The terms 'executive coaching' and 'leadership coaching' are often used interchangeably, leaving many people wondering what the difference is between the two forms of coaching.
At The Leadership Coaches, we are often asked what the difference between executive coaching and leadership coaching is.
To support you in understanding this, we explore what is executive coaching, executive coaching vs leadership coaching, and who both types of coaching are for in this blog. Ready to learn more? Let's get started.
What Is Executive Coaching?
Wondering what is executive coaching? You’ve come to the right place. Executive coaching is a process that helps executives and managers achieve their personal and professional goals. Through executive coaching, individuals can learn new skills, improve their performance, and overcome challenges.
Executive coaching is a fast-growing industry, and the statistics reflect that. According to The International Coach Federation (ICF), executive coaching has seen a growth rate of over 600% in the past decade. Furthermore, research shows that:
81% of executives find that coaching outcomes meet their expectations.
78% of executives who receive coaching report an increase in their productivity.
66% of executives who receive coaching report an increase in their effectiveness.
What Are The Benefits of Executive Coaching?
Now you know what is executive coaching, let’s look at the benefits.
There are many benefits of executive coaching. The first is that it can help an executive improve their performance. Executives find external executive coaching beneficial as it provides a safe space for them to explore ideas, challenges, and next steps.
Coaching helps executives prioritise, deploy a devolved leadership model, empower their teams, and deal with difficult situations.
Coaching can also help an executive develop new skills, behaviours, and strategies. This can be especially helpful if the executive is promoted to a new role or faces a new challenge at work. Executive coaching also helps executives lead and manage change successfully.
Finally, executive coaching can help executives build better relationships with their colleagues.
Who Is Executive Coaching For?
Executive coaching is not just for top executives. In fact, it can be beneficial for anyone in a leadership position, whether they are a CEO, manager, or team leader.
Coaching can help individuals improve their communication and problem-solving skills and their ability to inspire and motivate others.
What Is Leadership Coaching?
Leadership coaching is the application of professional coaching techniques to the leadership development process. It helps individuals and groups develop their leadership skills, achieve their goals, and improve their performance. Coaching is a collaborative process that enables people to achieve their potential by working through blockers and challenges.
One-to-one leadership coaching can help leaders at any stage in their careers and can be used to address a range of issues, including:
developing leadership skills
managing change
improving communication
building high-performing teams
developing strategy
increasing productivity
What Are The Benefits of One-to-One Leadership Coaching?
In addition to supporting leaders at any stage in their careers, the ICF report that one on one leadership coaching increases coach-client engagements by 18%. It is also reported that approximately 70% of individuals who take advantage of leadership coaching experience improved performance at work and develop better communication skills.
What’s more, leadership coaching can help businesses retain their top talent. In fact, 78% of respondents to a survey by the Association for Coaching said that they would be more likely to stay with their current employer if they received coaching.
In addition, leadership coaching increases emotional intelligence, which is a vital leadership skill.
Who Is Leadership Coaching For?
Contrary to popular belief, leadership coaching is not just for people in positions of authority. Anyone can reap the benefits of leadership coaching, regardless of rank or role within the company.
Leadership coaching is for individuals who want to grow and develop their skills as leaders. They can learn how to manage teams better, communicate effectively, and make strategic decisions through coaching. Coaching can also help individuals become more self-aware and understand their own strengths and weaknesses.
What Is The Difference Between Executive and Leadership Coaching?
As we can see above, executive coaching and leadership coaching are similar. But when researching what is executive coaching, it’s natural to think that they’re different. However, both coaching styles support coachees in enhancing their performance at work, and both help individuals develop new skills and relationships with colleagues and employees.
Contact Us Today
At The Leadership Coaches, clients like you trust our team to coach their talented individuals from the C-Suite to the frontline. Our team of credible coaches has worked with CEOs and directors in FTSE companies and senior, executive, mid-level managers, and mid-management teams.
To discuss your organisation’s executive or leadership coaching solutions, contact us today to arrange a consultation. Likewise, if you’d like to learn more about what is executive coaching, we’re here to answer any questions you have. Simply get in touch with us today.
