Secrets, the kind that someone entrusts to you, are really good to keep and very annoying for those you are keeping them from. I know this personally... as a CEO coach I am full of leaders’ deepest secrets, but hopefully not their darkest ones.
While keeping these secrets, my wife becomes very curious (maybe even a little jealous) about it. After my phone rings late at night and I step out to talk, when I come back into the room, I am greeted with: “Who was that?” Followed by, “What did they want?”
Of course having just spoken with a coaching client the wall of secrecy emerges. I rarely ever talk about what happens in my coaching practice, and absolutely never disclose a CEO’s identity or what they are working on.
Today is a rare day, I have been flipping through my little black book, not the clichéd type, but it does contain a few secrets — CEO secrets, and have some themes I want to share with you. As different as ever leader is, there are a few common topics that emerge and you are going to get a sneak peak into what is on the minds of top leaders.
Maybe you can learn about what should be on your mind.
“I know you work with many other leaders, how do I compare?”
It’s shocking how many times this is asked. At first I was taken aback by the question and wondered does he lack in self-confidence? Then it dawned on me that what they are really asking is, “Am I doing the right thing as CEO?”
It actually makes sense to query this as most CEOs — for that matter leaders in general — have not been trained on how to be a CEO or leader. Usually you are promoted into your role without any real preparation other than having delivered results in the past. It is highly likely you are progressing through your career and what you know about leading is a guessing game.
You see what others do that you don’t like and try to avoid. Then you see what you do like and try to copy it. Neither means you are doing the right thing.
A recurring theme is to do what brought you success thus far in your career, but sitting in a new role, the CEO’s chair, is different and necessitates a different kind of leading.
The next topic is, “I want to be better for the future...”.
Aware that tomorrow is not going to be the same as today, switched on leaders want to do something about it. Those progressing toward the “big” chair know it will be different and many start preparing from today to shape their skills for it.
And those in the big chair know that they need to keep growing as their company is. You cannot stay the same while leading a company that is going to be different — by getting bigger, bringing out new products, adding more geographies, etc.
If you have aggressive growth targets, which most businesses in the region do, then the company you are leading in the near future will be alien in comparison to what it is now. Don’t become an alien yourself by failing to grow specifically as a leader.
Traditional executive coaching says the coach is to just ask questions leading the executive to self-discovery. The reasoning is that by coming up with the answers increases commitment. Well, commitment is usually high if someone is investing in coaching. They want to grow!
The final recurring topic is, “I want ideas, not questions...”
Early on while coaching a CEO, he told me, rather directly, “If you are going to sit here and ask me questions, then leave.” I need your input.
Good CEOs are very driven and committed to personally growing, so what they are really looking for is a sparring partner to help them grow in the areas they are not aware of.
Building on the questions — “How am I doing?” or better stated “Am I doing what I should be?” and “What should I do when the business is different from today?” — sets the stage for a healthy discussion. One that is full of models, plans, ideas and challenges.
I am asked regularly and rather sceptically, “Do CEOs really invest in their growth, in coaching?”
They do. You just might not know about it.
It goes back to keeping a secret. What are you doing to grow?
Credit: The writer is a leadership adviser and author of ‘10 Tips for Leading in the Middle East’ and other leadership writings. Follow him on Twitter: @tommyweir.
