Today, September 1, 2025, marks my 15th anniversary as a self-employed Executive Coach. To celebrate the milestone, Martin Aldergård and I recorded a special episode of Second Crack – The Leadership Podcast about executive coaching—what it is, what it isn’t, where it creates real value, and how you know if it’s right for you. You’ll find the episode links at the end of this article.

What Is Executive Coaching?

Rather than a textbook definition, here’s my personal take on what executive coaching is at its core: executive coaching is about helping leaders create the conditions in which people can be their best—and “people” includes the leader. There is a lot in that short sentence, so let’s take a closer look.

First, it’s about being your best, not just doing your best. While coaching is ultimately about taking action, being precedes doing. Who we are and how we are shapes what we do.

For instance, if you want to give effective feedback as a leader, you can memorize all the do’s and don’ts, but without a foundation of being understanding, compassionate, and assertive, the quality of your feedback will never reach its full potential. Or, imagine you want to improve the quality of your listening skills and listen more to others. Your efforts will most likely be in vain unless you are truly curious about what the other person has to say.

Second, “creating the conditions” isn’t only about others. It must start with the leader. Who you are is how you lead. Executive coaching often begins with self-reflection—sometimes soul-searching: What do I stand for as a leader? What do I really want to achieve? And how might I be getting in my own way? Once leaders understand the conditions under which they can show up as their best selves, they can begin creating the right conditions for others. Those conditions vary by person, so it starts with understanding individuals better.

One shared human reality: our decisions and actions are strongly influenced by emotions. Leaders benefit from understanding basic neurobiological effects at work—learning to regulate their own emotions, avoiding triggering fear in others, and instead nurturing emotions of trust, joy, and excitement. (Pelzer, 2024).

Executive Coaching and Goals: Structure Meets Emergence

Many assume coaching should begin with specific goals and measurable business results. Well known coaching models like GROW, where “G” stands for goals, can suggest that. Yet starting with rigid goals can prematurely shrink the conversation. As Professor David Clutterbuck notes, the goal of coaching is often to clarify the real goal (Clutterbuck and Megginson, 2011).

The experienced leaders I work with don’t need me to push them toward “bigger, better, faster.” They already face plenty of pressure, and they are highly self-motivated. What they often need is a space to slow down—a safe space for reflection where clarity and new insights can emerge. From there, better “goals” follow.

Mature coaches aren’t goal-obsessed; they prioritize a safe, reflective space while holding outcomes lightly. We can’t control outcomes and we need to remain open to whatever might emerge—and that’s often where the magic happens.

Measuring Progress in Executive Coaching

Nevertheless, coaching is not just a pleasant conversation. We want real progress. Corporations that invest in coaching rightly look for a return. Consequently, professional coaches must balance creating this space for emergence while keeping an eye on the desired outcomes.

Sometimes the measures are clear (e.g., specific business outcomes a leader directly influences). However, even when outcomes are more intangible, progress can be measured, for example, through regular self-assessments (e.g., confidence or effectiveness in key situations).

A powerful approach is stakeholder-involved coaching: at the start of a coaching programme, we ask key stakeholders which changes in leadership behaviours would most help; then we invite brief feedback on those areas along the coaching journey. This motivates the leader, surfaces blind spots early, and makes change visible to others. The watch-out: don’t let it drift into “stakeholder pleasing.” The objective is not satisfy everyone’s wishes but to develop in ways that serve the leader’s role and the organization’s needs.

Why Every Leader Needs an Executive Coach

When former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was first encouraged to work with a coach, his initial response was: “I’m an established CEO—why would I need a coach? Is something wrong with me?” He later reframed it: “Every famous athlete, every famous performer has somebody who has a coach.” (Fortune, 2009) Coaching isn’t a punishment or a remedy for low performers. If anything, it’s an investment—and often a reward—for leaders with significant scope and potential. It’s also practical: it can be lonely at the top, and a trusted, professional sparring partner helps you think clearly and decide well.

Schmidt also points out how crucial feedback is in coaching: “One thing that people are never good at is seeing themselves as other people see them.” And so, one of the toughest—but often most valuable—parts of my job as coach includes the offering candid feedback that others won’t.

When Is the Right Time to Work with an Executive Coach?

There isn’t a single perfect moment. Some leaders engage a coach around a specific challenge or high-stakes project. Others value a longer-term partnership with an independent thought-partner who knows their context. Both can be right.

My coaching is mostly focused on general leadership development and leadership effectiveness, and I often support leaders in transition. And coaching can be especially in transformations. Strategies can look crystal clear on paper. Real life is messier because people and emotions enter the picture. A coach helps you navigate the human side, so the strategy actually lands.

I recall a joint project with Martin where we partnered with a company over an extended period to define and implement a new strategy and vision. The Managing Director later said, “I didn’t expect we could achieve so much within one year.” Combining consulting and workshop facilitation with individual executive coaching for key leaders was critical to overcoming challenges along the way.

Three Reflection Questions for Leaders

What have I invested in my development over the past months and year—and is it enough for the scope I hold?
What belief or assumption might be holding me back from working with an executive coach?
What might I be failing to see about myself—and what happens if I continue leading exactly as I am for the next few years?

A Gentle Invitation

If you’d like to explore whether working with an executive coach could support your leadership journey, I’d be happy to have a short, no-pressure conversation. Simply contact me here to schedule a call.

References

Clutterbuck, D. and Megginson, D. (2011). Coach Maturity: An Emerging Concept. In: L. Wildflower and D. Brennan, eds., The Handbook of Knowledge-Based Coaching: From Theory to Practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, pp.299–314.

Fortune (2009) Schmidt: Everyone needs a coach. [Online video]. CNNMoney/Fortune, 19 June. Available at: http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2009/06/19/f_ba_schmidt_google.fortune/ (Archived at: https://web.archive.org/web/20090625073414/http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2009/06/19/f_ba_schmidt_google.fortune/) (Accessed: 30 August 2025).

Pelzer, G. (2024). Soft Skills through the Lens of Hard Science: Insights into Why Leaders Need to Know about the Brain. In: P. Brown and N. Das Goshal, eds., Brains Inspiring Businesses for Leaders. [online] Edinburgh: Ideas for Leaders Publishing. Available at: https://gerritpelzer.com/executive-coaching-resources/Gerrit-Pelzer-Why-Leaders-Need-to-Know-about-the-Brain-CH6IH.pdf (Accessed 30 Aug. 2025).

To gain more insights about executive coaching, listen to our complete anniversary episode “Executive Coaching: Who You Are Is How You Lead” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here on my website.