Are Executive Leaders Coachable? Absolutely Yes, If They Can Get Out of Their Own Way.

I’ve written about how effective leaders should continuously exercise their coaching muscle to engage team members for maximum performance. But what if we flipped the mirror and looked at the coachability of leaders themselves. Are executive leaders coachable? The answer is absolutely YES! In fact, that’s what I do a lot of in my coaching practice, and I find that all too often leaders risk falling into one or more of three common traps that greatly impact their coachability, and therefore their continuous improvement as leaders.

I call them the “I” traps because, if left unchecked, they can trap you in mediocrity and ineffectuality. Alternatively, successful leaders display three crucial characteristics that positively combat the “I” traps.

I am the expert. Once you’ve climbed the ladder to the executive ranks, you have clearly earned the rank of expert. That is simply the price of entry. But believing you already know all the answers can cloud your ability to truly listen and seek input and feedback from others. You might pretend that you’re open to input from others, but are you really? Once you’ve quit listening, you can lose your people. When you’re closed to new ideas, you risk losing customers, market share and ultimately your company’s competitive viability. How do you prevent the expert trap? Develop courage. Leadership and growth are about having the courage to be open to ideas other than your own, trying new things that may take you out of your comfort zone and giving your team, and yourself, permission to fail.

I don’t have time. There’s no question that leadership at the top is demanding. Pressure to perform can be intense. So often, I see executives who say they want to grow and improve but who act to the contrary. Behavior dictates your priorities. Investing in your development as a leader is just that: an investment of time, energy and focus. Trust me, the ROI will pay off in spades and your leadership path will accelerate. Practicing disciplineis the foil to the time trap. Making leadership improvement stick is about creating more effective habits and processes, then surrounding yourself with stakeholders who will hold you accountable.

I must be invincible. So often, successful leaders believe they can neither show their weaknesses nor reveal their failures, that such transparency somehow makes them ineffective as a leader. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. In my experience, authentic leadership is the key to success. Be real and you will build trust, which in turn will inspire followership and strengthen engagement. The invincible trap can be dodged by cultivating humility. Real leadership is not about you — rather, it’s about the team and the business and/or mission. It’s about leading with a sense of purpose, and in turn, giving that purpose to those you lead. Lao-tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, said it best, “The great leader works without self-interest and leaves no trace. When all is finished the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’”

Any chance you have fallen prey to the “I” traps? Take the first step and ask those around you to answer that question. Who are your stakeholders — people who know you well and are invested in your success? Ask them for feedback. Your job is to simply listen, say thank you and take note.

Today is the day to get out of your own way and start conquering the “I” traps through courage, discipline and humility. Your company and team are depending on you. Because always remember … Leadership Matters!