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Your Next C-Suite Hire Isn’t Ready (Yet): How Coaching Closes the Gap

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In high-performing organizations, leadership development isn’t left to chance; it's embedded in the culture. One of the most strategic decisions you can make as a senior executive or HR leader is when to invest in coaching for your leadership team.

Done right, coaching doesn’t just support performance; it accelerates impact, prevents costly missteps, and prepares your organization for what’s next.

Here are the pivotal moments when executive coaching delivers exponential ROI, along with what that return can look like in real business terms.


1. During Succession Planning & Talent Reviews

Ideal moment: 1–2 years ahead of a leadership promotion. For CEO succession, coaching should start even earlier.

Why it matters: Coaching gives high-potential leaders the perspective, presence, and enterprise mindset they need before stepping into bigger roles. It helps prevent costly gaps, performance dips, or failed transitions.


ROI example:

  • Leaders enter new roles with clarity, confidence, and a well-formed leadership identity.

  • Scorecards shift from red to green, quickly.

  • The bench is strong and ready, and vacancies don’t lead to extended disruption.


2. Following a Promotion

Ideal moment: Within the first 90 days of a new role.

Why it matters: Coaching helps newly promoted leaders shed old habits, think bigger, and gain traction faster.


ROI example:

  • Accelerated impact in their new role.

  • Increased enterprise thinking vs. functional silos.

  • Improved decision-making aligned with broader strategic goals.


3. After Being Recognized in a Merit or Performance Review

Ideal moment: Shortly after being identified as high-potential.

Why it matters: Coaching turns recognition into momentum. It builds readiness, influence, and meaningful leadership growth.


ROI example:

  • Increased self-awareness and executive presence.

  • Greater influence across teams and stakeholders.

  • Clear progression from tactical leader to strategic thinker.


4. Onboarding a New Executive

Ideal moment: First 90 days of joining the C-suite, especially during backfills or retirements.Why it matters: Coaching helps new executives build trust, navigate ambiguity, and influence stakeholders faster.


ROI example:

  • Strong relationships formed faster.

  • Clear contributions in the first 90 days.

  • Confident navigation of new culture, expectations, and strategy.


5. During a Reorganization

Ideal moment: As senior leaders take on new functional or enterprise roles.Why it matters: Coaching helps leaders reorient, communicate clearly, and lead confidently through change.


ROI example:

  • Leaders maintain composure under pressure.

  • Teams stay engaged and aligned.

  • Strategic clarity in the face of evolving goals.


6. Transitioning from Functional to Enterprise Leadership

Ideal moment: When a leader’s scope broadens to include enterprise-wide influence.Why it matters: Coaching expands leaders’ lens, shifts them from an ‘expert’ mindset to strategic thinking, and builds cross-functional influence.


ROI example:

  • Teams feel more empowered and autonomous.

  • Strategy becomes more aligned across functions.

  • Decisions are made with an enterprise-wide view, not just a departmental lens.


7. During Times of Change, Complexity, or Crisis

Ideal moment: As soon as significant change is on the horizon, or underway.Why it matters: Coaching gives leaders space to recalibrate, think clearly, and lead with steadiness through chaos.


ROI example:

  • Increased clarity, even with limited information.

  • Stronger strategic thinking under pressure.

  • Trusted instincts become sharper and more reliable.


8. During Mergers & Acquisitions

Ideal moment: From early due diligence through post-deal integration.Why it matters: Coaching helps leaders unite cultures, navigate ambiguity, and lead with presence during M&A.


ROI example:

  • Leaders drive integration with empathy and decisiveness.

  • Communication is timely, clear, and cascades effectively.

  • Cultural friction is minimized, and trust is built faster.


9. When an Executive Seeks a Thought Partner

Ideal moment: Anytime a seasoned executive needs a trusted, confidential space to think deeply.Why it matters: Coaching gives experienced leaders space to reflect, recalibrate, and grow intentionally.


ROI example:

  • Heightened self-awareness and personal clarity.

  • Improved strategic alignment with company goals.

  • Greater leadership conviction and legacy-building mindset.


What ROI Really Looks Like

Coaching ROI isn’t just about metrics. It’s about the transformation leaders experience and the ripple effect it has across the organization:

  • Leaders confidently step into bigger roles.

  • Self-awareness deepens; influence expands.

  • Strategic decisions improve. Teams align.

  • Executive presence sharpens. Accountability rises.

  • Talent gaps shrink. High performance becomes cultural.

  • And most importantly:ROI isn’t just what you achieve, it’s who you become.



Ready to accelerate your top talent?

If you’re thinking about how to develop your executive leaders, or you know a transition is coming, let’s explore what’s possible.

🧭 Let’s talk about how coaching can help your top executive talent lead with greater confidence, clarity, and impact.


Angela Bonner, CEO & Founder of Evolutio LLC, is an accomplished executive coach dedicated to empowering senior leaders and executives to expand their influence, elevate their leadership impact, and break through what is holding them back from the next level. Whether preparing for new roles or expanding their influence, her clients consistently gain clarity and momentum, positioning themselves for long-term success in today’s dynamic business landscape.

 
 
 
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