Is having a Coach the new Pumpkin Spice everything?
It seems that no matter who you speak to, what Social Media page you might be scrolling through, what interview you may have gone on, inevitably the topic of having a Coach will come up.
Do you have a Coach? Have you considered a Coach? How do you go about finding a Coach? How can a Coach help me? What does a Coach really do?
Most people automatically think a Coach is an individual sitting on the sidelines in a three-piece suit, observing his star player making that three-point shot they have been working on for the last 6 months. But I’m not referring to that kind of coach. I am referring to a coach that one might turn to help them navigate a significant career change or help identify the things that might be holding them back from making brave and bold decisions to do something that they are truly passionate about.
Recently I sat down for a coffee with my former boss, Kelly Glass, of KG & Associates, who not only coaches leadership professionals, but also elite athletes making the transition to their next stage of life. (Kelly’s daughter was an elite hockey player)
A brave and bold career change for Kelly herself and I wanted to learn more. I asked her to define in her own words what a professional Coach is. She answered by saying that a Coach is someone who is a “strong believer that people are really resourceful, but may not realize their true potential.” This is where a strong Coach comes in to ask the really tough questions. It’s not an ordinary conversation about what a day in the life of you looks like. A trained Coach will “get to the heart of what really matters”. They will push and stretch you as an individual to help create awareness of yourself, sometimes it can make you feel uncomfortable, as the awareness can be a bit hard to take. Why does a trained coach do this? Well, their ultimate goal is to guide you in developing an understanding of the person you really are, identify your strengths and the opportunities (which is a nicer way to say weaknesses) that may need to be worked on.
A typical Coaching relationship lasts about 6 months. That’s not to say that at day 179 at 11:59 pm, your Coach bids you adieu and they disappear into thin air, (after getting paid of course!) No, not at all! It is a continuous process that is kept alive by both parties. The 6-month time frame is generally a rule of thumb and allows enough time for you and your coach to come up with a plan that is honest and true to you. The “Process” as Kelly calls it will provide you with a clear understanding of:
· how to succeed and fail
· how to stretch yourself
· how to manage those self-sabotaging thoughts that creep into your mind all day every day
· how to identify and leverage your leadership traits
· how your purpose evolves as you learn more about yourself.
Think about it. The best coaches, athletes, celebrities, moguls ALL have a Coach in their lives. These individuals saw the benefit of having a Coach early on in their career when they were just starting out. I can bet that without their Coach, those people would not be the individuals they are today; would not have made the career choices they made; would not have executed on the ideas they had. As Kelly points out, “everyone can benefit from a coach; from the most junior person on the team to a top executive.”
You may be asking yourself, what makes a good coach? Take Kelly, for example. She has made her way up the ranks and has worked for many respected companies and technology startups as a human resource executive. She has had her “wrists slapped”, dealt with very successful leaders and learned from those that have made mistakes, including herself. With true experiences such as these, her advice and expertise ensure her clients don’t make the same mistakes. They leave their coaching experiences with “the tools and skills to make resonant choices in their lives and careers”.
When seeking out a Coach, remember that this person is not interested in being your best friend. They are interested in you evolving into being your best and most importantly, be true to yourself.
So, is having a Coach the new Pumpkin Spice everything? In my opinion, no. Having a Coach can be an integral part of this so-called journey of life. With competition being so fierce at every level for any career, why not have a leg up on your competition by having a better understanding of who and what you are, your strengths and opportunities and of the values that you will not compromise? It won’t be an easy journey, but in the end, it will all be worth it.