How is Christian executive coaching different than non-faith based coaching?

Here's how Christian executive coaching is different from non-faith based coaching that just has Bible verses slapped onto the marketing materials.

1. The coaching foundation is different.

2. The coaching tactics are different.

3. The coaching result is different.

The Foundation of Christian Executive Coaching is Different

There is only one foundation and it is a shared commitment to stewarding our gifts and talents to glorify God.

In Genesis, we learn that men and women were created as a reflection of their Creator and to work. The entire story of creation is a foreshadowing of the stewardship responsibilities we have been given. In His covenant with the nation of Israel, the Sabbath was established based on the model in the Genesis account of creation - six days God worked and, on the seventh day, He rested. While this was a covenant with Israel, it is a pattern we observe today.

Later, in Ecclesiastes, we see again that it is a gift from God that we enjoy the work we have been created to do. Work is not an optional thing. In fact, Paul wrote instructions to the early church that if a person is able but doesn't work, they should not be freeloading on the hardworking people who were sacrificing their money and posessesions for the provision and care of those in need.

Equally important is that God has given each of us gifts and talents for a purpose. Nowhere is this made more plain than in the parable of the minas recorded in Luke 19. The master is God and we are the servants. In the same way that investors, owners, and executives calculate ROI on their business decisions, the master expects a return. If you have been entrusted with a business, your job is to steward that for God's purposes. It's a fundamentally different focus than building generational wealth or having a comfortable and happy life. There's nothing wrong with those thing unless they take the place of our purpose for work.

Working for the glory of God is an integral part of our created purpose and, as such, changes the foundation of executive coaching for any truly faith-driven business leader.

The Tactics of Christian Executive Coaching are Different

If you are looking for Christian executive coaching, you should expect your coach to incorporate faith into every part of your engagement. That includes:

• Asking the Holy Spirit to help discern whether or not the coach is the right person for you - and them being willing to accept the answer if they are not the right fit.

  
  

• Your coach praying with and for you on a regular basis - both in a session as well as outside of it.

• Your coach calling you to particular passages of scripture for your study, meditation, and application within the context of your business.

• You asking your coach to hold you accountable for both business and personal growth goals - and giving your coach permission to keep you "on the hook" when you are unwilling to answer the hard questions.

It's important to be clear that executive coaching is not pastoral counseling. However, many founders and executives find that combining professional Christian executive coaching with pastoral counseling from their church provides a more comprehensive change in how they run their business for the glory of God.

From prayer to Biblically-based challenges, you and your Christian executive coach should be talking about how you remain faithful to your calling as you steward your business and relationships for His glory (not yours).

The Result of Christian Executive Coaching is Different

Faithful stewardship, not business success is not the primary result of Christian executive coaching.

Let's face it. As we succeed in business, a lot of things will seek to pull us away from effective stewardship. There's a strong sense of pride that comes with doing a job well. As a business grows, it's easy to think we're the one driving that growth. The truth is that we are making decisions that often have positive results. It's possible to build an amazing house...on the sand. Psalm 127:1-2 reminds us that our toil is at the pleasure of the Lord:

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

The result a Christian executive coach wants for their client is that their roots grow deeper in faith more than they experience growth in their business. The coach's goal is to help you achieve both rather than business success at the expense of your relationship with Christ and others around you.

Financial rewards you can put to work for kingdom-advancing purposes are a fantastic secondary benefit. But for a Christian executive coaching engagement to be successful, you should work with a Christian executive coach who understands your primary result is measured in your business's gospel-focused influence within your team, your supply chain, your partner network, your customer base, and your community.

Looking for something different?

If you're looking for Christian executive coaching as you grow and scale your business, please let me know. I'd love to show you how different Christian executive coaching can be.