what is coaching and how can it help you
TRANSCRIPT
By Sophie Francis
Are you thinking about embarking on coaching and not sure how it can help you?
Coaching is a partnership designed to help you unlock your potential to
maximise your performance, learning and growth.
Depending on what you need and what is important to you, coaching can help you
build self-awareness, insight, confidence and skills in order to create
positive changes and results in your personal or professional life. People who
have experienced coaching report discovering new perspectives, making better
decisions and achieving sustainable performance as a result of coaching.
Coaching is a collaborative relationship formed between coach and
coachee for the purpose of attaining professional or personal development
outcomes…valued by the coachee (Grant et al, 2010).
WHAT IS COACHING AND HOW CAN IT HELP YOU?
In essence coaching is a collaborative, dynamic relationship, with your
coach acting as your champion, supporter, thinking partner and guide. It is a
relationship built on purpose, trust, personal accountability and hope. Your
coach supports you by listening deeply, asking questions and giving feedback
that will help you to identify and focus on what you really want to achieve
and how you are going to get there. A coach is not there to tell you what to
do or how to get there; because that won’t help you develop your own skills
or pathways. Her focus is to help you develop your own capabilities, resources
and solutions so you can learn how to successfully navigate your environment
and create sustainable success. Your role in coaching is to act on the
insights you experience during coaching and put in focussed and consistent
effort to make positive changes in your life.
Coaching is different from counselling. Many coaches have counselling
skills, so they can help you tackle difficult issues and offer an empathic
ear. Skilled coaches are trained to help you proactively manage the impact of
your thinking, behaviour and emotions so you can develop more effective
strategies to move forward. However, if therapy or psychological support is
more appropriate for you now they will advise you to seek the support of a
qualified mental health professional.
Good coaches draw on robust training, evidence-based practice, diverse
expertise and their own experience in achieving personal and professional
growth. They can have backgrounds in psychology/counselling, health/wellness,
consulting, human resources, education/training, sports/performance, business
or entrepreneurship and hold relevant and specific training that enable them
to work flexibly with each person and their emerging needs.
As coaching requires commitment and work from both coach and coachee,
people who get the most from coaching have a fierce desire for learning and
growth. Coaching requires an open mindset and willingness to share and engage
in honest, open conversations. Motivation to do the work, readiness to be
coached and a supportive environment, along with good chemistry with your
coach, are the strongest factors in achieving successful outcomes in coaching.
Identifying a clear purpose or desired outcomes for coaching will also help
you determine if coaching is right for you, what approach will suit you best
and how you might measure success.
Sophie Francis is a business, brand and life coach. She draws on a background in positive psychology, leadership development and mind-body studies to help people navigate and create new pathways in their life and work. She has a Master of Business Coaching and is a member of the International Coach Federation. Visit www.sophiefrancis.com.