What do you do if your executive coaching clients lack key leadership competencies?

If you have knowledge and expertise in these competency areas, you could incorporate "teaching" pieces into your sessions. This usually works best when you integrate content into sessions based on the topics your coachee brings up. So, for example, if a client brings up discussion issues related to interpersonal dynamics, you could share some useful models or best practices based on your expertise. It might require some re-contracting and discussion on how best to incorporate this additional work into your working relationship.

There's something strange about this question because in a coaching session, the client identifies their goals. They don't say "I lack this competency". They are more likely to talk about confidence and challenges. If they feel, for example, their communication or strategy skills aren't where they would like them to be, we coach that. What does success look like? What's getting in the way? What next steps and actions will they take? It's personal and focused, and client led. So this doesn't sound like a question a client would come to a session with, but perhaps one that a manager or HR would like to see resolved with training and mentoring.

Start with creating awareness through assessments (ideally 360-degree tools); use coaching to deepen the learning and review blind spots of leadership competencies. Easier said than done however while the relationship of executive coaching is established and designing alliance is well conducted it works organically with a spice of radical candor.

From my experience it all starts with the client accepting, recognizing and taking full ownership of the existing gaps, being able to recognize them not only in the assessment but in real daily life. Once they decide and commit to work on their growth and development I use a combination of self awareness techniques and competency trainings to help narrow the gap while supporting them in the journey, celebrating small successes and learning from their experience and feedback.

Assessing gaps in our leadership is very important, however first identifying the most important goals or areas of growth, we desire as a leader, will help us prioritize areas of leadership development. With priorities for our growth and or outcome goals, then assessments like a 360 degree assessment, or others is an effective next step to help us become aware of gaps. With this awareness of gaps, in our leadership, we can prepare a leadership development plan in line with our most important goals, that will help us achieve our desired outcomes. Alignment to these goals and desires is key to success when addressing gaps.

What is not mentioned here is being clear on priorities. Goal setting is about having a clear plan, and this clarity involves prioritizing. This helps develop a more realistic plan for the Coachee, and prepares them for success. It might sound obvious but I have way too many examples of people having way too many priorities as they think this approach will bring results faster. Well, this is a recipe for failure.

If executive coaching clients lack key leadership competencies, set clear objectives focused on developing these skills. Tailor coaching sessions to target specific areas for improvement, such as communication, decision-making, or emotional intelligence. Establish measurable goals to track progress over time and provide structured feedback to support skill development. Utilize a combination of coaching techniques, training resources, and practical exercises to reinforce learning and facilitate growth in identified competencies.

SMART goals are very difficult for leadership development as the progression relies so much on opportunity and third-party feedback. You will need to be more flexible and inventive, especially around the Measurable and Timely sections.

Help your coachee to recognize opportunities to practice in their current environment, invite them to commit to some behaviors to try, and follow up to discuss how those attempts align with their goals. Many times, the opportunities the seek are already available and it is a matter of recognizing them.

One thing I’ve found helpful is to start with what you need for your job. If you’re responsible for leading a change project, look for change models and management tools to learn about. If your delivering a presentation soon, looking up various presentation styles and when to use them would be helpful and help you get your job done. If your supposed to analyse a process, an analytical model will help you to structure your thinking and analysis. Online short courses or articles can introduce you to concepts, current thinking, and insights to learn about specific topics. Then, practice applying the knowledge and reflect on how your practice goes. This is the basis of skill development.

If executive coaching clients lack key leadership competencies, focus on skill development tailored to their specific needs. Design coaching sessions to target areas of improvement through experiential learning, feedback, and practice exercises. Utilize relevant resources such as workshops, assessments, and mentorship opportunities to enhance their leadership capabilities. Foster a supportive environment that encourages self-reflection and continuous growth, empowering clients to acquire and refine essential leadership skills over time.

Es interesante favorecer también el aprendizaje autónomo a través de la planificación de tiempos dentro de la jornada y el uso recursos online. La mentorización y el modelado de comportamientos también será una herramienta muy útil para complementar la formación tradicional.

In my experience as an executive coach, I've found that feedback is not just about pointing out areas for improvement, but also about reinforcing positive behaviors. It's crucial to make it a two-way street, encouraging clients to seek feedback from their peers and subordinates. This not only provides a holistic view of their leadership style but also fosters a culture of open communication and continuous learning.

A big part of being a leader is thinking like a leader...which involves a shift in mindset. Your title does not make you a leader; your behaviors and actions do. And it all starts with realizing that leadership is not about you...it's about the people you lead. And it starts with being more introspective and reflective about who you are as a leader...and as a person.

When clients in executive coaching lack specific leadership skills, it is crucial to guide them to develop a growth-oriented mindset. This involves treating challenges as learning opportunities rather than success barriers. Encouraging self-reflection and learning from feedback will help them realise that leadership is a continuous improvement journey. The focus is on nurturing their inherent potential to adapt, overcome setbacks, and persistently chase their goals. This way, as a coach, you can help them to turn perceived weaknesses into strengths, fostering resilience and a proactive approach to personal and professional growth.

Consider where the reinforcement of progress will come from - the most important people are those being led, so try and develop a 180 feedback mechanism to reinforce positive progress. After all, it is in their interests to have a better, more aware leader

In my experience, most executives don’t really use the term “competencies”. In fact, does anyone outside of HR really use the language? “Excuse me Steve, I noticed that the competencies you were using this morning weren’t….” Doesn’t work right? So, I stick to the language of behaviours. Keeping leadership growth practical, “doable” and measurable is my approach. “Behaviours” is where my coaching lives.

👀Teach before Coach❗️ From my personal experience and exposure to my clients, who are primarily owners and founders of family businesses, I often teach before I can coach. Thus it is not just about asking questions to help them get to their own answers. ▶️ all depends on the individual's 4E 🔸️environment 🔸️education 🔸️experience (often depth 🔸️exposure (often breadth) ✳️ In my assessment I look beyond the personality tests to understand the 3C ▶️ Commitment to change ▶️ Current Capability and Competency 🔸️the platform to coach from ▶️ Courage to change

In my opinion, no leader is good at everything. When coaching leaders, I want to make sure they are very aware of their strengths so they can leverage them and understand areas where they need to work harder to develop those muscles and build / lean on team members who have strengths in areas they don’t. Self-awareness is key.

Introduce a "Leadership Shadowing Program" where your client can shadow a highly skilled leader, observing their decision-making and interactions in real-time. Understanding your client's personality traits can make this experience truly personalized. Pair them with a leader whose style complements their own strengths and areas for growth. This way, your client can see firsthand how someone with a similar disposition navigates challenges and communicates effectively. It's about stimulating growth naturally and sustainably, ensuring their meaningful and lasting development.

Make sure that both you and the client really understand what they want to develop and why. People will generally name a skill that they want to gain/improve - instead , get them to focus on an impact that they want to have. It may be that there are a number of ways to achieve this, and some will come more naturally than others. Authenticity and context are the most important factors in any leadership development