I often encourage coaching as a means to gain valuable insights into your strengths and opportunities and to become the very best version of yourself as a leader. I have seen the benefits first hand of powerful executive coaching and I have seen what a culture of coaching and leadership development can mean for an entire organization.

I recently took some of my own counsel to heart when I committed to a year-long elite coaching program. For the next 12 months, I will be participating in intensive workshops, one-on-one private consulting and VIP Strategy planning retreats.

It’s not an easy decision to have your business goals examined and your strengths and weaknesses scrutinized, but the rewards far outweigh the risks, time commitment and hard work. Coaches help you identify and focus on what’s important, which ultimately accelerates your success. And it pays off – literally. Studies have shown that organizations with strong coaching cultures report revenues above average, compared to their peer group. 

The benefits of coaching are undeniable. Your coach can help you:

1. Gain clarity about your goals. You’ll get crystal clear about what’s really important and how to stay focused on it.
2. Be accountable. Coaches keep you on track and moving forward. Having measurable goals and someone to hold you to them is a huge motivator.
3. Identify your knowledge gaps. What skills do you need to fine tune? Where do you need more education? Coaches can be brutally honest with you and help you discover where to invest your development time and energy.
4. Give you a competitive advantage. A coach has an outside perspective and can help you differentiate yourself from the pack and advance your career faster.
5. Sharpen your leadership skills. You can learn a lot from your coach. After you work with a coach for a while, you will likely adopt those powerful questioning techniques, which helps you become a better listener.
6. Get you back in the game. Studies show that coaching correlates with increased employee engagement. The majority of employees at companies with strong coaching cultures rate themselves as highly engaged.
7. Help you to be happier. When the clutter is removed and your values and goals are aligned with your actions, you will have greater personal and professional fulfillment.