What's a coach got to do with it?
Is it just me or does everyone have a life coach these days? Take Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Richard Branson, the Williams sisters, and even Bill Gates. They all sing praise on the importance of a coach. Why then do such successful professionals who seemingly “have it all” seek out the assistance of a life coach?
Studies conducted by the International Coaching Federation on the effectiveness of life coaching “showed 99% of the people they interviewed saw their experience working with a life coach as rewarding, while 96% stated they would do it again. Moreover, 65% said working with a coach helped them improve their performance at work, and 80% said it helped improve their self-confidence.”
Those numbers are impressive yet they don’t get to the bottom line: Why not see a therapist instead? Well, the answer comes down to definition. In therapy, the focus is on the individual’s past with the goal of working through painful experiences and resolving issues. Coaching, on the other hand, is about helping a client to clarify a goal, create a road map, and make positive long-lasting change. In short, coaching focuses on the present and promotes self-discovery.
Now I can’t speak for high-powered people but what I do know is that influential people are like you and me. They have doubts. No matter how successful a person is, everyone has a blind spot. A coach sees things that you don’t necessarily see.
There are as many types of coaching styles and methods as there are coaches. At the end of the day, though, the result is the same: A coach helps you to let go of the mind traps and imagine your future.
Here are a few things to look forward to in a coaching session.
Getting out of that rut
So you’re stuck. A coach will take you on a dive deep to determine priorities: Where are you now and what do you want? It’s worth chunking down to create more specific and manageable goals.
Figuring out what’s next
There’s nothing wrong with not knowing your next milestone. That’s the joy of working with a coach. A coach will help you clear your mind by discovering the why and tapping into what matters. From there you can create actionable micro-steps to make immediate changes in your life.
Realizing your a-ha moment
As Oprah says: You can't have an a-ha unless you already knew it. As your awareness increases so does the ability to transform. A coach will connect the dots by asking a bunch of powerful questions that move the needle toward possibilities.
Gaining a check-in buddy
The desire to change often brings up fears about failure. How can you stay accountable and on track? Follow-through is critical in order to maintain and sustain your goal. A coach will indeed be your support system. But it also boils down to you to be the person you want to be.
