Have you heard? I have a new way to describe the approach I take with my Executive Excellence Coaching clients. It is my HEARD framework – five elements that I believe every Board-level executive needs, in order to be successful.

HEARD stands for Headspace, Executive Presence, Authority, Relationships and Direction. These aren’t five steps that we work through in order. They are five elements that weave in and out of our coaching conversations, depending on what each client needs at that point in their career.

H is for Headspace

Something my clients tell me they value most is the headspace that coaching gives them.

Executives spend so much of their time responding to other people’s demands, answering questions and dealing with whatever has landed on their desk today. Coaching creates protected time to step away from the day-to-day and think strategically.

That space allows them to stop being constantly reactive and become more proactive. They can explore options, think ahead and consider what’s really important rather than simply dealing with whatever is shouting loudest.

E is for Executive Presence

Executive presence is about how you show up.

Many of my clients have told me they feel as though they are wearing a mask. They’re trying to behave like the executive they think they are supposed to be, rather than genuinely showing up as themselves.

We look at how to hold attention without hiding behind PowerPoint presentations, data or meeting notes. It is about developing the confidence and gravitas to be fully yourself in the room.

A is for Authority

Having a senior title doesn’t automatically mean people listen to you.

My clients know their stuff. They’ve reached senior positions because they’re experts in what they do. The question is whether they communicate that expertise with genuine authority.

Real authority isn’t about throwing your weight around because you are the CEO, CFO or COO. It is about being the person whose contribution is valued because of who you are and what you bring. You can sit quietly in the room and, when you speak, people listen.

R is for Relationships

At Board level, relationships matter enormously.

We look at strategic alliances, trusted colleagues and advisers, internal and external networks and those tricky relationships that everyone has to navigate. Sometimes that means difficult conversations. Sometimes it means navigating internal politics with elegance, empathy and compassion.

Ultimately, I want my clients to walk into a room and have people genuinely pleased to see them.

D is for Direction

Where are you going and are your actions taking you there?

Working with my clients, we establish clarity around personal vision, goals and priorities then regularly check progress. Sometimes we need a course correction. Sometimes we need to change the pace or take a different route.

The important thing is knowing that what you are doing is moving you towards the results you want.

That is HEARD. It is the framework within which I work with my Executive Excellence Coaching clients. At the start, we identify which area needs the most attention then weave the others into our work as we go.

Are you being HEARD?

Or is your Boardroom voice being blocked?

I’ve created an Assessment to help you find out. It will highlight whether your biggest opportunity is around Executive Presence, Authority, Relationships or Direction so you can see what may be holding you back.

Take the Assessment and discover where your focus could make the biggest difference.