WHAT EVERY EXECUTIVE, ESPECIALLY CEOs, SHOULD KNOW...

We all hear it is lonely at the top, don't we? Why is this?
Is this really your Professional Fate?

How are your Board Directors directing you to success?
Are you surrounded by the best team in the marketplace?
Does your team have the necessary tools to be successful? Who is your confidant?
Is it because you tend to hear less truth from your team when you are the leader?
Are you directing versus collaborating efforts with your Top Performers?
Do you sometimes wonder how you got here/feel like an imposter?
Have you assessed the delegation component lately?
How capable is your team in completing their responsibilities?
Who is your best resource? How do you and your successor collaborate?
How often do you feel that work and stress are consuming your life?
Do you have someone to tell you what is really happening when you can't see it?

Some of these questions may have stirred up some truths which most CEOs experience during their tenure. The real question is: What can you do so you aren't so lonely at the top? Just close your eyes for a couple of minutes and think about it; what can you do so you aren't so lonely?

Stephen P. Kaufman, former CEO of Arrow Electronics, cautions "when CEOs think they no longer need real, credible feedback that [is when] they get into trouble" (Harvard Business Review, Oct. 2009, p. 57). Kaufman suggests that for a comprehensive assessment of a CEO's performance there are five dimensions to consider:

Leadership:
How well does the CEO motivate and energize the organization, and is the company's culture reinforcing its mission and values?

Strategy:
Is it working, is the company aligned behind it, and is it being effectively implemented?

People Management:
Is the CEO putting the right people in the right jobs, and is there a stream of appropriate people for the succession and to support growth goals?

Operating Metrics:
Are sales, profits, productivity, asset utilization, quality, and customer satisfaction heading in the right direction?

Relationship with External Constituencies:
How well does the CEO engage with the company's customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders? (HBR, p.56)

Please note that each one of these dimensions is significantly impacted by the performance of your human capital. Have you been utilizing it appropriately? Have you been effectively investing inside your box by giving all of your current talent the necessary tools to be successful? What about you? Are you gathering and accepting the necessary resources to assist you to become as successful as possible? Are you creating a winning environment to attract new talent?

If most Boards tend to "direct" CEOs according to the books, how can you develop your human asset to assure that your books are reflecting the environment you lead and envisioned when you accepted the position? Ah, the first step is pretty darn simple: Hire an Executive Coach for yourself today! Then get your fellow C-Suite residents, TMTMs (Top Management Team Members), or even High Potentials/Fast Trackers to start Executive Coaching too! Very quickly you will be able to learn what is truthfully occurring inside your box and confidently make effective decisions to assure your Board's respect.

If you still aren't convinced that Executive Coaching is right for you, before you say "so what" consider these points:

"Whatever the reason, the CEO can't rely on his followers to spontaneously give him the full picture." ~ Steven Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

More than 50% of people say they find it hard to cope with the pressure of work. ~TUC

Stress is the number one reason behind sickness from work. ~Gee Publishing

One-third of employees suffer sleepless nights due to stress. ~TUC

Most managers think that working long hours is unacceptable but necessary for their career. ~ The Quality of Working Life 1999 Survey, the Institute of Management.

Who are your sounding boards, your confidants?

What do others see as your strengths and weaknesses?

Are you fulfilled with the accomplishments of your organization?

While you are living up to other's expectations, have you lost yourself?

Do you know the evidence reveals Executive Coaching has a ROI of at least 500%, some research and case studies unearth results even as high as 800%? The norm is typically 550% to 580%. The evidence is out on the web for everyone to see!

A third party case study of Executive Coaching for your review:
Maximizing the Impact of Executive Coaching

"We are living in unpredictable times. Because of executive coaching, leaders gain more confidence and optimism in their ability to deal with the unexpected. The investment in executive coaching significantly appreciates over time as leaders are better able to navigate through ambiguity and uncertainty." ~ Peter Johnson, Executive Coach, Career Partners/Hazell & Associates.

Reuters article of August 2008:
New Research Reveals Increased Credibility and Positive Returns for Executive Coaching

OK, this stuff is good! So now what?
Let's talk about how to transform this all into YOUR Professional Destiny:

These first steps, which may take you the longest, are usually the easiest because it only involves you, and hopefully a few others to experience the greatest impact! The focus and action items your Coach will assist you with will take you to new heights, uncomfortable growing edges, and enormous success! With this additional professional development work, you will feel like you are the master of your domain! If that isn't enough; how about gaining an extra day a week? Interested in being able to accomplish all your responsibilities in record breaking time? While working the Executive Mastermind Process™, you will be able to gain a day a week via working diligently with an Executive Coach!

There is a significant amount of momentum that builds with this work and in a couple of months you will feel like you can breathe again! In six months you will contribute a great deal of your success for the work you have done. And, in a year- well, your life won't ever look the same again! If it is time for you to "step back into the waking dream of your life" so you can undeniably be the leader you are, call Executive Coach Marguerite to discuss how to get started. It's easy, dial: 262.716.7750