Excerpts from an article written by Sarah Marinos…

You’ve got a personal assistant to steer you through the million-and-one tasks you have to do at the office. You’ve got a personal trainer to help you keep fit. Ah, but do you have a life coach?

A growing number of savvy executives in the USA and UK are negotiating a life coach as part of the salary package. They believe a weekly or fortnightly session with someone who can enhance their professional performance is just as important as an attractive salary, company car, gym membership or private pension plan. Now, life coaching is also becoming big business in Australia. Some major companies are recognizing that people perform better when they feel supported, and are offering coaching to senior staff.

Some businesses are realizing that to attract high-caliber employees they have to offer strong support networks. The best graduates now leave university and ask, “Why should I work for you?” They’re not just interested in the salary. They see work-life balance as important and they want to know how an employer will help them achieve that balance.

Many busy execs get caught on the treadmill. They rush from project to project, and from boardroom meeting to briefing without stepping back to appraise their performance or to tune in to staff morale – a dangerous oversight. If you don’t find out how you are perceived at all levels, you will probably continue to do something that is driving everyone else on your team crazy. Find out what other people define as your strengths and weaknesses and build on that information to improve your performance, as well as your workplace relationships.

While boosting job performance is important, achieving in the workplace goes hand in hand with a healthy body, a healthy diet and healthy personal relationships. How many busy people don’t take time out for lunch? They eat takeaway [Australian word for take-out] at their desk and don’t even find time to go for a 20-minute walk every day. They are mentally and physically drained, and get to the point of burnout.

A life coach is also an objective and confidential sounding board, a tool for off-loading worries. Executives in senior positions may be reluctant to discuss their concerns with people within the organization for fear of being seen as struggling to cope.

“A lot of busy people are overwhelmed with information and ideas, and need someone to help them focus and get mentally organized. A coach gives honest feedback, helping the client define their goals. Once those goals are identified, they are broken down into achievable steps,” says David Rock, founder of Results Coaching Systems in Sydney. Rock emphasizes that you don’t have to be in hot water at work to benefit from coaching. Athletes who’ve achieved Olympic gold or broken world records often continue to work with a life coach to hone their performance.

In sport, having a life coach is seen as a mark of being serious about what you do. It’s exactly the same in business. Life coaches are used by people who are already successful and who want to be more successful. A life coach will stretch, challenge and help you be the best you can be.