7 Examples of Technology Benefiting Executive Coaching Engagements
Discover how cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing executive coaching through exclusive insights from industry leaders. This article delves into innovative tools and methodologies that are enhancing coaching engagements and unlocking leadership potential. Learn from the experts how these advancements are shaping the future of executive coaching.
- VIA Strengths Survey Unlocks Leadership Potential
- AI-Powered Analytics Enhance Executive Coaching Effectiveness
- ChatGPT Transforms Coach into Super Coach
- Email Tracking Creates Documented Journey of Growth
- Effort Tracking Spreadsheet Reveals Surprising Insights
- AI-Powered Session Recaps Keep Clients on Track
- DISC Assessment Bridges Leadership Intent and Perception
VIA Strengths Survey Unlocks Leadership Potential
**Unlocking Leadership Potential with the VIA Strengths Survey**
As an executive coach, I seek tools that offer deeper insights into leadership potential. One of the most valuable is the **VIA Strengths Survey** from the [VIA Institute on Character](https://www.viacharacter.org/). Unlike assessments that focus on personality traits, VIA (*Values in Action*) identifies **character strengths**--the intrinsic qualities that shape our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
### Why Character Strengths Matter
Understanding one's core character strengths is crucial for leadership. Unlike learned behaviors, these strengths provide an authentic foundation for growth. Leaders who recognize their strengths--and how others perceive them--can navigate interpersonal dynamics more effectively.
The **top five strengths** in the survey are the most active and visible. Knowing them helps leaders refine their approach. For example, **bravery** is admirable but, if misused--such as contradicting a peer publicly--it can seem aggressive rather than decisive.
Similarly, strengths like **spirituality, kindness, or trust** foster team cohesion but may cloud judgment if overused, preventing leaders from recognizing toxic behaviors. The key is awareness--understanding when to amplify or temper strengths based on the situation.
### Elevating Strengths for Greater Impact
Leaders can also develop strengths just below their top five. If **Social Intelligence** ranks sixth, they might explore how elevating it could enhance their ability to inspire their team. Asking, *What can I do to better understand and motivate my team?* can lead to breakthroughs in leadership effectiveness.
### Using the VIA Strengths Survey in Coaching
The VIA Strengths Survey is a powerful **icebreaker** before the first coaching session, offering insights into leadership style and growth opportunities. Reassessing at the end of coaching often reveals a **shift in strengths hierarchy**, reflecting personal and professional development.
### Final Thoughts
Character strengths evolve with intentional focus. By leveraging tools like the VIA Strengths Survey, leaders gain valuable self-insight, refine their approach, and enhance their effectiveness. Self-mastery begins with understanding one's strengths--and using them wisely.
Have you taken the VIA Strengths Survey? What insights did you gain? Share your thoughts in the comments!
AI-Powered Analytics Enhance Executive Coaching Effectiveness
In today's volatile business landscape, leaders must navigate complexity with precision and agility. To achieve this, executive coaching must move beyond intuition and incorporate data-driven insights that optimize decision-making and leadership impact. As an organizational psychologist and executive coach, I leverage psychometric assessments and AI-powered leadership analytics to provide a multi-dimensional perspective on a client's leadership style, cognitive tendencies, and behavioral impact. This ensures coaching is both strategically aligned with business objectives and rigorously measurable.
One particularly effective tool I incorporate is a 360-degree psychometric assessment that measures both reactive tendencies and creative leadership competencies. Unlike traditional 360-degree assessments that provide fragmented feedback, this tool uniquely integrates leadership effectiveness with internal mindset patterns, creating a direct link between perception and performance.
For example, I worked with a Fortune 500 CFO whose risk-averse decision-making delayed critical business pivots, impacting operational agility and investor confidence. The assessment identified a pattern of over-analysis, rooted in a perfectionist mindset. By implementing targeted decision simulations, we accelerated strategic execution, leading to improved investor confidence and a measurable reduction in project delays.
By integrating psychometric and AI-driven tools, executive coaching evolves from a reactive process to a strategic leadership accelerator. Leaders gain not only self-awareness but a measurable roadmap for behavioral transformation—ensuring that leadership development translates into sustained business performance and competitive advantage.
ChatGPT Transforms Coach into Super Coach
One tool I absolutely cannot live without now is ChatGPT. It has truly transformed me into what I call a "super coach." I use it to summarize client goals, insights, and big ideas. It helps me build custom playbooks, manage follow-ups, and support my marketing efforts. It has become a core part of how I work with clients.
When necessary, and always with my client's permission, I use it alongside AI note-takers. This allows me to quickly capture the most important aspects of a session. I can reflect back their words, their breakthroughs, and the goals they want to pursue. It helps me provide that information back to them in a way that truly resonates. They leave with clear notes, action steps, and something they can build upon.
Much of this is transformed into what I call "leadership operating manuals." These are tools they can refer back to and use across different aspects of their business or leadership journey. It's personal, useful, and memorable.
ChatGPT simply makes everything easier, smarter, and more efficient. Honestly, every small business coach and executive coach should be utilizing it extensively. And the best part is that we're only at the beginning. I'm excited to see what it will help us create next.
Email Tracking Creates Documented Journey of Growth
One of the most invaluable tools I use in executive coaching is email tracking and session recaps. This simple yet powerful system keeps clients focused, accountable, and aware of their own progress.
After each session, I send a detailed recap capturing three key things:
1. Their goals and challenges - Essentially, I mirror back their own words, reinforcing what they want to achieve and the roadblocks they're facing.
2. Action items - This is their "homework"--not assignments I give, but actions they decide they need to take to move forward. This helps them take full ownership of their progress.
3. A clear summary - A few sentences to wrap it all up, reinforcing what was discussed and outlining the next steps.
These recaps don't just serve as a reminder--they create a documented journey of their growth. Over time, reviewing past emails shows them exactly where they started and how far they've come, almost like a mini book of their transformation. It also keeps them honest about their own commitments. If they aren't following through, we explore why and adjust their approach or motivators.
By using email chains or periodic reviews (depending on client preference), we ensure that coaching isn't just about great conversations--it's about real, measurable progress. This tool has been invaluable in keeping clients engaged, motivated, and fully accountable for their success.
Effort Tracking Spreadsheet Reveals Surprising Insights
One of the most powerful techniques I incorporate is an effort tracking spreadsheet.
It's really simple. Clients rate their effort (0-10) on their top life priorities at the end of every day. They also rate their satisfaction and write notes for themselves. It takes 3 minutes per day.
Then I use AI to code Google Apps Scripts that perform statistics (averages, correlations, variance) and create graphs for them.
We check in on it periodically. They almost always learn surprising insights, e.g., which life priorities correlate most with daily satisfaction.
It's been incredibly powerful for clients to gain a greater feeling of connection and control over their lives.
AI-Powered Session Recaps Keep Clients on Track
I record all my sessions with Fathom and provide my clients a recording and transcript of the call. I also use AI to provide a recap/outline of the call and send them a follow-up email with all the highlights and deliverables, as well as a link to the exact spot in the call where we discussed each item. My clients love it, and it keeps us on track week to week.
DISC Assessment Bridges Leadership Intent and Perception
One tool I consistently use in my executive coaching practice is a behavioral assessment like DISC or MBTI, depending on the client's needs. These tools are incredibly helpful in identifying leadership preferences, communication styles, and areas of potential growth. I worked with one executive who frequently found themselves at odds with their team, struggling to understand why their intentions weren't aligning with the team's perception.
We used a DISC assessment to uncover their predominant leadership style, which leaned heavily toward being highly task-oriented with minimal emphasis on relational dynamics. Seeing this laid out clearly helped them recognize why team members might feel overlooked in collaborative settings. It wasn't about a lack of intent but a gap in approach.
From there, we tailored strategies based on these insights, such as balancing task-driven directives with more relational check-ins.
