The Benefits of an Executive Coach

We all know that, when driving, our mirrors are very helpful. But we still have blind spots they don’t cover, so we need to be mindful of these blind spots. In the same way, we can have psychological blind spots, or aspects of our personality we’re not aware of. These can be frustrating repetitive patterns that we see ourselves in, or they could be deeper fears or desires that interfere with our relationships with others.

We can also run into trouble by being unaware of our psychological blind spots. However, confronting them can lead to personal growth and better relationships with others. The poet Robert Burns said that if only someone gave us the gift of seeing ourselves, “it would from many a blunder free us.” This is where an executive coach can help.

One of the biggest issues in the workplace is conflict. Conflict is inevitable when people work closely together. When it occurs, the people involved can either fight it out, or ignore the cause of the conflict. Neither one of these is very satisfactory; in the one, the loser is dissatisfied, and in the other both sides are dissatisfied because nothing is resolved. Surely there must be a better way!

A more lasting solution is to resolve the conflict constructively with an executive coach. Conflicts are not always over big issues; they often result from one or more participants not listening to the message causing frustration and elevating emotions. An executive coach can apprise those involved of any psychological blind spots that are preventing a settlement of the issue. An executive coach can also negotiate contracts among workers, so that everyone agrees that the new terms of their relationships are fair, and everyone gets something out of the deal. In this way, the workplace is more harmonious, and everyone can perform better in a new, less stressful environment. This conflict resolution is also more likely to last, because the reasons for the conflict have been removed.

Personal relationships are very important in business. A young man once decided in high school that he would like to be an accountant. He was very outgoing, and his parents worried he would be bored working with numbers all day. However, as an auditor, he uses his people skills every day. In business, it’s hard to overestimate the value of people skills.

An executive coach can provide great benefits in the business world by helping people understand how they’re perceived, enhance their interpersonal leadership skills, and move forward in their careers. An executive coach can provide insight into the blind spots, and get people driving safely down the road to success.