When Using An Executive Coach Pasadena Companies Strive To Lead

By Donna Murphy


Doing business in this day and age requires courage, determination, excellent service levels and, above all, strong leadership. The business environment has never been as competitive and consumers now have more choice than ever before. No company can rest on their laurels, thinking that they have captured their market. Consumers are much more discerning these days and they easily switch loyalties. However, by hiring an executive coach Pasadena companies can make sure that they stay on the cutting edge of their fields.

Businesses used to be highly structured hierarchies with very clear lines of management and communication. This is no longer the case. Most modern businesses utilize a team approach. Each team is focused on very specific goals and they often enjoy a measure of autonomy. Teams have to be able to interact with each other and support the efforts of other teams. For this to work strong leadership is absolutely necessary.

The days when managers gave orders from on high are long past. These days, highly successful companies have strong leaders that are in the public eye all the time. They become the faces of their companies, they represent their brands and they inspire people to want and even desire their products and services. Many studies have shown that visible leadership has become one of the most important assets of successful companies.

Coaches are not just hired for helping executives. Companies employ them to prepare employees with promise for bigger roles within the organization. When these employees with potential are promoted to positions of leadership, the coaches can play a vital role in helping them to adapt to their new role. Many newly appointed leaders find it difficult to make the leap from follower to leader.

It is not just promising leaders that benefit from using coaches. Even established leaders use their services to help them adapt to the ever changing nature of modern business. There is a great danger that senior executives can become stagnant in their thinking. Coaches can help them to look at things from different angles, to recognize the need for change and to look at new business opportunities in a new light.

Coaches are extremely effective when used as sounding boards. Senior members of a company cannot really afford to air their ideas and opinions in public because flaws in their thinking may cause them harm. With coaches, they can theorize and voice their opinions without the danger of being ridiculed. The role of the coach is then to probe, to ask questions, to voice counter arguments and to force the client to think carefully about matters.

It is very important to choose coaches with great care. They often have a great influence upon their clients and they must be trusted to keep their dealings with their clients confidential. Their job is not to make or to instigate decisions but rather to guide and to mentor. To this end, it is important to ask for references and to actually follow up on them. Unfortunately, there are far too many unreliable coaches thinking that this is an easy way to make money.

It would be unreasonable to expect coaches to produce results quickly. Coaching takes time and when hiring a professional, this factor should be kept in mind. In the long run, however, they can help their clients to survive in the shark infested waters of modern business.




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