So here we are in 2025, 25 years on from that major milestone ‘Year 2000’ when we marked the end of the 20th century and welcomed in the new millennium. Besides other things, like the failure of the millennium bug to drive us to Armageddon, this made me think from a personal perspective about what has changed in the world of coaching. Back in 1999 when I first started my coach training, most people hadn’t heard of coaching let alone experienced it as part of their professional development. One of the biggest shifts I have witnessed is in how nowadays coaching is commonly regarded as a ‘go to’ development intervention in many organisations, without the why and the how needing to be justified or explained so much, and I notice too how increasingly the ability to take a coach-like approach is becoming a ‘must have’ skill set for managers and leaders. Similarly, but perhaps less frequently acknowledged, I see that there are significant growth opportunities for leadership development that the executive coaching space offers to the coach, which are worth exploring here.
Deepened Self-Awareness: with reflective practice built in to our commitment to ethical practice and continual professional development, executive coaches spend a great deal of time reviewing own experiences and biases, leading to greater self-awareness and subsequent personal growth.
Enhanced Communication Skills: Coaching requires clear, empathetic, and effective communication, which can only improve the coach's own ability to lead and inspire others. As we look around us, unfortunately, listening still appears somewhat under-developed across the leadership domain. Listening at a deeper level is a powerful attribute benefiting those who practice it to better discern the ‘nub’ of problems and to excel in trust-based relationship building.
Broadened Perspective: Working with diverse clients exposes executive coaches to different industries, challenges, and leadership styles, enriching their own understanding and adaptability. The ability to see that there is always more than ‘just one way’ equips the leader to shift limiting beliefs and inspire new actions.
Problem-Solving Abilities: Coaches participate in deeply reflective and exploratory conversations with leaders looking for fresh and innovative solutions to the challenges they face. Helping their clients navigate complex situations inevitably builds competence in this field, which can be applied to the executive coach’s own leadership roles.
Emotional Intelligence: Coaching depends on the ability to understand and manage emotions, both in the coach themselves and others, working within a safe and trusted space. Continual practice hones these skills. Emotional Intelligence - a set of skills and behaviours encompassing self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, - is fundamental to creating environments where contributors feel safe to take risks, be vulnerable, and share their ideas without fear of ridicule or rejection. Unsurprisingly perhaps, enabling psychological safety was identified by Google’s Project Aristotle as the top factor contributing to high performance, which therefore places this capability firmly in the leadership domain.
Networking and Relationships: Building strong relationships with clients and other professionals can expand the coach's network and open up new opportunities for collaboration and growth. In coaching we model behaviours where the focus is on fostering a straight forward, adult:adult relationship based on trust, clear communication, deep listening and respect for each other. Who doesn’t need more of that in their life, at home and at work?
In essence, executive coaching is not just about supporting others to grow and to step fully into their best lives; it's also a continuous learning journey for the coach, enhancing their leadership capabilities and personal development.
At Taylor Clarke we provide a coach development programme for senior level coaches which carries an ILM Level 7 Qualification at Certificate or Diploma level.
Gwynneth Rees-Kenny, Consultant & Coach
Gwynneth has been coaching senior leaders and high potential individuals for over 20 years enabling clearer vision, renewed energy and focus, and values- based decision making to shift from ‘stuck’ into action and change. She delivers executive coaching to individuals as well as team coaching with a focus on the collective agenda and shared relationship within and beyond the team. Gwynneth is the programme lead for our ILM Level 7 Certificate/Diploma in Executive coaching.
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