The Main Differences: Business Coaching vs. Executive Coaching

The Main Differences: Business Coaching vs. Executive Coaching 3 Year Ago · 5 min read

Talyaa Vardar

Talyaa Vardar, MA, FCPC, MCC
Executive Coach, Psychologist & Art Therapist

Certified professional coaches follow many different disciplines and niches. There is executive coaching, business coaching, life coaching, career coaching, and so on. After so many years in the industry, we get many inquiries regarding the differences between a business and an executive coach. We have decided to bring clarity to these questions. Let’s examine and check what are the similarities and what sets business coaching and executive coaching apart.

The Similarities between Business Coaching & Executive Coaching 

Even though they are fundamentally different, business and executive coaching do share some similarities.

Keeping their approach aside both coaches come in with one goal in mind - which is to help their clients improve their business goals or try to come up with solutions for the business-related issues they might face.

The bottom line is they both want their clients to succeed and grow.

The Main Differences between Business Coaching & Executive Coaching 

Business Coaching

Business-related coaching is where the business coach’s focus lies. This type of coach has gone through certified coach training which allows them to work with business owners. These can be start-up CEOs or even seasoned entrepreneurs.

A business coach may work on a variety of goals such as building an effective business plan, reviving strategy, identifying marketing needs, boosting overall motivation and performance of the organization, and so on.

Business coaches are trained to resolve the obstacles lying in the way of the business.

As a business coach, you will understand successful business practices, productive team environments, motivational approaches, and provide tools to overcome any obstacles. A business coach, therefore, works in a partnership and in tandem with their client (a business owner) to grow their company and/or solve business-related obstacles.

Executive Coaching

Comparatively an executive coach can be hired independently to coach senior managers or management teams for a specified period or can be working in-house such as to coach employees consistently. The goal of an executive coach is to focus on both leadership skills as well as personal development.

It comes with the understanding that improving leadership skills and the personal development of executives will ultimately lead to the improvement and success of the organization.

Executive coaches are typically hired to help C-suite, VPs, and other executives with setting, tracking, and achieving personal improvement goals. These goals are able to improve overall staff motivation, increase productivity, improve communication skills, and so on. Facilitating desired behavior will indirectly result in them achieving their goals and in turn the success of the organization to take place.

If you are an entrepreneur or a business owner the question to ask yourself is whether you or your staff requires a strategy or personal development. This question will help you choose which coach is suited best to your needs.

If you are a budding coach yourself, it will be useful to understand and take a closer look at the main focus of both of the niches and decide which one attracts you the most.

FLOW Coaching Institute offers our Business Coaching program which can help you to become a Success Partners for entrepreneurs, business owners, and business executives. Check our program schedule for our upcoming Business Coaching online coach certification program.