Teamwork makes the Dream Work
While that may seem a bit over the top cheesy, I should tell you that the original title was, I’m a Coach, Not a Psychic. Fortunately, I chose to take a deep breath and not write while my mind was so full of snark. Sometimes you have to wait a tic. With time and perspective, this post is more positive and definitely more helpful.
While coaching is becoming mainstream, most people still have not had the opportunity to work with one. They are not entirely certain as to what a coach does (and in the absence of information it's really easy to fill in the gaps with speculation and supposition). Let’s take a couple of minutes: I can fill in some of those gaps for you and save us both a bit of awkward small talk.
Not a coach 101:
I am not a therapist and will not be diagnosing or treating you. If you have read any of my previous blogs I’m pretty sure my tone would have already given that bit away. Also, I do not look into your future and tell you what to do. However, should I ever gain those psychic abilities, I’ll be sure to add a prognostication package to my website. That would be amazing!
Now, on to the good stuff.
a.k.a. Coaching 101:
I am going to ask lots of questions and get to know you and your priorities. At which point I will probably ask even more questions because you said some really interesting stuff! I couldn’t let it just be glossed over. Fear not, there is a reason for all the inquiry as we will start to see patterns and themes begin to emerge. Based on these, and taking into consideration your coaching goal, we will make a plan. It is very likely (I’m talking approximately 99% probability) that you will leave our session with homework in hand. Action items, to do’s, call it what you want. I call it putting in the work! Please consider yourself warned.
I promise it’s not busy work. The work you put in between sessions will provide insight into areas where we should focus. What challenges you are encountering? Do we adjust our plan? In the spirit of transparency I should also mention that we may head down a particular road only to find we went the wrong direction! Sometimes it takes a few directions to find your true North. I count this as progress because it serves to eliminate the ‘what ifs,’ and ‘I wonders’ that would be present had you not taken that road. We take what learning we need from that errant direction and factor it into our new direction.
The reason I bring up the need to pivot is because your attitudes and perspectives are very likely to shift throughout this process. What resonated with you in the beginning may be better in theory than practice.
Without further investigation you would not have known that.
It’s important that we stay open, creative and always self aware so that we are able to best take advantage of these shifts.
So, who should reach out to a coach? Are you changing careers or looking to advance in your current role? Perfect! Have you ever felt spread too thin? Have you felt that the things you care about most were getting the least attention? Get a coach! Do you have an idea for a business but aren't sure where to start? I'm here for that!
There are a million tiny decisions and tasks that need to be taken into consideration to get any project off the ground. Let someone help you identify priorities and areas of need so you can create a timeline, set some goals, and get started taking those baby steps toward your dream. As a coach I will help clarify, organize, and support your goals.
If you’ve stuck with me this long and are still looking for a good way to wrap your mind around coaching, I’ll offer you this analogy; Coaches are very much like personal trainers. You will not see any results if your trainer does the workout for you. You go to a trainer because they are an expert at isolating your physical priorities and challenges then coming up with a plan to move you toward your goal. You walk away knowing what you need to be working on each day in order to be ready for your next meeting with the trainer. At the next meeting you’ll check progress and make any adjustments that are necessary to keep you moving closer to your goal.
Working with a coach is no different. Whether your focus is personal or professional, you still have to do the work. Don’t worry - I’ve got your back!