The grass is always greener on the other side. All that glitters is not gold. Amelia understood this within 3 months of becoming the CEO of her company. As someone who just achieved her childhood dream of becoming a CEO, her excitement vanished in thin air, as the stress started taking over her life. New Corporate Coaches: The CEOs
She had to put up a brave front and act as if she was 100% sure of every decision she made, even though she was just as uneasy with the decision as everyone else. Back then, she had her peers who had her back and reassured her, but now the stakes were higher and there was less room for errors. She had been trained under the ex-CEO before taking the role of a CEO.
The CEO position in itself was nuanced and presented a new challenge for her everyday. Some days, she was abundantly clear and confident with her decisions and some days she could have used some new perspectives to help her see things clearly. And this is not just Amelia, even well-seasoned professionals and CEOs can often benefit from a new set of eyes, a.k.a, coaches.
CEO to Coaches: New Ideas, Growth Mindset & More..
Coaches or consultants can help companies work through their blind spots so that they don’t hinder the company’s progress in the future. Coaches can give reassurance and help CEOs mitigate the risks attached to their decisions. All of this can be a huge asset to the company. | New Corporate Coaches : The CEOs
Sometimes, a CEO needs a soundboard, someone to listen to their ideas and brainstorm. People who would give them sound advice. Perhaps, even brainstorm some new ideas with them. They may need new ideas, that a coach can come and help with.
Many tech companies like Dell, and Google have brought in young CEOs who have worked with many coaches and consultants. For example, Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric has worked with business coach Mr. Ram Charan for years. So if we were to talk about the relationship between coaching and being at the top, it is when the executives believe in constant learning and development, the magic happens. This growth mindset is what decides the faith of the company.
Having said that, the business landscape is ever-changing. New spells of tech waves, layoffs, geopolitical tensions, and the importance of establishing a social media presence and being the face of the company have become increasingly important for all CEOs. This new age requires CEOs to have a diverse skill set that goes way beyond the hard skills.
New-age Leadership: Soft Skills are the New Hard Skills | New Corporate Coaches: The CEOs
Mostly, there is resistance to getting coached, especially for soft skills. But, soft skills are an important part of a CEO’s toolkit. Skills such as motivation, coaching, and developing skills in employees, persuasion, etc can help create a culture of leadership, this builds a strong foundation at every level.
In this age of Social Media, CEOs need to be at the forefront and act as the ambassador or the representative of the company. CEOs need to represent the values of the companies to be seen as authentic and fair leaders. Even if that means CEOs have to become motivational coaches to their employees and their audience on social media. As leaders, they need to reflect these skills and qualities, which could become a part of their company’s DNA.
CEOs as Mentors | New Corporate Coaches : The CEOs
CEOs like Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk have been active on social media and constantly voice their opinions, engage with the public, and create a strong public image for their companies. They don’t shy away from giving updates on their company’s progress, and new product launches. They are constantly keeping their customers in the loop of what is going on and what is to come. | New Corporate Coaches : The CEOs
Simon Sinek, Indra Nooyi, Adam Grant, Sara Blakely and Gary Vee have passionately tried to be the voice of change to bring empathetic and fair business practices while letting go of an overworking and toxic culture that ignores employee well-being.
(Author - Karishma is a Content Writer at TechDoQuest. She gives a refreshing and youthful perspective on what she writes about.)