What It Really Takes to Become an Executive Coach

Tips on how to break into this rewarding — but often misunderstood — industry.

by

and

Signy Wilson

by

and

Signy Wilson

December 07, 2023

Sven Hagolani/Getty Images

Summary.

Being an executive coach can be rewarding. But, many people misunderstand what coaching actually is, underestimate the process to become a credentialed coach, and don’t anticipate the ongoing effort required to generate and develop business to make a living doing this work. How many clients should you have? What other income streams should you consider? How many hours per day should you coach? How do you get clients (and keep them)? And most importantly, how hard is it? This article offers some clarity on what it takes to become a successful executive coach, and how to get started.

In our years as executive coaches, we’ve had hundreds of people ask us how they can become executive coaches, too. Not surprisingly, we have fielded an increase in inquiries over the past three years, ever since Covid fundamentally changed the world of work.

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Deborah Grayson Riegel is a professional speaker and facilitator, as well as a communication and presentation skills coach. She teaches leadership communication at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and has taught for Wharton Business School, Columbia Business School’s Women in Leadership Program, and Peking University’s International MBA Program. She is the author of Overcoming Overthinking: 36 Ways to Tame Anxiety for Work, School, and Life and the best-selling Go To Help: 31 Strategies to Offer, Ask for, and Accept Help.
MZ

Mark Zumwalt is a leadership and team coach and has taught leadership and organizational change globally. He has worked with a wide variety of clients including corporate and non-profit organizations. He specializes in coaching through conflict and interpersonal communication. Prior to coaching, Mark worked at Microsoft and Lambda Legal. He is based in New York city.
PN

Priya Nalkur, Ed.D. is the President of the RoundTable Institute where she leads a global group of coaches and facilitators to help companies build more inclusive leaders and workplaces. She is a professional speaker, coach and facilitator and has taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Heller School for Social Policy and has several courses on Udemy for Business. She is the author of the upcoming book (2024) Stumbling Towards Inclusion: Finding Grace in Imperfect Leadership.
BO

Ben Olds is one of the Managing Partners of HAVEN human asset ventures, a leadership development firm offering Team Coaching, Executive Coaching, Leadership Programs, and HR Advisory Services. Ben is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management and honed his leadership skills in prior careers in both finance and management consulting.
SW

Signy Wilson has worked as a leadership and executive coach for over 20 years and is a senior faculty member of CTI, the largest coach training school in the world. As an international facilitator and speaker, she has led innovative and transformational workshops and presentations for audiences of up to 10,000. She received two business degrees from Queen’s University, and holds the Master Certified Coach (MCC) designation.

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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Coaching. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

Learn how to help your employees become the best they can be.

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What It Really Takes to Become an Executive Coach

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