What CEOs Really Want From Coaching
What Leaders Really Want from CEO Coaching
Overarching Theme
The article highlights a striking leadership development gap: many CEOs do not receive external guidance on their leadership skills, even though most would welcome it. Gretchen Gavett draws on a Stanford University/The Miles Group survey of 200 CEOs, board directors, and senior executives, then discusses the findings with Stanford Graduate School of Business professor David Larcker and The Miles Group CEO Stephen Miles.
Executive Summary
The core message is that coaching should not be viewed as remedial support for struggling leaders. At the CEO level, coaching is a strategic tool for sharpening leadership behavior, improving self-awareness, and addressing blind spots that become harder to detect as leaders rise. The article suggests that even the most senior executives often lack structured, candid feedback—and that boards and leadership teams should normalize coaching as part of high-performance governance.
Major Takeaways
1. CEOs are often under-coached.
The article reports that two-thirds of CEOs do not receive outside advice on leadership skills, despite broad receptiveness to coaching.
2. The higher leaders rise, the less honest feedback they may receive.
Senior executives are surrounded by stakeholders who may filter feedback, soften criticism, or avoid difficult conversations. That makes external coaching especially valuable.
3. Coaching should be positioned as performance optimization, not remediation.
For CEOs, coaching can function like elite athletic training: a confidential, structured way to improve decision-making, communication, influence, and leadership presence.
4. Boards have a role to play.
Because CEO development affects organizational performance, boards should treat leadership coaching as part of succession planning, governance, and enterprise risk management.
5. The best coaching focuses on behavior that affects business outcomes.
Leadership coaching is most useful when it connects personal growth to strategic priorities, team effectiveness, culture, and execution.
Talking Points for Business Leaders
“Even high-performing CEOs need feedback mechanisms; success can create insulation.”
“Executive coaching is not a sign of weakness—it is a discipline of continuous improvement.”
“Boards should ask not only whether the CEO is delivering results but whether the CEO is still growing.”
“The most dangerous leadership gaps are often the ones senior leaders no longer hear about.”
“Coaching should be tied to business priorities: strategy execution, talent development, stakeholder alignment, and leadership team performance.”
Reflection Questions
- Where might our CEO or senior team be receiving filtered or incomplete feedback?
- Do we treat leadership coaching as a privilege for high performers or as a fix for performance problems?
- What leadership behaviors most directly affect our strategic execution?
- Does our board have a structured process for CEO development?
- How do we measure whether leadership coaching is improving business outcomes?
Potential Action Items
Start by reframing internal coaching as a performance accelerator rather than a corrective measure. Boards and CHROs can establish a confidential CEO feedback process that includes input from directors, senior executives, and selected stakeholders. Tie coaching goals to strategic priorities such as enterprise alignment, communication, succession, culture, and decision quality. Review progress periodically without compromising coaching confidentiality.