What’s the difference between executive and leadership coaching?

As a relational coach, my focus is on the human aspect of both leadership and executive roles, fostering deep connections that drive personal and professional growth. In this blog post, I’m going to talk about the core differences between leadership and executive coaching, how relational coaching bridges that gap, and why these approaches matter for leaders at all stages of their development. 

Leadership coaching: developing core leadership competencies 

Leadership coaching is often centered on people who are stepping into leadership roles or those looking to hone their leadership skills. It focuses on the development of key leadership competencies such as communication, decision-making, conflict resolution, and teambuilding. Leadership coaches work with clients to strengthen these skills, enabling them to lead teams, inspire innovation, and manage people effectively. 

The target audience for leadership coaching 

Leadership coaching typically caters to mid-level managers, emerging leaders, and professionals transitioning into leadership positions. These people may have technical expertise but require guidance in developing what some people call soft skills, and what I call relational skills, necessary for leading people and influencing organizational culture. 

For example, a manager promoted to lead a team may face challenges in delegating tasks, motivating team members, or navigating personal differences. Leadership coaching helps them build the confidence and competence needed to manage these challenges and become effective, inspiring leaders. 

Key areas of focus in leadership coaching 

Communication skills:

You cannot lead if you rely on power and broadcasting, rather than communicating. Leadership coaching helps managers articulate their ideas clearly, listen actively, and foster open dialogue with their teams. 

Emotional Intelligence:

Effective leaders understand and regulate their emotions, as well as empathize with others. Developing emotional intelligence gives leaders the power to create a positive work environment and handle conflict, difference and ambiguity constructively. 

Decision-making:

Leadership coaching focuses on helping managers develop strong decision-making skills, balancing data-driven insights with intuition and empathy. 

Teambuilding and motivation:

Leadership is about inspiring others. Coaching helps leaders develop strategies for building cohesive teams, fostering collaboration, and motivating team members to achieve shared goals. 

“Leadership coaching is more tactical and practical, often addressing immediate challenges a leader may face in their role. It’s focused on the individual’s influence within their team or department, working to create a leader who can drive progress and cohesion at a more localized level.”

Executive coaching: a strategic focus on organizational leadership 

Executive coaching, on the other hand, is designed for senior leaders and C-suite executives who are responsible for driving the vision and strategic direction of an entire organization. While executive coaching may touch on some of the same competencies as leadership coaching, it goes deeper into issues of strategic leadership, organizational change, and high-level decision-making. The scope is broader, focusing not only on the individual but on how they impact the overall success and sustainability of the organization. 

The target audience for executive coaching 

Executive coaching is generally aimed at senior leaders such as CEOs, COOs, CFOs, and other members of the executive team. These leaders are tasked with setting the strategic direction for their organizations, managing complex stakeholder relationships, and making high-stakes decisions that can affect entire industries or markets. 

For example, a newly appointed CEO may require coaching on managing board relationships, navigating company-wide change initiatives, or leading during a crisis. Executive coaching equips leaders to think at a higher level and consider long-term impacts, not just immediate outcomes. 

Key areas of focus in executive coaching 

Strategic thinking:

Executive coaching focuses on helping leaders refine their ability to think strategically, considering long-term organizational goals, market trends, and competitive landscapes. 

Stakeholder management:

Executives must navigate relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including board members, investors, employees, and customers. Coaching helps them build the relational skills needed to manage these diverse relationships effectively. 

Organizational change:

Executives often lead large-scale change initiatives. Coaching provides support in planning, communicating, and executing change management strategies that align with organizational objectives. 

Leadership Presence:

Executive coaching helps leaders develop a strong leadership presence, enabling them to command respect, inspire confidence, and lead with authority. 

Resilience and Stress Management:

The pressure on executives can be immense, and coaching helps them develop the resilience needed to handle stress, make decisions under pressure, and maintain their well-being. 

“Where leadership coaching focuses on developing core leadership skills for direct impact, executive coaching dives into the nuances of leading at the top, with an emphasis on strategy, vision, and organizational influence.”

Relational coaching: bridging the gap 

So what you’ve read above is the theory. The reality is that what underpins leadership executive effectiveness is relationships. Whether leading a small team or steering an entire organization, how leaders build, maintain, and leverage relationships is critical to their success. This is where relational coaching comes into play. 

As a relational coach, I focus on the deeper connections that individuals have with themselves and those around them. Relational coaching emphasizes the importance of understanding yourself in the context of relationships—whether it’s relationships with direct reports, peers, superiors, or stakeholders.  

From my experience and training there is no such thing as “too basic”. Giving feedback is not basic. Listening well is not basic. Understanding and motivating others is not basic.  

“Relational coaching centers effectiveness: are you achieving your goals in a way that is healthy?”

Why relational coaching is so powerful 

As a relational coach our relationship – you as the leader and me as the coach – can act as a safe lab space to explore trust, vulnerability, power dynamics, listening, handling differences, influence and so much more. 

“As a relational coach I am not an expert, doing something to you, teaching you something you don’t know. I am a person with my own expertise and imperfections in relationship with you, another person with your own unique expertise and imperfections.”

The playground for relational coaching 

Self-awareness and reflection:

Relational coaching encourages leaders to develop a deep understanding of their values, emotions, and behaviors. This self-awareness is crucial for leading authentically and fostering trust with others. 

Empathy and connection:

In leadership, the ability to empathize and connect with others on a human level is critical. Relational coaching helps leader build strong, trusting relationships with those they lead, ultimately creating a more cohesive and motivated team or organization. 

Managing complex relationships:

Executives, in particular, deal with a wide array of complex, high-stakes, power-ridden, sometimes ambiguous relationships. Relational coaching helps them navigate these relationships with emotional intelligence, ensuring they can lead with influence rather than authority alone. 

Balancing Personal and Professional Growth:

Relational coaching recognizes that professional growth cannot be separated from personal development. By addressing both aspects, it creates a holistic approach to leadership development that supports sustainable growth and well-being. 

How I Integrate relational coaching into leadership and executive coaching 

As someone who practices both leadership and executive coaching, I view relational coaching as the thread that ties everything together. My approach is centered on the belief that successful leadership—whether at the team level or the executive level—comes from understanding and managing relationships. And that starts with understanding and managing the relationship with yourself! 

When working with a leadership client, I may focus on helping them build stronger relationships with their team members, facilitating open communication, and creating a culture of trust. For an executive client, relational coaching may involve navigating stakeholder relationships, enhancing their leadership presence, or managing the complex emotional dynamics of leading at the top. 

In both cases, the goal is to foster relationships that are built on mutual respect, trust, and emotional intelligence. This not only improves the effectiveness of the individual leader but also has a positive ripple effect on the whole organization. 

“Relational coaching focuses on human connection and emotional intelligence in both leadership and executive development. By fostering strong, authentic relationships, leaders at all levels can achieve greater success and fulfillment.”

Whether you’re leading a team or an entire organization, coaching can unlock your potential and help you navigate the complexities of modern leadership. If you’re interested in exploring how leadership, executive, or relational coaching can help you or your organization: