In today’s dynamic and competitive landscape, career advancement and professional growth often hinge on more than just technical skills or experience. Embracing a growth mindset, committing to lifelong learning, and continuously building leadership capability are essential factors that enable individuals to excel in their careers. Many leaders we admire—those who appear confident, capable, and composed—are not achieving their success alone. They are supported by coaches, mentors, networks, and advisors who guide them along their professional journeys.
Wendy Cole, Leadership Coach, iMastery
At Gembridge, we understand the power of leadership coaching, and we leverage it in two key ways: as a team for productivity, clarity, and performance, and with senior leaders through one-on-one sessions to foster both personal and professional growth. We’ve found alignment with iMastery, a coaching partner who shares our values and has a deep understanding of the recruitment industry. (Bonus!)
Whether stepping onto a senior leadership team, transitioning to an executive position, or taking on the CEO role—we often recommend engaging a formal coach as they can be an invaluable partner during these career transitions, providing a safe space for reflection, growth, and strategy. Whether it’s a short-term commitment or ongoing, the support of a leadership coach helps facilitate smoother transitions and ensures leaders are equipped for success. Here are several key reasons to consider engaging a leadership coach:
Enhance Leadership Skills, Performance, and potential
Leadership coaching focuses on improving specific leadership skills, from decision-making and conflict resolution to strategic thinking and emotional intelligence. Refine your leadership style, increase your effectiveness, and build your ability to handle complex challenges with confidence and poise. Coaching helps you break through barriers, maximise your strengths, and develop the skills necessary to become an exceptional leader.
Improve self-awareness
Understanding yourself better helps you to become a better leader. A leadership coach helps you gain deeper self-awareness by reflecting on your strengths, weaknesses, values, and emotional triggers. Self-awareness is crucial for making informed decisions, fostering strong relationships, and leading with confidence.
Overcome Challenges
Leadership is filled with obstacles, from managing team dynamics to navigating complex organisational changes. A coach provides a valuable sounding board to help you identify challenges and brainstorm solutions.
Gain Support to Achieve Success
Clarify your goals, develop strategies to achieve them, and provide ongoing support throughout your journey. Whether it’s working through day-to-day leadership tasks, people management techniques, or long-term career planning, a coach is there to guide you, challenge you, and cheer you on.
Accountability
A leadership coach holds you accountable for your goals and actions. They ensure you stay focused, on track, and committed to your development.
Milestones & encouragement
Leadership is a lifelong learning journey, and a coach can help you set clear milestones along the way. These milestones act as motivators and benchmarks for growth, ensuring that you continue to move forward and evolve. Coaches use tools and frameworks to help you set achievable targets and assess your progress, enabling you to celebrate successes and identify areas for further development.
Offer Perspective and Different Points of View
A leadership coach brings an outside perspective that can help you see situations in new ways. They challenge your assumptions, offer alternative viewpoints, and help you think more strategically. The insights may help you approach challenges with fresh ideas and a more open mindset.
Identify Blind Spots or Limiting Beliefs
Even the most experienced leaders can develop blind spots—unconscious habits, biases, or limiting beliefs that prevent them from reaching their full potential. A coach helps you identify these blind spots and work through them. Whether it’s a pattern of micromanaging, fear of failure, or an unconscious bias, a coach helps you address these issues so you can operate at your best.
Boost Confidence
A leadership coach helps you strengthen and sustain your confidence by guiding self-reflection, providing positive reinforcement, and supporting you through moments of doubt. With greater confidence, you’re more empowered to make bold decisions, tackle tough situations, and inspire your team.
Access Ongoing Resources and Insights
One added benefit of working with a leadership coach is the wealth of resources they can offer—insights, frameworks, articles, podcasts, and other materials that support your development. These resources keep you informed on the latest leadership trends and best practices, helping you stay ahead of the curve. For me, Wendy sends links to different resources specific to our coaching session before and afterward and is a sounding board in between as things arise providing a different perspective and space to reflect and resolve challenges or celebrate wins.
Why invest? What is the ROI?
Through the power of Google, I found research highlighting ROI on coaching.
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) mentions that coaching clients report a median ROI of 788%, plus boosts productivity by 44%
Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) suggests an average ROI of $4–$6 for every $1 spent on training, and the Australian Industry Group (AIG) reports a similar with wider range of $3-7
Final Thoughts
Whether you're stepping into a new leadership role or looking to refine your skills, a coach can be a game-changer. They provide guidance and support to help you grow, overcome challenges, and reach your full potential. At Gembridge, we've seen the powerful impact of leadership coaching and encourage all leaders to invest in their growth.