Finding the Right Executive Coach: Rod Whitson
It takes a good executive coach to know one, and Rod Whitson is no exception to the rule. The Lead Private Advisory Board for Vistage has been president/CEO at four different companies, so he knows what it’s like to sit in the executive seat. “I've had to make the big calls and difficult decisions,” Whitson says. “And I understand the pressure when you take responsibility for the well-being of others—all of that gives my coaching a different perspective and different insights.”
Here, we chat with Whitson about executive coaching and how to find the right coach for the new year.
Why is coaching so popular today?
Executive coaching used to be a last resort for low performers, often the last-ditch effort before firing an executive. In the last decade, the situation is completely different. Executive coaching is a reward for top performers as well as an investment in an organization’s best people.
Executive coaching produces results and good return on investment. According to Fortune magazine, a conservative estimate of the monetary payoff from coaching is more than six times the cost of coaching. A Manchester Inc. study demonstrated a sevenfold ROI from coaching. In short, executive coaching is one of the best investments a company can make.
How can a coach help someone personally and professionally?
The right executive coach will ask you questions nobody else in your life will ask you and will say things to you nobody else will say to you. They will create a safe, confidential environment where you can discuss anything. This is especially true if you are a high-performing leader; after a while people start telling you the things they believe you want to hear. Everyone needs someone who calls it like they see it and shares their truth. An effective coach will push you, challenge you and hold you accountable to what you want to accomplish.
What are some behavior patterns you see in the executives you work with?
The first is what I call “what got you here won’t get you there.” High-performing people develop accurate mental models and highly effective skills. But suddenly, many of your models and skills can stop working, especially in a rapidly changing situation, a new role, or a new endeavor. In fact, what worked before can start working against you; the more you push the former models and skills, the worse it can get. You need a new set of skills, but it’s unclear what they are and how to get them. An executive coach can help you see clearly what’s happening, and exactly what you need to do to go to the next level.
Next are blind spots. Most talented executives are competent, know what they are doing and know how to get results. However, there can be something very simple that’s holding them back from going to the next level. A few simple adjustments in their style, approach, behavior or communication can go a long way in improving their performance and results. Often the problem is that they are completely unaware of the needed adjustments. They have a blind spot. Everybody around them is painfully aware it, but few have the courage to share the blind spot with the executive. An effective executive coach can illuminate the blind spot and provide adjustments to make it a non-issue, getting an immediate lift in the perception of the leader. The results can be profound and dramatic.
Also, there is a concept from sports psychology that’s really helpful. It’s a simple formula: performance equals potential minus interference. When a top athlete goes into a slump, it is usually not because of a skill or talent problem. It’s usually an interference problem. Examples include thought storms, bad relationships, bad advice or counsel, limiting beliefs, negative frames—the list goes on and on. The formula also applies to top executives. An effective executive coach can help you identify interferences and help you eliminate them. Performance and results rebound, sometimes rather quickly.
Lastly, people just get stuck and need help getting unstuck.
Why do people get stuck?
People get stuck because they keep asking themselves the same questions over and over. You have the same conversation over and over in your head. The reason why you don’t have the right answer is because you haven’t asked the right question. We all need someone who will challenge our thinking with fresh questions that provide new perspectives and new insights. The new insights can usually be converted into new, better courses of action. An executive coach will ask you great questions, but more importantly, they will help you live into bigger questions.
What’s the difference between a consultant and an executive coach?
You hire a consultant because, after some diagnosis of your pain or problem, they will provide the prescription. In other words, consultants provide answers. The same is generally true with mentors. When you call someone with loads of experience in a particular area, they can tell you off the top of their head what to do. Sometimes people just telling you the answer is helpful and sometimes it’s not. An effective coach will stand at your side, look at the opportunity or challenge with you, help you create new insights, and convert your insights into action.
How do you find the right executive coach?
The bar is pretty low to be a coach, so make sure you are working with an experienced, proven professional. Ask around and especially ask executives you admire for their success and the way they achieved it. You’ll be surprised how many high-performing executives have a coach. They can make a referral to a great coach and save you significant time. Then do a sample coaching session with them. What’s it like to work with them? Do they ask powerful questions, or do they jump to answers? Are they open, honest and direct? Is there good chemistry? Most of all, check a few references.
What is your Luxiere?
Vintage BMW motorcycles. I recommend that all of my clients have a real hobby outside of work that truly engages their passion and creativity. Nothing like a ride across rural Oklahoma's beautiful backroads to clear your mind and refocus.