teams, and high-value companies and facilitates CEO Success Mastermind Groups. A Certified Value Builder Advisor, Certified Psychological Safety Coach, Certified Core Values Coach & Forbes Coaches Councilmember named Top Business Coach of 2019 and among 2022’s Top 20 Women Business Coaches, Christine’s insights are featured on Forbes.com and many sites globally.

An award-winning internationally bestselling author featured in the UN Foundation’s #EqualEverywhere campaign, volunteer, mom, and grandma, Christine speaks to groups on business, success principles, psychological safety, culture change, and personal growth.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

My definition of Executive Coaching is grounded on the International Coaching Federation’s definition of coaching:

Executive Coaching is an ongoing professional relationship that helps leaders accelerate extraordinary results in their lives, careers, and organizations, as they gain self-awareness and deep learning, improve performance and their ability to manage and lead, and enhance their quality of life.

Nobody “needs” coaching. But executive coaching is a proven tool to effectively develop leadership, speed up growth, and get results. Organizations and executives often seek out coaching where there is an opportunity for accelerated growth or improved outcomes. For example, clients seek me out when they are experiencing fatigue or overwhelm, when the organizational culture is leading to breakdowns or failures in execution, when teams perceive the executive unfavorably and the executive isn’t sure why or what to do about it, or when they assess a need to clear vision or strategies to accelerate progress and get results.

As a Certified Career & Executive Coach and Career Optician(™️), Deborah helps you figure things out. You will see a new possibility in your career. When you see something different, you are able to do something different.

As an author of several best-selling books, She taps into 20+ years of empowering clients to find new jobs, new careers, and new ways of dealing with workplace challenges.

She has supported 1,000’s clients as they’ve moved past some of the toughest moments in their careers, She has also worked with clients in companies, including Facebook, Google, Citibank, Bank of Singapore, Nautica, Verizon, and many others.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

I’ll start with how the International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching:

A client-driven process where the Coach partners with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their professional potential.

In the context of executive coaching that could mean working on your effectiveness, productivity, leadership abilities, communication skills, time management, building effective teams, motivation, empowerment, and engagement.

Aka: problems at work. Process and people.

Why do executives need coaching?

No one needs coaching. As human beings, we are able to reach our goals fine by ourselves.

But there is a downside to reaching goals alone. It’s harder, confusing, and more frustrating when we try to achieve things by ourselves.

When you are an executive, there are fewer people to talk to; brainstorm; to discuss ideas.

You are a sounding board for others. Yet, there aren’t as many sounding boards for you.

What value do you bring as an executive coach?

I bring to your challenges a perspective that is difficult to achieve on your own. I am on the outside, looking in. You’re on the inside, looking out.

You are able to clear out what’s not working and see what you can do to get things working again.

You get a fresh perspective and a new way of thinking.

It’s a gift you give to yourself. The benefit? You and everyone around you at work gain from your present.

Judy Feld is a Master Certified Coach, a Certified Mentor Coach, a graduate of Leadership America, and a past president of the International Coach Federation. She was also the co-founder, training director emerita, and on the faculty at the University of Texas at Dallas School of Management Executive Coaching program.

Judy served as a Coach Observer for the first cohort of the UNTHSC and TCU School of Medicine Professional Development Coach Fellowship. Judy won the first ICF-North Texas Distinguished Service award in 2017.  In 2018 she was inducted into the inaugural ICF Global Circle of Distinction.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

We have become accustomed to the hybrid workplace, with perhaps an increased focus on (and time for) professional and personal development for executive and their teams.. I’m currently working virtually with clients around the world, from Dallas to Washington to New York to Iceland to London to Tokyo to San Francisco, and points in between. We’re all trying to make sense of all the changes that have occurred in the workplace and in the world.

Working with a coach is a great way for executives and their teams to:

• Set and achieve higher quality goals and reach their well-defined objectives
• Create effective strategies
• Optimize team performance
• Improve communications and leadership skills
• Understand and motivate others
• Eliminate rather than tolerate the negatives
• Achieve a balanced life
• Make better decisions
• Look for, recognize, and act on environmental clues
• Accelerate development in business, skills, knowledge, relationships 

We are partners; I listen to you, challenge assumptions, co-create strategies, make suggestions, point out connections, share some powerful tools, and focus on your priorities. You identify and implement the changes that are important to you.

Jessica Sweet, CPCC, LICSW, CEIP is the founder of Wishingwell Coaching and is an experienced and certified career coach and Harvard teaching hospital trained therapist. She coaches midlife professionals and executives to help them escape bad and boring jobs.

She has worked with clients all over the world, and her career advice appears in Forbes.com, CNBC, Business Insider, Monster.com, FastCompany, and more.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

My definition of executive coaching is coaching for senior leaders that help them grow and develop to reach their goals. They need this coaching because in order to maximize their potential, they need to be challenged, see their blind spots, have a sounding board and a resource for new ideas, and so much more. Growing into the leaders they are meant to be means they have to grow themselves, and good coaching can help them do that in exactly the ways they need to.

John Baird has been considered one of the premier executives coaches in Silicon Valley for over 25 years. He built his career coaching in the C-Suite at companies ranging from Apple and Nike to start-ups like DoorDash and MasterClass. He earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Purdue University.

He is currently the Founder & Chairman of the renowned executive coaching consultancy Velocity Coaching. John is also co-author of the forthcoming book Leading with Heart: 5 Conversations That Unlock Creativity, Purpose, and Results (HarperCollins; June 2022).

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive coaching is a transformational process where leaders work with a coach to help them adapt, learn, grow, and scale themselves and their organizations to meet the demands of an ever-changing business environment.

Why do executives need executive coaching?

What worked for leaders at one stage of the company growth, may not work at the next level of growth. Showing up authentically, managing teams and building a culture of inclusiveness and diversity all require new skill sets for leaders.  Personal leadership habits are often ingrained and difficult to change. Executive coaching can identify and name these “default” habits and give leaders the necessary tools for adapting and evolving their leadership.

As one leader at Apple said to me, “If you don’t have an executive coach, you are not on the fast track.” Apple hires coaches for their executives when they move into larger roles where they need to scale their leadership to the next level. Most athletes like Serena Williams have multiple coaches (fitness, mindfulness/psychology, and nutrition) to keep them at the top of their game. In the Silicon Valley startup world, many investors will give millions of dollars to a company and tell the founders that “they must get a coach.”

At Velocity Coaching, we look at our clients as Olympic athletes helping them build on their strengths and fill in the gaps critical to their success. These leaders are eager to gain whatever edge is needed to be at their best. As coaches, we work to create a safe setting for us to have important conversations to get leaders to lead with more heart and confront the things that are holding them back.

Rami Kaibni is a Career Coach, Professional Development Mentor, and certified Senior Program and Project Management Professional, holding a bachelor’s degree in Structural Engineering and over 17 years of hands-on experience in Portfolio/Program/Project Management, Construction Management, Business Development, and Professional Development/Career Coaching.

Rami is also the founder and executive coach at RMK Coaching besides working as a full-time Project Management Consultant with a consulting firm out of British Columbia, Canada, and holding multiple key volunteer positions with global organizations.  

Over the years, Rami earned more than 50 Credentials in the management and business fields and is also a member of many prestigious global organizations including the Project Management Institute (PMI), the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) and PMO Global Alliance (PMOGA) are a few of them. Over the course of his career, he worked with reputable organizations and clients both nationally and internationally and has been deployed on high-profile projects across the Arab Gulf Region, Middle East, China, and currently in Vancouver, Canada.

On a personal note, Rami is also a volunteer member of the Global Goodwill Ambassadors Foundation and named Global Goodwill Ambassador (GGA) for Canada.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

In simple terms, Executive Coaching is establishing a mentoring relationship between a consultant and an individual in a managerial position within an organization where the coach uses a variety of techniques to support the individual with their needs and help them achieve their goals. 

Executives could require coaching for a variety of reasons and in different areas but the most common one is their interpersonal/soft skills of which Leadership comes on top of the list of those skills because executives are expected to be able to have a situational leadership style which means they are expected to have the ability to pivot from one leadership style to another depending on the situation and team involved. 

Emotional intelligence, active listening, and effective combination are also areas of utmost importance where many executives seek advice and help, especially those new to the executive role or others who have to deal with geographically dispersed teams all around the world. 

Carla is a member of ICF, committed to supporting heart-centered, purpose-driven leaders in the development of their skills, knowledge, and the necessary mindset, to get back to their main priority – making a difference for their people – by building productive, inclusive workplace cultures, delivering on business performance, and progressing their own career and leadership impact.  

She believes that leaders have an immense opportunity to shape not only the culture of their own teams, and the companies they work for, but also the communities we all live in.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive coaching is a partnering process that Executives and Coaches embark on together. On this journey of discovery, the Coach acts as the Executive’s guide. 

Why do executives need executive coaching?

Coaches help Executives tap into their own power and wisdom so that they can perform at their best and have a great impact. Just like any human endeavor where greater performance is desired, Executives with Coaches find that their growth and development can move forward in leaps and bounds. Common areas for greater impact include cultivating a growth mindset, communication, emotional intelligence, presence, heart-centered leadership, and business performance.

Cristina is an ICF-certified coach that utilizes techniques learned from her bachelor’s in Psychology, MBA, soon-to-be Master of Arts in Teaching, soon-to-be Master of Organizational Management with a focus in Leadership, and agile certification. She is a lifelong learner that is always honing her craft and developing in areas of benefit for her clients. 

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive coaching is a client-centered partnership and conversation that leads to the successful attainment of mutually identified goals in the areas of personal and/or professional development for executives. It is my job to clear the highway so you can do what you need to do confidently and effectively. 

It is extremely crucial for an executive to work with a coach because of the demands (i.e., mentally, emotionally, on family dynamics, etc.), visibility, and impact the role entails. Leaders take on an executive role with only the slightest understanding of how overwhelming and complex the role can be. They set the tone for their employees that makes or breaks employee motivation, loyalty, job satisfaction, and retention. As people don’t quit jobs, they quit people! It is impossible to fully comprehend the impact and life that kind of pressure can take on until you are personally in that role. That is why only a few months in so many executives feel like they have been hit by a brick wall and struggle with adjusting their communication style, burnout, horrible work-life balance, imposter syndrome, anxiety, among other things.

Utilizing a coach provides a trusted confidant that is not “too close” to the situation to talk to, bounce off ideas with, ask questions, work through potential barriers (i.e., mental, procedural, emotional, or physical), etc. It is the coach’s responsibility to help clarify, guide, ensure the right questions are being asked, provide a perspective that may not be immediately visible to the executive as they are too close to the problem, and to hold them accountable. The coach is there to create a personalized holistic experience for the executive. 

After all, how can I expect my clients to take accountability, be vulnerable, and to grow (either personally or professionally) if I don’t? I will never have clients try something that I have not either done myself or had success in with other clients. If I encounter something that I do not specialize in or lack the skill to assist with, I am the first to acknowledge it and find the resource for my client. 

The right coach for you will be the one that is certified, you feel comfortable speaking with, and are able to mutually create an agreed upon plan with. Always ask for a one-on-one consultation before hiring a coach to familiarize yourself with them, their communication style, and to assess if their approach is one that aligns with you. If not, look for someone else!

ALIGNMENT, Inc., founded in 2007 by Kristin Kaufman, was created to help individuals, teams, and leaders increase their overall levels of contribution, bottom-line effectiveness, and personal fulfillment.

To be a successful leadership coach, it is Kristin’s belief it is of great benefit to have been successful in business, and faced the ups and downs that every successful business leader has faced.

Kristin is a very warm and approachable person. Yet, what really cuts to the chase is her 25 years of expertise in Fortune 50 corporate and non-profit leadership roles.

And in 2009, Kristin pursued and was awarded, the distinction of Professional Certified Coach (PCC) from the International Coaching Federation and also achieved the designation of Certified Leadership Coach through the esteemed program of Georgetown University – an exclusive, highly competitive, program. This leadership coaching certificate is distinctive from other executive coaching programs in that the focus and rigor were designed to help coaches and consultants learn how to help leaders reach their potential and achieved sustainable transformation through their work together.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

With all personal and professional development, the first challenge is to notice to what degree a person likes the arc, or trajectory, on which their journey is moving. Coaching is all about supporting this intentional development. Development is best understood by comparing it to a story. In the story of your life – you are the author, narrator, critic, and editor. Intentional development, or “life by design,” is all about reclaiming authorship and choice, and creating the future you desire. At the end of the day, ‘either you have the story, or the story has you.’ For executive leaders, this culminates in being clear about values, desires, and capabilities, and building and inspiring an agenda for others to follow.

Thus, an executive coach works with leaders to help enhance their self-awareness and their ability to contribute at their highest levels. Executive coaches serve as neutral sounding boards to clients, giving organizational leaders a listening ear when they’re working through decisions or seeking personal improvement by supporting them to gain more awareness about how to reach their goals – and ultimately reach their fullest potential.

Executive coaches are often external coaches, which enables them to give fully unbiased support to the executive because the coach does not have a vested interest in the organization’s success. Instead, the coach focuses solely on the development (and success) of the client, both personally and professionally, providing that critical neutral third-party viewpoint, and often asking the most provocative questions to unearth the wisdom residing within the executive leader.

We all know that it can be lonely at the top. Often, executives lack someone in their sphere with which they can be truly vulnerable for the sake of growth and ongoing self-development. An executive coach offers this ‘safe haven’ which enables the executive leader to pull back the curtain, look at things from a fresh perspective, expand the array of choices available to them, and help foster ‘an examined life’ that can foster growth in the leader. This expansion, helps the executive leader increase their clarity, their momentum, and their overall alignment as they continue to lead and inspire people in their organization to achieve success.

Carlos is a Personal and professional coach, helping people (and their teams) establish healthy boundaries so they can achieve balance and thrive in their relationships and their work. He also provides Executive Guidance & Advisory: Bringing real-life experience and mentorship to executives who strive to get the most from themselves and their teams.

He is an expert in Organizational Change Management: Transforming organizations to realize their growth potential, and their brand promise and maximizes sales by delivering customer experience to their clients.
He also provides services such as Brand development: Understanding your brand mission and promise and Demand Generation Strategy: Developing and executing demand generation programs that align with customers and buyers

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

My definition of executive coaching is journeying with executives to help them refine and develop new skills and new ways of thinking that enable them to get the most from their lives, which includes their business. I believe it is important for executives to have an experienced voice who has an outside perspective, that can challenge them in a safe environment. When executives open themselves up to coaching, they will find that complex problems and obstacles can be overcome and they can gradually see great outcomes that start with small changes.

Julian will encourage you, challenge you, and push you to go beyond what you believe is possible – why go for gold when you can go for platinum? He won’t judge you but he is straight talking and will hold you to account.

Julian is a master at co-creating what may seem to others as impossible, unrealistic goals. Helping you to break the boundaries excites him, whether that’s helping you grow your business to 10 or 50 million pounds or even attempting to set a new world record.

Since early on in Julian’s career he had the ability for seeing the potential and what’s possible for every human being, from the child he fosters to the leaders he unleashes.

He believes in you, has confidence in you, will jump in with you, get alongside you, and serve you with 100% of his being. Julian’s coaching is not for the faint-hearted. It’s for the lionhearted.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive coaching is where the client and coach, co-create, and co-discover, through a leadership development process that builds the capability of the client so that they can perform at a high level for the organisation.

It is facilitated in a one to one interaction, in an environment of openness, trust and psychological safety. Allowing the client to learn, to push the boundaries and be challenged along with accountability for any resulting key actions.

The benefits of executive coaching are seemingly endless, however, to be pragmatic here are some that my clients have experienced. Clients cite that their self-awareness has massively increased post program, enabled them to dream and go for big goals, gained clarity of the client’s purpose and strategies to embrace and go after it. Ultimately the biggest benefit is when an executive is performing at their peak, the organisation benefits from this impact which duly ends up in productivity and bottom-line profit increase. A recent client I coached saw an increase of 42% in profit in their business year on year.

A prolific speaker, writer, and influencer on Human Resources Management, Adora is the founder of Kendor Consulting Ltd, a Human Resources Management Consulting firm specializing in Learning and Development solutions.

Adora is a globally certified professional in the field of Human Resources (GPHR) and a trained Coach.

Adora has a Master’s degree in Management Information Systems from Cranfield University, UK, a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Reading, UK, and a Diploma in Psychology from Middlesex University, also in the UK.

What is your definition of executive coaching, and why do executives need it?

Executive Coaching helps senior executives achieve their goals with more clarity and speed than if they were to do it on their own.

Every executive has goals they want to achieve. Coaching helps them clarify their most important goals, explore their options, and take action that will get them to achieve their goals.

Conclusion

We appreciate all the successful executive coaches for taking the time and share their personal definitions of executive coaching and why executives need it. We hope these amazing responses will help executives lead better.

What is your favourite definition of executive coaching and why?

Feel free to share it in the comments below.