Is Leadership Coaching Worth It?

Maybe you’re hitting a wall in your career and need some support, or your boss has offered you an opportunity to work with a leadership coach. You’ve heard about coaching and are trying to determine if leadership coaching is worth the time, effort and financial investment. Since I’m a leadership coach, you might assume my answer is an unequivocal yes, but actually, my answer is “yes, depending on a few key things”.  The data on the value of leadership coaching is compelling; a study by Metrix Global, LLC determined that executive coaching has an overall ROI of 788 percent. I can personally attest to the effectiveness of leadership coaching based on my own experience:  increased confidence in myself and the work I was doing, increased energy and freedom after addressing many of the limiting beliefs that were dragging me down and taking up way too much of my mental capacity, changes in how I showed up at work and in my work performance that were actively noticed by my boss and coworkers and resulted in promotions. I’ve seen similar life-changing impacts in friends and clients who went through their own coaching process.  When people ask me if leadership coaching is worth it, I say it is 100% worth the investment if you are able to answer affirmatively to the following questions:

1. Do you want to change? This is an important question. If you really don’t want to make any changes in your life, I wouldn’t spend the resources on leadership coaching. 
2. Are you willing to do the work?  Making changes to your leadership and work patterns requires real focus and dedication. It’s not just showing up once a week and talking to a coach; real change takes time and a commitment to showing up in the “mental gym” – regularly doing the exercises required to implement new habits and affect change on your mindset and beliefs. 
3. Do you have the time to dedicate right now? You might want to change and be willing to do the work, but it’s important to make sure you have space in your life to do so. For example, if you are about to make a big move across the country or have a huge project at work that’s taking up all of your time, waiting a few months might be a good idea to ensure the best results for your coaching investment. 
4. Is the specific coach a good fit for you? Leadership coaches have different styles and approaches, so it’s important to find one that fits what you need. Make sure they are able to work with you on your mindset in order to drive long-lasting improvements. 

Leadership coaching is a highly valuable investment for both individuals and organizations who are willing to put the time and work in. Elite High Performance offers both 1:1 and group leadership coaching, and our coaches offer free consultations to determine if Elite’s science-backed Leadership 2.0 and mindset coaching programs are right for you. 

Jen Patel | High-Performance & Leadership Coach