Coaching has boomed over the last 20 years for a simple reason ... it works. However make sure your coach is not just a mentor such as a former senior leader. There a lot of people who call themselves coaches. Coaches work on and with behaviour. They need to be in the behaviour business. Psychology is the core discipline. However the coach needs also to be a business person.
Why? 2 thing happen as you get really high in the tree ...
1. You get less feedback because you seek less feedback because your own success becomes its own proof point
2. When you get fired (there is a good chance in senior leader roles) it will be about behaviour
Ask your employer for a coach, get some humility, and understand that all the other senior competitors are both smart and hard working like you. The differentiator is behaviour (the 5 EI skills and leaning agility).
It is nor what you know or whom. Its how you behave. Get a coach who can eloquently engage with you on exactly this. That is the number 1 quality you need in a coach.
Choose well ... a lot depends on it. When you are that high up the tree, its a long way down.
Ian
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