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Managing Yourself: Are you ready for a coach?

Written by: Jerry Pinney

Article Overview: The world of work is changing, and fast. Having a successful career means continually learning and adapting to rapidly evolving environments. In order to become the success that you desire, it may be time to engage the services of a personal coach.

Managing Yourself: Are you ready for a coach?

Managing Yourself: Are You Ready for a Coach? The world of work is changing, and fast. Having a successful career means continually learning and adapting to rapidly evolving environments. You can’t do it alone. Coaching yourself is like the blind leading the blind: You can’t know what you don’t know. Coaching occurs all the time within an organization as a management or leadership style. But what we are referring to here is coaching from an executive coach who is professionally trained and hired externally, and whose sole job is to provide development opportunities. No universal certification guarantees quality or qualifications. Former outplacement specialists, therapists, psychologists, HR specialists and motivational speakers have transformed themselves into executive coaches. Some have undergone rigorous coach training programs, and some are talented and highly intuitive people without formal instruction. While coaches were originally assigned to those experiencing difficulties or in danger of derailment, there is now wider acceptance of hiring coaches for even the most successful managers. Organizations recognize that people can grow and change. Having a coach assigned to you often signals career advancement. Who Needs a Coach? A coach can be most useful at particular career points: 1. You are being promoted to a management or leadership position that requires new skills. 2. You lack fulfillment in your present position and are considering a career change, within the same company or externally. 3. You are experiencing stress and may be on the road to burnout. 4. You want to improve your ability to manage and influence others by understanding how to navigate office politics. 5. You want to learn better “people skills.” 6. You want to improve your emotional intelligence and learn to better manage your inner experiences so you can manage others more effectively. 7. You are dealing with global issues: long-distance responsibilities or actual relocation. 8. You are experiencing diversity challenges that you’d like to handle better. 9. The strengths and talents you brought to your job are not the ones that will guarantee future career success. Choosing a Coach The No. 1 quality anyone should look for in a coach is rapport. A client needs to be able to trust the coach and feel comfortable working at a level where real change can happen. The relationship with your coach is the key. Most coaches offer free, no-strings-attached sample coaching sessions. Take them up on the offer. To make the most of these calls, bring a specific 'issue' to discuss - the more specific the better - and actively engage in the coaching process. This is actually one of the best parts of choosing a coach. Where else can you try-before-you-buy like this? Can you go to a restaurant and sample the fare without paying? Can you 'borrow' some new clothes from a department store an walk out without paying for them? Will a taxicab driver take you somewhere for free so you can test out his traffic-handling skills? No. No. No. But with coaching, sample sessions are a big yes, Yes, YES! So do a number of them before selecting who you want to work with on an ongoing basis. The most important thing is that you truly connect with the person assisting you. Look for someone you can speak with openly, who is not judgmental, and is only there for your success. Talking with others who have used coaches might also be helpful, as long as those people can clearly communicate what was good or bad about their own experience with coaching, and why. Contacting professional associations with members who offer coaching is another excellent avenue to obtain information on possible coaching providers.

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Article Tags: Coach, Coaching, Success



Related Forum Posts
coach needs a coach - Yes... I remember that my coach had a coach. Makes perfect sense. Plus you're getting more stimulation as to HOW to be a better coach.
Re: Has a coach helped you? - [quote="OmnivoreInk":1rrrl97v]And is a coach different than a mentor? I don't really feel I need a coach... anything I need to know how to do I just find a book and read up on it. I would like to find someone to give me a quick and inexpensive lesson on content management systems (yes...I publish ezines without using a content management system!), but that's not the same thing, eh?[/quote:1rrrl97v] Great question about the difference between a coach and a mentor, and you'll probably hear many different opinions on this. For me this main difference is that a mentor has been there and done it and can tell/show you how to do it. A coach is trained and skilled in helping you to find the best way to achieve something perhaps through challenging your thoughts and beliefs, goal setting, accountability, brainstorming ideas, seeing and holding the bigger picture for you. As for learning more about content management systems, I'd say you need someone experienced with that specifically. Tell me more about what you want to learn and I'll see if I can point you in the right direction. Wendy
Rich Dad coaching - Hi, I've read reports like this before and I don't know whether they are true or not. What I do know though is about checking out any coaches before you hire them. These comments aren't a reflection of Rich Dad's coaching, just comments on being coached in general. Many companies that offer coaching are only offering you a way to learn their method of doing something. The coaches many not have any qualifications or skills in coaching they just know what they need to tell you to do. So, I suggest that you find out more about the actual coach you would be working with. What training do they have? How long have they been coaching? Often people get into a sales funnel and are offered expensive coaching as part of this, where they may be better to find a professional coach themselves who can offer excatly what you as an individual needs. Its also important to speak one on one with any coach that you may hire because there's need to be connection and someone you truly feel that you can work well with. Wendy
Has a coach helped you? - And is a coach different than a mentor? I don't really feel I need a coach... anything I need to know how to do I just find a book and read up on it. I would like to find someone to give me a quick and inexpensive lesson on content management systems (yes...I publish ezines without using a content management system!), but that's not the same thing, eh?
Re: HRPreneur - Evan, I am looking for new clients and to see if my business model resonates with Entrepreneurs. Thanks Joey Walters, CHRP, H.R.C.C.C. Managing Director HRPreneur Inc. C. 647-534-4774


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