Most leaders who hover over a “Book Your Executive Strategy Call” button hesitate for the same seven reasons - each is understandable - but every one has a data-backed counterpunch you can use to move forward with confidence. The Seven:

1. Cost Anxiety & Fuzzy ROI

Sticker shock is real when calculate the hourly rate for executive coaching. Yet a Metrix Global study tracked a 788% ROI once productivity gains and retention were tallied.

FIX IT: Ask coaches to anchor goals to hard KPIs - revenue lift, churn drop, decision speed - and review progress every 30 days. A clear business case makes the engagement pay for itself.

2. “I Don’t Have the Time”

Half of managers and 45% of employees name lack of time as the biggest barrier to development in LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report. Gallup finds bandwidth, not desire, is the top blocker to growth.

FIX IT: Choose sprint-style programs (30-minute sessions + on-demand voice/text access) so coaching happens in the flow of work, not as another calendar boulder.

3. Fear of Vulnerability - “I’ll Look Weak”

Employees are 5.3x more likely to trust leaders who regularly show vulnerability and 7.5x more likely when leaders admit mistakes (link).

FIX IT: Frame coaching like pro athletes frame trainers - proof you’re obsessed with sharpening your edge, not patching a flaw.

4. Skepticism that Coaching Really Works

SHRM flags an “ROI backlash” as some firms tout improbable returns, breeding deep skepticism. Forbes warns that any service promising impossible ROI without data is hype waiting to implode.

FIX IT: Verify experience, testimonials and demand before-and-after case studies tied to metrics. Data chops slice through the woo-woo fog.

5. Effort & Change Resistance

McKinsey shows most leadership programs flop because insight never meets on-the-job application. Psychology Today links procrastination to fear of failure or success.

FIX IT: Work in micro-experiments - one behavior per week, measured in under five minutes - to build momentum without overwhelm.

6. “What If The Chemistry’s Off?”

Coaching is an unregulated industry, so anyone can hang out a shingle. The wrong fit can waste both money and morale. 95% of coaches are hobbyists.

FIX IT: Treat chemistry calls like investor pitches: interview at least two coaches, check for client testimonials and references, and agree on success metrics before signing.

7. Confidentiality Doubts

ICF’s Code of Ethics requires coaches to “maintain the strictest level of confidentiality with all parties.” Forbes echoes that robust NDAs are standard practice in quality coaching agreements.

FIX IT: Demand a written confidentiality clause and clarify exactly what (if anything) can be shared with sponsors or bosses - your data, your rules.

Final Thoughts

Every objection on this list is solvable - and solving it is the difference between staying stuck and hitting your next growth ceiling. If you’re ready to put these fixes to work, let’s talk.

Grab a no-cost, 20-minute Executive Strategy Call—zero sales pitch, just straight coaching insight drawn from 20+ years in the trenches. Pick a time that fits your schedule here: Book Your Call.