The concept of “executive coaching” conjures up images of bright and budding C-Suite executives seated around the table of a boardroom, a storied executive-turned-trainer at the helm. You might be under the impression that executive coaching could only take place in the penthouse office of a Fortune 500 company, in a skyscraper looming above New York City, Chicago, or Los Angeles. While this is very often the setting in which executive coaching takes place, it isn’t always the case, and certainly doesn’t have to be. The executive-turned-trainer in your mind’s eye could just as easily be working alongside start-up co-founders or engineers in Seattle, Austin, or the Research Triangle.
What large firms have “over” small and medium-sized firms come down to one thing, and one thing alone: resources. Capital resources, human resources, and innovation resources give large companies a leg-up, allowing them to try out different iterations of ideas and find one that works. Large businesses can frequently expand on initiatives that serve them and forsake those that don’t. Small and medium-sized firms, on the other hand, often have to get it right the first time. With fewer resources, there’s simply less room for error. One thing that small and medium-sized firms can always do to capitalize on their existing resources, however, is to invest in their leadership structure.
The Talent War and Executive Coaching
The war for talent in corporate America has pit unlikely contenders against each other on seemingly equal footing. Small startups are now just as capable of commanding top talent, especially in the form of recent graduates, as established megafirms. When an organization has landed talented recruits with excellent leadership potential, they’re wise to make an investment in those individuals.
More than ever, small and medium-sized firms are seeking executive coaching. Those that have utilized executive and leadership training programs have found them to be wildly successful. The fact of the matter is that if you want your company to grow, your leaders need to grow, too—and probably first. Great leaders are like the wings on which a company flies. A great business idea needs to be totally solid in order to get off the ground, but it’s the leadership structure that keeps it in the air.
Best Executive Coaching for Start-Ups
In this day and age, the options for small and medium-sized firms who want to access executive coaching are endless. While 6-month, 9-month, and year-long assignments with 100 hours or more of one-on-one coaching remain an option for firms of any size, small to mid-sized firms may wish to explore other options for maximum results that fit their busy schedules, pressed budgets, and rapidly growing industries.
Online coaching academies are one such option for start-ups and small and medium-sized organizations. Lean companies like start-ups often employ extremely intelligent, dynamic leaders that must cover multiple roles in their career, and are left with little focused time to develop their leadership abilities as a result. As extremely busy executives, these individuals need to be met where they are. They deserve the option to develop their skills on their own time, through the convenience of online coaching academies such as ILOA, the Intelligent Leadership® Online Academy led by the world’s #1 Executive Coach, John Mattone.
For those that still prefer the traditional method of in-person executive coaching, but have little time to spare, short coaching retreats may be the answer. The Intelligent Leadership® 2.5 Day Team Coaching Retreat is an intimate and in-depth retreat where everyone, from individuals with high potential to already-established leaders, can gather to build the personal framework they need for leadership success. A 2.5-day retreat combines the core lessons leaders need to grow with the convenience of a long weekend away from work. In John Mattone’s Intelligent Leadership Retreat, executives and budding executives can receive an immersive and personalized experience along with team-building lessons, peer interactions, and transformative learning events.
Perhaps one of the greatest strengths in terms of accessibility offered by the Intelligent Leadership 2.5-day Retreat is the fact that the lessons learned over the brief period can be expanded upon in the days, weeks, months, and even years following the in-person event. Participants exit with a full Individual Leadership Development Plan designed to help them roadmap and leverage their gifts and what they’ve learned during the Retreat. Post-retreat private coaching sessions are also available.