If you’re a leader in Kelowna or anywhere in the Okanagan, executive coaching can feel a little like hiring a personal trainer for your brain. You know it’s a good idea, but you’re not exactly sure what’s involved or how much effort it will take. Let’s demystify the process and show you how coaching can help you lead better without adding more chaos to your already full calendar.
Timeline: Usually 3-12 Months
Once we agree to work together, we set a timeline. Coaching can last anywhere from three months to a full year, but most leaders see meaningful, lasting change in about six months. Why six months? Because lasting change takes more than a single “aha” moment or a good idea scribbled on a whiteboard at your office. This is not a magic seminar where you leave feeling inspired but still drowning in emails by Tuesday morning. Coaching gives you time to implement, test, adjust, and actually stick to new habits that improve your leadership.
Starting with an Assessment
While every coaching engagement is unique, we need to start somewhwere. That’s why every coaching engagement we do begins with one of two assessments, depending on what you’re hoping to achieve:
- Individual 360 Assessment – collects feedback from your colleagues, peers, and direct reports. It’s like getting a reality check from people you trust, without anyone pretending to be brutally honest over coffee.
- Genos Workplace Emotional Intelligence Assessment – focuses both on your self awareness and how you “show up” at work. In our experience, this assessment is like a slingshot for development, uncovering blind spots and providing specific, actionable feedback for you to grow.
Wasting time sucks. That’s why these assessments highlight areas where you can focus your energy for maximum impact, whether that is communication, delegation, or finally learning to say “no” without guilt.
Your Goals, Your Outcomes
The coaching process is guided by us, but the outcomes are defined by you. We’re like a GPS for leadership growth, you tell us the destination, and we help you navigate the twists, turns, and occasional potholes along the way. Whether it is improving team performance, refining decision-making, or figuring out why everyone seems to misinterpret your emails, coaching gives you the tools to steer with confidence.
Workload and Engagement
Your workload can vary depending on what you’re working on. Some leaders use coaching as a weekly sounding board, while others have specific issues they need to dig deeper, into. No doubt that requires some effort outside of a coaching conversation.
One of the common concerns we hear before working with a new clients is they say they do not have time for coaching. Really that means they’re not ready for coaching because they’d rather spend the time in frustration, unproductive conflict and overwhelm than on solutions.
When leaders are ready and do join us, they discover they actually save hours every week because:
- They have a trusted confidante to vet ideas before sending a flurry of emails
- Decisions get made faster without unnecessary debate
- Stress drops because someone is helping them see the forest for the trees
- They finally get clarity on what matters most and stop spinning in circles
Executive coaching does not add work, it helps you work smarter, not harder.
Cadence That Fits Your Schedule
We usually start with weekly sessions, then transition to biweekly once the rhythm is working. Think of it as flexible training for your brain, sometimes a sprint, sometimes a jog, but always moving you toward your leadership goals. And yes, we can adjust the pace depending on your workload and goals.
Is Executive Coaching Right for You?
If you’re ready to level up your leadership, reduce stress, and finally reclaim your weekends, executive coaching can help. Working with Wilkins Creative Insights is practical, results-focused, and tailored to your realities in Kelowna and the Okanagan.
Time to learn more? Reach out today and see if we’re a fit.
