Lessons from Executives: Coaching the Frenetic Boss

Executive Coach and Leadership Unleashed President David Peck highlights the importance of coaching upward.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 8, 2007 -- Here's a tip for all executives and aspiring leaders reporting to a boss with a short attention span: try coaching them.

According to a recent book by Edward M. Hallowell, psychiatrist and author of "CrazyBusy: Overstretched, Overbooked and About to Snap," many are too busy with details to focus on the more important big picture.

This means that the CEO or organizational leader often has a very short attention span, and it tends to be task- or achievement-focused. As a result, many senior executives with aspirations for the top job feel underutilized, undervalued, or even ignored by their executive boss. That, in turn, can lead to problems for the organization as a whole.

"When it comes to something as avoidable as 'feeling ignored,' senior executives need to look in the mirror and take responsibility to coach their boss. They need to build a relationship to deliver what they're not getting," said David Peck, President of Leadership Unleashed, an executive coaching and leadership development firm.

With the "carzy busy" pace, and focus on quarterly results in today's workplace, quality time to sit down with the boss to build a more solid, productive relationship -- without a specific agenda to get something done -- is rare to non-existent. Conversations are limited to projects, deliverables, budgets, timelines and issues.

Peck added: "Yet research shows a direct correlation between the quality of a leader's workplace relationships and their business results. People are too busy to realize that their tasks come and go, while the best, most sustainable results come from how well the leader and their people know each other, and work together."

Top executives are often overwhelmed with competing demands on their time, conflicting priorities and overburdened by travel and meeting schedules. They are working longer hours, are distracted, have trouble asking their peers or direct reports for help and/or delegating work effectively. When these conditions tend to persist, their people must ask themselves the question: how will such a boss learn to operate differently?

Rather than face that question, many opt to ignore or comply with the problem and simply complain about it. Peck observes: "In such cases, I always look for a victim mentality in my executive client. When I find it, I tell the person 'You're not a victim, you're a volunteer.'"

What's needed in these situations? If the boss is open to feedback and learning, Leadership Unleashed has found that "upward coaching" may be in order.

"Great coaching starts with a very capable, willing client. Without that, you can't even get started," Peck said, "Next, the person must ask the executive questions to gain an understanding of their situation. Whenever we want to coach someone we need to start by imagining -- then asking privately -- what the world looks like from behind their eyeballs? That is, what's going well, and where are things messed up? What are they up against? Where are they stressed? What's in their blind spot? How clear are they on their objectives? What stands in the way of their goals? How do they find themselves spinning their wheels? What are they avoiding that may need greater attention?"

As long as the boss is both capable and motivated, then, to a great extent, coaching is about understanding what the person is hoping to achieve in their own idealized near future, what the current situation looks like to them, what it will take to get from where they are to their goals, what's in their blind spot, and how they are getting in their own way.

Another important technique is to help them see for themselves what's at stake if they stay their current course (more of the same), and what's at stake if they make a change (e.g., what will they lose that they are gaining from it today?) At-stake analysis drills into an issue by repeating the question: "Okay, let's say you do that, then what's at stake?" That is, until you get to the core.

Peck summarized the next step: "The final move is to ask results-oriented questions: what needs to change for you to get from where you are to [ideal near future? How can your people, and myself in particular, play a greater part in achieving that vision? How can we make our work together richer and more rewarding for each other?"

A mutually-respectful yet lackluster relationship between senior executive and a direct report can become a sustainable base for enormous achievement provided the rising executives snap out of victim mode and take responsibility to coach their boss.

About David Peck: David Peck founded Leadership Unleashed to help leaders see themselves and their organizations in a new way, turning that new perspective into far more satisfying results. David's prior experience includes 16 years of leadership and consulting with Charles Schwab & Co., PriceWaterhouse Consulting, and the Putnam Companies. David completed his Leadership Coaching training at Georgetown University's International Coach Federation-certified program, and he is a member of the International Coach Federation and the Professional Coaches and Mentors Association.

About Leadership Unleashed: Leadership Unleashed was founded to help individuals, teams, and corporations achieve specific, meaningful, and sustainable results. Leadership Unleashed focuses on recognizing each leader's challenges and understanding each company's unique business strategies. Leadership Unleashed weekly Monday LeaderTips are e-mailed to leaders and professionals worldwide.

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