<center><a href="http://ferdinandmehlinger.com"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/DQkds0x.jpg" title="Ferdinand Mehlinger Coaching Program" /></a></center><br><br>Two-thirds of CEOs do not receive any outside recommendations on their management abilities, but almost all would be responsive to tips from a coach. These statistics are from a Stanford University/The Miles Group study released this month, which asked 200 CEOs, board directors, and other senior executives questions about how they receive and see management recommendations. I asked the study's co-authors, Stanford Graduate School of Company' David Larcker and The Miles Group CEO Stephen Miles some questions about what they found and how it applies to CEO coaching specifically. An edited version of our exchange is below.<br><br>Why is getting coaching from outside the business vital?<br><br>Blind spots are less evident when things are working out. It is really easy for executives to become practically strictly inward looking, particularly when they have actually been very successful. But these blind spots can become devastating when performance moves in the other direction. A great, neutral third party assessment is a clear reality check for executives.<br><br>Additionally, each person inside the company has an agenda of some sort. This makes the coaching environment an unusual and safe place to analyze different subjects versus the structure of what is in the CEO's best interest. The coach is only concerned with the CEO's wild success as the leader of the business.<br><br><a href="http://ferdinandmehlinger.com"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/KvAOwVB.jpg" title="Ferdinand Mehlinger Coaching Program" /></a><br><br>In your study, CEOs state the area they most want to develop is in conflict resolution. Why?<br><br>Dispute management is vital in the CEO duty-- almost anything that gets to the CEO's desk has an element of pleasing somebody and making somebody else unhappy. When the CEO avoids problem, it can close down the whole organization: choices are not made and issues fester, creating a contagion effect of ineffective behaviors down the ladder. A CEO who can handle and channel conflict in a positive way can get to the root of issues, use rigor to the group's thinking, and, eventually drive the best results. So cultivating this skill can be an effective tool to assist the entire organization.<br><br>The study also discloses that nearly two-thirds of CEOs do not receive training or leadership suggestions from outside consultants. Exactly what's behind that?<br><br>There is still some recurring stigma that coaching is in some way "remedial," as opposed to something that improves high performance, similar to how an elite athlete makes use of a coach. But there actually is not a single top athlete who does not have a coach. CEOs need to not be troubled about this concern, and rather see coaching as a device for improving their currently high performance.<br><br><center><object width="475" height="297"><param value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yVfeezxmYcA&showsearch=0&rel=0&fs=1&autoplay=0&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D22" name="movie" /><param value="window" name="wmode" /><param value="true" name="allowFullScreen" /><embed width="475" height="297" wmode="window" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yVfeezxmYcA&showsearch=0&fs=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D22"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVfeezxmYcA&fmt=22" target="_blank"></a></center><br><br>Part of this stigma comes from board members themselves, numerous of whom grew up in an age when coaching was genuinely remedial and not something where a CEO would ever voluntarily engage. So even CEOs who believe in training and want to engage need to ensure that they bring these board members in particular together with them on the journey.<br><br>So there's stress between boards and executive groups when it concerns coaching. How does it manifest itself?<br><br>Once more, when things are working out, there can be a tendency on the part of some CEOs to be less open to feedback and a matching "If it ain't broke ..." attitude from the board. If things are working out, boards frequently feel as if they do not need to have this hard conversation with the CEO. Both of these attitudes/approaches are a trouble and certainly do happen.<br><br><br>It's most likely not unexpected, then, that 79 % of CEOs stated it was their idea to get coaching. However should it only be their duty, or should it involve others?<br><br>Basically, it is an obligation of both the executive and the board of directors, while a trusted Chief Human Resources Officer can likewise play an essential duty. If some of a CEO's habits are really inefficient, these need to be recognized and worked on. If the CEO is reflective, he or she will certainly acknowledge their weaknesses without prodding from the board. Nevertheless, there are also times when the board states to the CEO: "It might be good to do some personal development on X." This is a vital part of CEO performance assessment: Exactly what things need to be enhanced?<br><br>Many times training starts through a collaboration with the board of directors on the CEO evaluation, and from that usually come a few particular actionable development themes that can trigger an advisory relationship with the CEO. It usually does come from both sides, and so boards have to be sufficiently up to date to see high performance training for what it is, versus being simply remedial. The board can assist set the conditions for success.<br><br>The CHRO can also be instrumental in setting the stage for CEO training, as they are often the ones who originate the concept with the CEO.<br><br><center><a href="http://ferdinandmehlinger.com/consulting"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/PjTdd4D.jpg" title="Free Business Coaching Consulting" /></a></center><br><br>Is there any evidence that the important things CEOs wish to be coached in aren't areas they need assistance in, and vice versa?<br><br>I believe that we need to look at the "spaces" in between what is being worked on and exactly what weak points are highlighted. For example, 23 percent of CEOs are working on their team-building skills, however just 13 percent of directors believe this is an area that needs enhancement.<br><br>Relatively, there's a reluctance to be coached on so-called "soft abilities" like inspiration, empathy, and persuasion. How important are these, and should CEOs and execs take a closer take a look at being coached on them?<br><br>"Soft abilities" have a vital location in the CEO toolkit. Skills such as motivation and being able to coach and establish individuals permit a CEO to construct a "complementary leadership structure" at the top of the organization. This type of organizational design enables the leading employee to work more effectively together and on their own, but relies upon a CEO who can encourage, inspire, and coach those below him.<br><br>Is there a way to be transparent about a CEO being coached without triggering investor and market panic?<br><br>Coaching is a private and personal activity. That your CEO is being coached is not something that would generally be disclosed to shareholders. Nevertheless, you can definitely envision situations where something bad happened in the company (unfortunate press coverage, loss of top managers, and so on), and the CEO confesses that he/she is liable and his management style was instrumental in the issue, which he/she is going to deal with this weak point. Performed in an open and honest manner, this type of disclosure can have a really favorable impact on reputation, motivation, and performance in an organization.<br><br>Many of the greatest carrying out CEOs revealed that Peter Drucker recommended them. They might have utilized a various term because age because of the stigma, however we are now moving plainly into an age where there is less stigma related to having a coach.<br><br>Is there an internal threat for business staff members if their CEO or a senior executive is open about getting training?<br><br>This will certainly be affected most significantly by the culture of the organization and the delivery of the message. The employees that you want to keep will most likely be grateful to hear that a trouble is being addressed. However, it is definitely possible that the admission of a requirement for training might be interpreted as an individual weak point of the CEO. This occurs all the time in political settings. Matching the message to the workers is necessary.<br><br>It is likewise crucial to not just see coaching through the lens that there is a "trouble." Sometimes you are not concentrated on a trouble when training someone. Rather, you are advising them on the concerns they deal with-- such as the growth of the leadership team or transforming from a personal business CEO to public company CEO-- and helping them be even more effective.<br><br><center><a href="http://ferdinandmehlinger.com/coaching"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/LZY5Aeh.jpg" title="Ferdinand Mehlinger Coaching Consultation" /></a></center><br><br>Ultimately, exists a relationship in between coaching and getting to the top?<br><br>This is relatively usual in tech companies such as Dell, Google, etc., where coaches/advisors have been brought in to assist young CEOs. However Jack Welch is another prominent example of a leading magnate who worked with an advisor-- Ram Charan-- for years.<br><br>In general, where there is a relationship in between coaching and getting to the top is when an executive believes in constant knowing and development. The saying "It's exactly what you discover after you understand it all" resonates right here. These sort of chief executives seek out a variety of various coaches/advisors who help frame topics for them and play a point of difficulty and reflection. CEOs who do this are likewise triangulating info, and their set of coaches/advisors help frame, difficulty, and absorb all of the information/data.<br><br>How should CEOs pick the best outside coaches or consultants?<br><br>You require coaches who are extremely smart, user-friendly about business and interpersonal characteristics, neutral in their evaluation (i.e., not caught by their client), and can customize the training to the individual needs (not a canned method).<br><br>A good coach does not make somebody feel badly about themselves, however will take part in training so that the CEO gets up the next early morning and is excited about attempting something brand-new or doing something in a different way.<br><br>Exactly what did you find most surprising in the guide, and what is the actionable takeaway for CEOs and boards?<br><br>We were really stunned to find out the low percentage of CEOs who have coaches. The key takeaway for CEOs and boards is that seeking a coach or advisor is not a sign of a basic problem or weak point, but rather a key characteristic of being a superior leader. For boards and other stakeholders, they must understand that it might assist make the distinction in between a great organization and a visionary one. <a href="http://ferdinandmehlinger.com">like this</a>