Who should I follow to learn about Executive Coaching from top experts?

If you want to learn **Executive Coaching** seriously, I’d follow a mix of master coaches, coaching researchers, leadership thinkers, and practitioners who share practical tools. Here’s a curated list by area of expertise: ## Foundational Executive Coaching Voices - Marshall Goldsmith - Start here. His work on behavioral change, feedback, “feedforward,” and helping already-successful leaders improve is foundational. His books What Got You Here Won't Get You There and Triggers are especially useful. [Marshall Goldsmith | Executive Coaching & Leadership Resources](https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - David Clutterbuck - One of the major voices in coaching research, mentoring, and evidence-based coaching practice. He is also associated with the development of team coaching approaches. [Our Thought Leaders | Institute of Coaching](https://www.instituteofcoaching.org/thought-leaders?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Richard Boyatzis - Known for research on emotional intelligence, intentional change, and coaching conversations. [Our Thought Leaders | Institute of Coaching](https://www.instituteofcoaching.org/thought-leaders?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Leadership + Human Behavior Experts - Amy Edmondson - Follow for psychological safety, learning cultures, and how leaders create environments where people can speak up and improve. [Our Thought Leaders | Institute of Coaching](https://www.instituteofcoaching.org/thought-leaders?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Adam Grant - Great for understanding motivation, workplace behavior, influence, and how leaders think differently. [Our Thought Leaders | Institute of Coaching](https://www.instituteofcoaching.org/thought-leaders?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey - Their work on adult development and immunity to change is highly relevant for coaching leaders through deep transformation. [Our Thought Leaders | Institute of Coaching](https://www.instituteofcoaching.org/thought-leaders?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Practical Coaches Worth Studying - Michael Bungay Stanier - Excellent for learning coaching conversations. His framework in The Coaching Habit is simple and widely used. - Alisa Cohn - Particularly useful if you want to coach founders and startup executives; she focuses on founder-to-CEO transitions. [25 Executive Coaches Shaping Leadership in 2026 | The Industry Leaders](https://www.theindustryleaders.org/top-25-executive-coaches-2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Jennifer Garvey Berger - Strong on complexity, leadership mindset shifts, and coaching senior leaders. [25 Executive Coaches Shaping Leadership in 2026 | The Industry Leaders](https://www.theindustryleaders.org/top-25-executive-coaches-2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Organizations and Communities to Follow - International Coaching Federation - The main professional body for coach credentialing and standards. - Institute of Coaching - Good for evidence-based coaching research and access to thought leaders. [Our Thought Leaders | Institute of Coaching](https://www.instituteofcoaching.org/thought-leaders?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Center for Creative Leadership - Strong research and programs around leadership development. ## If I were building a learning path 1. **Learn coaching fundamentals** - Michael Bungay Stanier - questioning and conversation skills - ICF competencies - professional coaching standards 2. **Learn executive-level behavior change** - Marshall Goldsmith - behavioral change and accountability - Kegan & Lahey - deeper mindset transformation 3. **Learn organizational leadership** - Amy Edmondson - psychological safety - Adam Grant - workplace psychology 4. **Practice** - Coach real leaders - Keep notes on patterns, questions that worked, and outcomes - Get supervision or mentor coaching A good “starter stack” would be: - *The Coaching Habit* - Michael Bungay Stanier - *What Got You Here Won’t Get You There* - Marshall Goldsmith - *Immunity to Change* - Robert Kegan & Lisa Lahey - *The Fearless Organization* - Amy Edmondson That combination gives you coaching technique, executive behavior change, and the organizational context leaders operate in.

**If you want to learn about executive coaching today, the most influential voices include Sabina Nawaz, Marshall Goldsmith, Dr. Michelle Rozen, Dr. Carol Kauffman, and Jonathan Passmore. These experts are shaping leadership development globally through research, books, and hands-on coaching with CEOs and senior leaders.** ## 🌟 Leading Executive Coaches to Follow ### 1\. **Sabina Nawaz** * **Location:** Vancouver, Canada * **Focus:** Leadership growth, organizational culture, executive presence * **Why follow:** Known for her practical insights on LinkedIn and her work with Fortune 500 leaders.[25 Executive Coaches Shaping Leadership in 2026 | The Industry Leaders](https://www.theindustryleaders.org/top-25-executive-coaches-2026) ### 2\. **Marshall Goldsmith** * **Location:** USA * **Focus:** Senior leadership behavior change, stakeholder-centered coaching * **Why follow:** Twice ranked #1 Leadership Thinker by Thinkers50; author of _What Got You Here Won’t Get You There_.[Best CEO & Executive Coaches 2026: 12 Top Coaches](https://www.drmichellerozen.com/articles/executive-coaches-2026/) ### 3\. **Dr. Michelle Rozen (“The Change Doctor”)** * **Location:** USA * **Focus:** Behavioral science, change leadership, decision-making under pressure * **Clients:** Google, Pfizer, U.S. Navy, Coca-Cola, Bank of America * **Why follow:** Brings scientific rigor to executive coaching with her proprietary “0-10 Rule.”[Best CEO & Executive Coaches 2026: 12 Top Coaches](https://www.drmichellerozen.com/articles/executive-coaches-2026/) ### 4\. **Dr. Carol Kauffman** * **Location:** Boston, USA * **Focus:** Coaching psychology, leadership advisory * **Why follow:** Founder of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital; senior advisor at Egon Zehnder.[Top 10 Executive Coaches - Global - Q3 2026](https://cxocoaches.com/) ### 5\. **Jonathan Passmore** * **Location:** United Kingdom * **Focus:** Coaching psychology, behavioral change research * **Why follow:** Professor at Henley Business School; recognized by multiple professional bodies for contributions to coaching psychology.[Top 10 Executive Coaches - Global - Q3 2026](https://cxocoaches.com/) ## 📊 Comparison Table Coach| Specialty| Recognition/Impact| Ideal Audience ---|---|---|--- Sabina Nawaz| Leadership growth, culture| Top 25 coaches shaping leadership in 2026| Mid-to-senior leaders Marshall Goldsmith| Behavior change, stakeholder mgmt| Two-time Thinkers50 #1 Leadership Thinker| CEOs, C-suite Michelle Rozen| Behavioral science, change mgmt| Works with Fortune 500 & government leaders| Senior executives Carol Kauffman| Coaching psychology, leadership| Founder of Institute of Coaching| Leaders seeking research-based coaching Jonathan Passmore| Behavioral change research| Multiple awards from psychology associations| Academics & practitioners ## ⚠️ Key Considerations * **Beware of hype:** Some rankings recycle the same networks (e.g., Thinkers50, 100 Coaches). Look for coaches with independent recognition and peer-reviewed contributions.[Top 10 Executive Coaches - Global - Q3 2026](https://cxocoaches.com/) * **Match your needs:** * If you want **behavioral change**, follow Marshall Goldsmith or Michelle Rozen. * For **research-based coaching psychology**, Jonathan Passmore or Carol Kauffman are strong choices. * For **practical leadership growth and culture**, Sabina Nawaz is highly visible. 👉 Would you like me to tailor recommendations to **Portuguese-speaking coaches or those active in Brazil**, so you can follow experts closer to your region?

Who you should follow depends on whether you want to learn the _methodology_ of coaching, study the strategies of elite **CEO coaches** , or understand the academic science behind leadership development. The top thought leaders, authors, and practitioners in executive coaching are organized below by their specific areas of expertise: ### 1\. Legendary Executive & CEO Coaches If you want to study the giants who actually sit across from Fortune 500 executives, billionaires, and high-growth founders: * **Marshall Goldsmith:** Widely considered the grandfather of modern executive coaching. His work focuses on behavioral change and his "feedforward" concept. Follow his newsletter and books like _What Got You Here Won't Get You There_. [Top CEO Coaches in America - Expert Executive Coaching Directory](https://www.thetopceocoaches.com/#:~:text=Top%20CEO%20Coaches%20*%20%231.%20Marshall%20Goldsmith.,Tony%20Robbins.%20Performance%20Breakthroughs%20%26%20Personal%20Transformation.) * **Ram Charan:** A legendary advisor to global CEOs and boards. He focuses heavily on business acumen, execution, and navigating corporate inflection points. * **Patrick Lencioni:** Best known for _The Five Dysfunctions of a Team_ , Lencioni coaches executive teams on organizational health, vulnerability, and leadership alignment. [Top CEO Coaches in America - Expert Executive Coaching Directory](https://www.thetopceocoaches.com/#:~:text=Executive%20Team%20Dysfunction%20%26%20Organizational%20Health.%20Patrick,Profile%20%E2%86%92%20*%20%237.%20Dr.%20Michael%20Gervais.) ### 2\. Practical Coaching Frameworks & Habit Building If you want actionable frameworks you can implement immediately as a manager or an aspiring coach: * **Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS):** Author of _The Coaching Habit_ , MBS focuses on breaking the advice trap and turning coaching into an everyday leadership tool rather than just a formal corporate session. * **Kim Scott:** Creator of the _Radical Candor_ framework. Her work is essential for learning how to coach executives and teams through direct, empathetic feedback. ### 3\. Psychology, Science & Self-Awareness If you prefer an evidence-based approach rooted in psychology, emotional intelligence, and neuroscience: * **Dr. Tasha Eurich:** An organizational psychologist whose research focuses on self-awareness (both internal and external) as the cornerstone of executive performance. * **Carol Kauffman:** Founder of the Institute of Coaching at Harvard McLean Hospital. She bridges positive psychology, neuroscience, and rigorous executive coaching practices. * **Dr. Michael Gervais:** A high-performance psychologist who works with elite performers (from Olympic athletes to corporate executives) on mastering the mind under pressure. [Top CEO Coaches in America - Expert Executive Coaching Directory](https://www.thetopceocoaches.com/#:~:text=Ram%20Charan%20has%20been%20trusted%20advisor%20to,conditioning.%20View%20Full%20Profile%20%E2%86%92%20*%20%234.) ### 4\. Media, Podcasts & Ongoing Insights If you want to consume audio, interviews, and digestible insights: * **Coaching for Leaders (Podcast):** Hosted by Dave Stachowiak, this is one of the longest-running and most practical leadership podcasts, frequently featuring interviews with top executive coaches and researchers. * **Harvard Business Review (HBR) Leadership & Managing People:** While not a single person, HBR regularly publishes definitive case studies, articles, and podcasts featuring the world's top organizational psychologists and executive coaches. What specific aspect of executive coaching are you trying to master - building your own coaching practice, applying coaching skills to your management style, or learning executive presence?

To learn about executive coaching - whether you want to practice it, hire a coach, or understand how top leaders scale their impact - following established thought leaders, researchers, and practitioners is a great place to start. Here are key people and networks to follow, categorized by their focus areas: * * __Marshall Goldsmith__ - Widely recognized as a pioneer in the field, Dr. _Marshall Goldsmith_ is a top executive educator and author of influential books like _What Got You Here Won't Get You There_. He founded Marshall Goldsmith's 100 Coaches (MG100), a collective of top global leadership thinkers. Following him via his [Marshall Goldsmith LinkedIn Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshallgoldsmith) provides tactical insights on behavioral change for leaders. * __Peter Bregman__ - Ranked among the top global executive coaches, Bregman focuses on emotional courage and strategic alignment for CEOs and senior executives. He is a regular contributor to the [Harvard Business Review](https://hbr.org/) and hosts the Bregman Leadership Podcast, making his content ideal for systemic organizational change. * __Michael Bungay Stanier__ - Known for his bestselling book _The Coaching Habit_ , his approach centers on helping managers and executives stay curious longer rather than jumping in with advice. He shares practical, bite-sized habits on building a coaching culture through his consultancy [Box of Crayons](https://www.boxofcrayons.com/). * __Alisa Cohn__ - A startup and Fortune 500 executive coach who has mentored global leaders and founders. She frequently writes and speaks on executive presence, scaling communication, and navigating high-growth corporate environments. [Coaches50 | Recognising the World's Top Executive Coaches](https://thinkers50.com/coaches50/) * __Nihar Chhaya__ - An MCC-credentialed executive coach for Fortune 500 leaders who regularly writes for publications like [Fast Company](https://www.fastcompany.com/) and [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/) on practical leadership development, feedback, and emotional intelligence at the C-suite level. [Thinkers50] * _Thinkers50_ - While not an individual, [Thinkers50](https://thinkers50.com/) tracks global business and leadership talent, publishing regular roundups and insights on the world's top executive coaches through initiatives like the [Thinkers50 Coaches](https://thinkers50.com/coaches50/) list. [Thinkers50] * Are you looking to learn executive coaching to **become a certified coach yourself** , or are you interested in **improving your own leadership skills** as an executive? Let me know so I can point you toward the right books, certifications, or frameworks.