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Executive Coaching Guide for CEOs
Executive Coaching Guide for CEOs
According to research, nearly two-thirds of CEOs do not receive outside leadership advice, despite increasing evidence of the benefits of executive coaching. Leaders who go it alone often bear the stress of having to have all the answers all of the time and, ultimately, making decisions in isolation.
Those who do take advantage of executive coaching enjoy benefits including (but not limited to) better business performance and goal achievement, improved leadership, boost in motivation and focus, more positive relationships with colleagues, greater ability to self regulate, more confidence when making decisions.
Below we address why so many top performers have an executive coach behind them, the biggest hurdles CEOs face when making decisions, and the value of having a trusted group of peers to turn to as well. Executive coaching when done right can help you become a better leader who consistently gets better results — in business and in life.
What is Executive Coaching?
The definition of executive coaching is simple. Executive coaching helps CEOs make better decisions. Having an executive coach is like having a mentor who helps you think through decisions from every angle, offering fresh perspectives and insights. A good executive coach like Lynn Donaldson will help you identify your challenges and opportunities and work with you to get crystal clear on your priorities. Your coach will identify blind spots and share resources to help you make more informed decisions.
He or she is also a source of support and encouragement. Many executive coaches were also successful business owners or CEOs themselves, so they can share their vast experience with you, helping you avoid costly mistakes and make decisions with more confidence.
Anyone working in a professional setting can benefit from executive coaching. Those in the C-Suite or who own a business can especially benefit since their improved performance has the biggest impact on the company culture and the bottom-line results.
Purpose of executive coaching
The purpose of executive coaching is to help you become a better leader, make better decisions and get better results.
Ultimately this will enable you to grow your business faster, have a positive and uplifting impact on your employees and lead to a positive difference in your community and the world. You may even find that your personal life improves as well.
If you have an executive coach with a more holistic approach to leadership, he or she will encourage you to discuss any challenges you’re facing — business-related or personal.
They work on the premise that the issues you’re facing at home show up in the office and visa versa. Addressing the whole person (not just the business professional) can help relieve stress and lead to more fulfillment, a higher caliber of work and a higher quality of life.
Benefits of executive coaching
Executive coaching is a win-win for any hungry business owner. As you expand upon your leadership skills, your company reaps the rewards.
Achieve your goals faster
Most business leaders don’t have the time or desire to have to deal with the fallout that comes from decisions made in haste. Executive coaching keeps you focused and strategic. You can achieve your goals faster, avoid time-consuming mistakes and spend more time on your big picture vision for your company.
Provides accountability
After you get clear on the goals you need to achieve, an executive coach will hold you accountable with a step-by-step plan and deadlines. A good coach isn’t going to accept excuses either. He or she will hold your feet to the fire, and you’ll thank them for it every step of the way.
Identifies blind spots
We all have blind spots and the only way to “see them” is when we have someone in our life pointing them out to us. Your staff isn’t going to do it, and your friends and loved ones may not see what you’re hitting up against in business. But a good executive coach is trained to see what you’re missing so you can make better, more informed decisions.
Allows you to get unbiased feedback
Diverse perspectives are critical in helping you become a more effective, well-rounded leader. Listen to your executive coach without interrupting or thinking about what you’re going to say next. Take in the feedback and sit with it. You’ll be surprised at the possibilities that can open up and the solutions that you may have never considered.
Helps you address big picture issues
Just by having a fixed time on your calendar every week or month to tackle your biggest challenges and opportunities with your executive coach, you’re already ahead of the game. During this dedicated time, your coach will help you step out of the day-to-day emergencies and get clear on your priorities, address the issues that are holding you back and move your business forward in the direction of your dreams — instead of spinning your wheels on the same kinds of issues over and over.
The Executive Coaching Process
Executive coaching alone is not enough, a comprehensive executive coaching process will feature core elements.
Solve challenges together
You’ll meet for a day under the leadership of an executive coach.
They are from all types of non-competing organizations and industries and all meetings are 100% confidential.
This allows you to speak freely and candidly about the biggest pain points and goals. It allows you to freely discuss the challenges that are getting in the way, professionally and personally.
An atmosphere of trust, support and encouragement is created. That is the absolute essential that makes these meetings so effective and profound.
Executives who have been carrying the burden of having to know all of the answers can finally let their guard down.
They can put any issue on the table for their peers to tackle with them. Almost always, their peers have been in similar circumstances and have firsthand insights to share. They help each other think through issues in a way that their subordinates cannot.
Lynn Donaldson has a proprietary method which helps get to the very heart of the challenge at hand so discussions remain focused, productive, and, most important, actionable.
One-to-one sessions with an executive coach
An accomplished CEO/executive coach guides the discussions. Lynn Donaldson, has had decades of top executive experience, having led a major company – or companies— to greater success.
In addition to sessions, you’ll meet for private one-to-one executive coaching sessions to dive deep into the issues they most wish to address. Often discussions are directly focused on business strategies, plans, staff members and clients.

But sometimes personal life issues surface that are connected to business performance. All topics are fair game. Lynn Donaldson abides by a holistic approach to success. Everything is connected — the person you are at the office is impacted by the person you are at home.
Learn from world-class thought leadership
Thought leadership is a component to a successful strategy. At monthly sessions, a time is set aside to introduce a topic of high interest. Lynn Donaldson is fortunate to have access to many of the most prestigious presenters in the world. Whether it’s hiring and retaining top talent, succession planning, or adapting to new technology, members can keep up with the latest best practices and how to implement them.
These presenters usually speak to large, sold-out audiences.
Lynn Donaldson has the opportunity to work with them in an intimate setting. In such an exclusive group, the presentations are even more dynamic, relevant and interactive. They’re more like roll-up-your-sleeves workshops than talks.
Why executive coaching works
Most CEOs and business owners who commit to executive coaching find that the process works. By hiring a coach and making the time commitment each week or month, you are already on the right track.
You are carving out time on your schedule to address the challenges and opportunities that need your attention if you’re going to grow and succeed at a higher level. CEOs who don’t opt for executive coaching get caught up in the day-to-day grind, never giving themselves a chance to elevate their strategy, get kinks out of their system or face the issues that are hijacking their business.
Here are some essential reasons why executive coaching works:
1. It encourages renewed curiosity and openness
Not all ideas are going to see the light of day, but discussing ideas with your executive coach, you open yourself up to fresh perspectives and a whole new world of possibilities.
2. It holds you to your word — and your vision
As CEOs and business owners, you are generally accountable to yourself or maybe a board of directors. Having an executive mentor will motivate and energize you to meet long-term goals such as an exit strategy or building a fundamental piece of your legacy. Regular meetings and check-ins with your executive coach who cares about your success just as much as their own adds firepower to ensure your dreams don’t fade away.
3. It clears away operational roadblocks
It’s easy to get stuck in the morass of everyday tasks. In your busy schedule, it’s near impossible to find the time for high-level planning and strategy. That’s when you can rely on the time with your executive mentor Lynn Donaldson to pull you out of the day-to-day grind and focus on what will move your business forward.
4. It makes you into a better decision-maker
When it comes time to make critical decisions, there is some information you cannot share with your staff. And, while you should and do rely on them, there may be times when they can’t fully grasp the complexities of managing a business that is not a professional firm like theirs. This often leads to owners feeling isolated; it’s what is called “lonely-at-the-top syndrome.”
But when you connect with an executive coach and become part of a tight group of CEOs and business owners you have the confidence and support in making better decisions.
Contact Lynn Donaldson today 908-963-7747 and learn how to bring your goals into fruition.
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