Coaching Leaders - 6 Reasons Some Executives Give Up
by Patsi Krakoff
Published on this site: January 9th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
How do you help leaders succeed? Give them some coaching,
that's the widely accepted solution. Then why do some executives
give up on coaching programs designed to help them improve?
Executive coaching offers a tremendous opportunity to leverage
leadership talent and resources. Coaching is no longer reserved
for problem leaders. It is more frequently sought by top performers
whose organizations value their management and growth potential.
Yet, sometimes coaching programs just don't work. Why?
Why Leaders Give Up
When it comes to change, some leaders lose motivation and
fail to "stick with the program." Marshall Goldsmith,
the renowned executive coach who has worked with many Fortune
100 leaders, reports on several reasons why leaders give up.
Regardless of the coach's competence, failure to achieve goals
may occur for several reasons:
- Ownership: The more leaders feel the process is
being imposed upon them or that they are just casually "trying
it out," the less likely the coaching process will
work. If leaders are simply "playing games," with
no clear commitment, their bosses must be willing to discontinue
the coaching process-for the good of both the company and
the coaching profession.
- Time: Goal setters have a natural tendency to
underestimate the time needed to reach targets. Busy, impatient
leaders can be even more time-sensitive than the general
population. Ordinarily, our behavior changes long before our coworkers perceive any change.
- Difficulty: Goal setters' optimism applies to
difficulty, as well as time. Not only does everything take
longer than we think; it also requires hard work! Long-term
change in leadership effectiveness takes real effort. For
example, it can be challenging for busy, opinionated leaders
to have the discipline to stop and listen patiently while
others say things they may not want to hear.
- Distractions: Leaders have a tendency to underestimate
the distractions and competing goals that will invariably
surface in any given year. By planning for distractions
in advance, leaders can set realistic expectations for change
and, consequently, will be less likely to renounce the change
process.
- Rewards: Leaders tend to become disappointed when
achievement of one goal doesn't immediately translate into
achievement of other goals. If leaders think skills improvement
will quickly lead to short-term profits, promotions or recognition,
they may become disappointed and give up when these things
fail to materialize instantaneously.
- Maintenance: Once a leader has put forth the effort
required to achieve a goal, it can be tough to maintain
behaviors that incorporate the new changes. Leaders must
recognize that professional development is an ongoing process,
with a lifelong commitment. Leadership involves relationships-and
relationships and people change. Maintaining positive relationships
requires long-term effort.
Coaching can be daunting for some leaders, as they must be
willing to be vulnerable and open. It is exhilarating for
those who embrace it and commit to change. Unlike management
science or academic theory, coaching is an exciting interpersonal journey.
Coaches and their clients form strong bonds built on trust,
openness, confidence and achievement. For coaching to work,
the connection must be firm and the coaching program must
operate with clear ground rules.
Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D. writes articles for business
and executive coaches and consultants. She provides articles
on leadership and executive development for sale, and formatted
into customized newsletters. Get Patsi's Secrets of Successful Ezines 7-Step Mini-Course to learn what you need
to know to publish a successful ezine. http://snipurl.com/Ezine_MiniCourse
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