Three Myths to Know About Executive Coaching If You Are Looking for a Coach
Executive and leadership coaching is a profession and industry that is not widely understood, unless you are a coach or have been coached yourself. Because of this, myths have sprouted, and people may not have the full and accurate concept of what coaching is and what it entails.
Today, we will bust some of these myths for you by helping you better understand how executive coaching works (and how it does not work), and the ways in which it can be beneficial for you.
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Anyone can be a coach and therefore, coaches are not to be trusted.
Anyone can claim to be an executive or leadership coach because the industry is not regulated. However, that does not mean there are not ways to vet coaches and ensure they have the proper training and experience.
Two organizations, the International Coach Federation and the Board of Education for Credentialing are seeking to bring more clarity and organization to the coaching industry. They have a code of ethics and a credentialing process so that budding coaches can take courses, have access to credentialed mentors, get a required amount of experience, and learn about coaching properly.
If you are seeking a legitimate coach, you can refer to the International Coach Federation registry for coaches that have gone through the training and credentialing as part of your leadership coaching research. Of course, this registry guarantees nothing further than that the coach has gotten training and certification, and cannot vouch personally for an individual coach.
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Coaching is similar to therapy.
There is a huge difference between therapy and coaching. Therapists are medically licensed healthcare professionals that look into an individual’s past traumas, seeking to understand how those events have shaped the patient. Leadership coaches are not licensed, and do not involve themselves in a client’s past. Instead, a leadership coach is interested in looking forward and helping the client take steps towards their goals and creating their ideal life.
Now that is not to say past emotional weights or traumas cannot make their way into leadership coaching sessions. In fact, they do come up. In that case, a coach would then refer their client to therapy and perhaps collaborate with the therapist to ensure there is no overlap in treatment or coaching. However, no leadership coach is in the position to offer medical advice or emotional support of that nature.
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Coaches will tell you what you should do.
Leadership coaches will never tell you what you should do in any given situation. The purpose of an executive coach is to facilitate a meaningful conversation with you about your goals, needs, and dreams, and help you discover what to do based on what works for you. Then, they will help you feel empowered enough to do it. A coach may guide you through the process, but the actions and decision-making are all coming from you.
Every person had a different situation, core values, and lens through with they view the world, including your coach. Their opinions will always be colored through their own view, and a decision they would make may not be right for you. So instead of giving you concrete steps that may or may not suit you, a coach will help you find and implement your own solution.
Executive Coach Belinda MJ Brown discusses these myths about leadership coaching in greater detail here.
If you’re interested in receiving executive coaching, Equanimity Executive has reputable, credentialed, and qualified coaches that can work with you to take your business to the next level. Visit EquanimityExecutive.com to discover your inner CEO.
