CEO coaching
Career transitions at a senior level are recognised to be times of great challenge for individuals. Joining as a CEO into an established company is a significant career transition. There is the excitement of joining a new company, getting into the role and working out how to add value quickly. This is combined with the challenges of building a new network, understanding new systems and ‘the way we do things round here’, getting to know a new team and establishing or re-establishing market presence. Additionally, companies themselves are unique in terms of how they organise themselves. This often throws up complexities in terms of orientating and navigating the organisation dependant on its size and the geographical location of its team.
Typical areas explored in coaching
A lot changes as you enter as a CEO, some changes you are likely to anticipate and some aspects may take you by surprise. Common areas include:
— Seeking to establish your new identity and brand here at the company.
— Managing your own expectations of yourself. Expectations of you will be high, but they are often small compared with the expectations you will put on yourself. You will be keen to prove that the company did the right thing in bringing you in as CEO.
— Building your internal network, your first few months will be a whirlwind of meetings with fellow colleagues and potential clients and investors.
— Working out, for you, what being a CEO means, how you navigate the company and role model its values.
— Finding your place in the market and establishing what you bring to clients/targets.
— Maintaining your own balance between work and responsibilities outside work.
Coaching programme
Coaching clients are able to set the agenda and focus on areas that they feel will be most useful in their new context.
The coach will also be able to support the new CEO in making the best use of any informal mentors they may seek out. Typical coaching programme consists of 6 monthly sessions with a 2 hour duration to allow for a quality conversation. But some clients prefer shorter weekly sessions lasting 45 minutes via video conferencing to align to the pace of the organisation and their journey within it.