WORK

Why Every CEO Should Have a Coach

The higher you climb in leadership, the less you likely know about what’s happening in your organization.

You may be paying attention, but isolation comes with the territory. And without the right support, that distance between you and your people, between what you think is happening and what’s really going on, grows larger every day.

Gallup research tells an important story. U.S. employee engagement dropped to 31% this year. That's the lowest it’s been in a decade. Only 46% of employees clearly know what’s expected of them, down from 56% in 2020. Just 39% feel someone at work genuinely cares about them.

That's a leadership crisis.

But what can we do about it? What can you do about it?

Leaders think they’re showing up with empathy. Employees don't believe it's genuine. And that disconnect has real consequences.

When you’re making decisions that affect thousands, hundreds or even dozens of people, you’re not living in the same world as your employees. It's the way companies are built.

You’re not dealing with the same pressures around childcare, healthcare, or whether you can afford to take a sick day. The information that reaches you gets filtered through layers of people who often tell you what they think you need to hear, not what you need to know.

The structure of leadership creates distance. And without someone whose job it is to keep you grounded in the reality your people are experiencing? That distance may become insurmountable.

The International Coaching Federation’s 2023 Global Coaching Study found that 86% of organizations reported ROI from executive coaching, with many estimating returns of at least 7 times their investment. Research shows that executive coaching produces significant positive changes in behaviors, attitudes, and personal characteristics.

And that's great. But what's even better is having someone in your corner who will:

Tell you what you’re not seeing. A good coach pushes back when your perspective has narrowed or your assumptions are outdated. They help you understand what’s really happening on the ground, not just what’s in the reports.

Help you maintain empathy at scale. A 2024 FranklinCovey analysis states that self-aware leaders who can identify when team members are struggling take proactive steps to support them, and that these skills can be developed through coaching.

Bridge the gap between business strategy and human reality. You might make brilliant strategic decisions, but have you lost touch with how those decisions are received by your people? A coach helps you hold the business imperatives AND the human impact.

Keep you accountable. Not to a board or shareholders, but to yourself. The kind of leader you actually want to be. It’s easy to lose sight of that in the day-to-day pressure. A coach helps you course-correct before small disconnects become cultural problems.

Good coaching for senior leaders means staying connected to the lived reality of your organization while navigating complexity. It helps you build cultures where people feel genuinely seen and valued because your own capacity to connect has deepened.

The data backs this up. Employee engagement falls when leaders lose touch. Productivity drops—$438 billion in lost productivity in 2024 alone, according to Gallup. People leave. Trust erodes.

But the opposite is also true. When leaders stay grounded, connected, and supported, organizations thrive.

For some, coaching may not be enough. Sometimes the weight of leadership needs more than strategic guidance. That's where therapy comes in. Not because something's wrong with you, but because the role itself can change you. There's no shame in anyone - even CEOs - getting help, whether that be in a peer group, support from a coach, or therapist.

If you’re a CEO or senior leader reading this, ask yourself these questions: Who helps you see your blind spots? Who challenges your assumptions? Where do you process the very real weight of leadership without it landing on your team or your family?

You can’t lead well from a place of isolation. You can’t stay connected to your people’s reality without someone helping you bridge that gap. And the best investment you can make in your organization might just be investing in your own clarity, connection, and well-being first.

**side note - I am not an executive coach but I do know some great ones if you are looking. I wrote this because I have seen some of the best CEOs I know get support from coaches and peer groups, which enabled them to become more self-aware, connected to their people, and ultimately become better leaders. And conversely, I have seen the damage that a CEO can do to a culture if they do not have someone to challenge and coach them.

Connect with me on LinkedIn!

COMMUNITY

Community is at the heart of everything I do. From my wonderful HR community, to my Distribution and industrial communities to of course my family, community means comfort and connection.

But, I write this newsletter a lot! And so I'm not repeating what I'm sharing (at least not too often), I'm going to share some other communities you might want to know about, even if community is a bit more loosely defined!

Today I want to talk about HR Besties. It's a podcast, yes, and a great one, but it's also made up of three very different and really incredible women who blend content creation with compassion and humor and practicality in a way I rarely see. So follow HR Besties, yes, but also follow Leigh Henderson, Jamie Jackson and my friend Ashley Herd. Even if you are not in HR, the content and information these three are sharing across LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and more is pure gold.

(HR Besties - please forgive the quality of the photo I stole from the internet!)

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Visit HR Besties Here

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COFFEE

Coffee shops are "third places" for many of us.

What's a third place? By definition, "a location that is neither one's home nor workplace and provides a space for relaxation or recreation."

Because I work for myself, I don't have a workspace beyond my home office. I do travel quite a bit, but I actually generally prefer to work in my room when I travel.

But once in awhile, getting out to a coffee shop is great.

This week Dave and I spent about an hour together in William and Sons instead of grabbing our coffee to go like we usually do. (And also I ate a cinnamon roll - they make absolutely deliciously different ones.) It wasn't planned to be a long trip, so no laptops, but we talked and got some things done from our phones. In comfortable, relaxing chairs in a quiet and calm environment.

If I were still going to an office every day and needed a third place, this would probably be it!

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Have a great week ahead!

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ETC....

Here are a few random things....

I know of several incredible - truly top-notch CHROs/CPOs looking for their next role. I also know a head of marketing and a communications leader looking for their next roles. Reach out if you know of any, and I'll connect you!

Are you a Distribution or Manufacturing CEO? I'd love a few minutes of your time to test a few ideas I've been working on. Grab some time on my calendar here:

My Calendly Link

Live in NH? Stay tuned for the return of DisruptHR NH after SEVEN YEARS in May 2026!

Want to submit a question that's on your mind? Send some feedback, or let me know what you would like to see next? Click the button below!

Questions and Feedback

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Until next time....... thanks for reading!

One last thing: Distribution and manufacturing leaders received another resource this week. Want on that list? Let me know!

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Tracie

My Partner Spotlight ​ WorkStory makes the review process easy - and while maybe not fun, much more human - through using AI. And if you are Florida based, you'll soon have a chance to meet with me and the founder Matt Meadows IRL! Also, part 2 of my three-part History of Performance Management dropped last week. Stay tuned for part 3 soon! ​

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