Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Should I Join a Peer Roundtable or Hire an Executive Coach? 

Coaching

Most CEOs I know have engaged an executive coach at one point or another. Having a skilled coach lead you through inquiry is immensely valuable – asking questions that help you think differently and see options and opportunities you could not discover independently. Some CEOs have a coach they work with on an ongoing basis. Others engage a coach for a limited time to overcome a challenge or to address a growth opportunity.

“As a business owner and CEO, your personal and business ambitions are intertwined. Coaching operates at the intersection of individual and business goals, helping leaders realize potential in all areas of life.”

Chrissy Keeton, Control Y, Executive Coach & Consultant

Peer Roundtables

Many CEOs also participate in peer roundtables, where they learn from one another’s experiences and find support in what is often a lonely role. Peer groups help CEOs gain perspective, learn from outside their industry, and work on their own health and happiness. There are many more reasons to join a CEO Roundtable, and peer group expert Leo Bottary lists 25.

Both coaching and peer roundtables can help individual leaders grow and be more successful at work and life. So, which one should you pursue? 

My answer hinges on this question. Are you living the life you want and making the most of the opportunity your business offers you? If you want more – more success, more growth, more peace, more family time – then “both” is probably the answer. 

Tim Morgan, CEO of Mid-Atlantic Entry Systems, agrees:

My answer is to do both. I have been a member of a CEO roundtable for nearly 10 years. My roundtable is a place where I can have vulnerable conversations about challenges and opportunities – both business and personal. My RT members ask thought-provoking questions and share their experiences with similar situations.

I have considered hiring an executive coach for a long time but have avoided doing so. I had many reasons for delaying the process: I was scared to hear what they would tell me; I questioned whether I could afford it; and I wondered if I would be able to change and implement what they taught me. About six months ago, I retained a coach from Eure Consulting to help me move our organization forward. We have worked on defining our culture rather than letting our culture define us. We now have structure to our meetings and problem-solving processes. They have also provided us with methods for setting short- and long-term goals and ways to attain them. I must admit it has been a huge change for us, but we improve every week.

My roundtable gives me a group to share my problems and accomplishments with, in a forum where I can say anything without fear of judgment and with the confidence that what I say stays within the room. My coach is helping us build our team, our processes, and our plan for the future.