Coaching can sometimes feel quite abstract, so in this blog, I’m going to talk you through the key things that define powerful coaching and what a good coaching partnership should actually feel like.
There are four key things that define coaching…
COACHING IS FUTURE FOCUSED. It’s centred around the transformation (change) you want to see in your life going forward. A powerful coach will work with you to first help you get super clear on what you want (a step we so often miss out in life without proper support), then help you take control of the direction of your life through ACTION. Getting super clear on your vision then helping you get there, is at the core of all coaching relationships.
But if getting from A to B were that simple, life would be a lot easier (and way more boring)! So, along this journey, a powerful coach will work with you to remove conscious and subconscious assumptions that are preventing you from achieving what you want.
For example, if you start working with me because you want to stop freelancing and start an online coaching business, an untrue assumption that you might be holding onto might be something like, “I don’t deserve to be successful”, or “I can’t be happy and make good money”. Once we’ve unearthed these assumptions, we can start shifting them, so they no longer block you from getting what you want.
This is the really powerful part of coaching, because not only are you getting clear on what you want, but you’re being supported and given tools along the way to prevent you from self-sabotaging and getting stuck.
2. The second key principle of coaching is that A GOOD COACHING RELATIONSHIP IS A PARTNERSHIP! A partnership where the coach is responsible for facilitating you through a process of questioning, discovery and accomplishment., but you are always the expert of your life. You have the answers you need, and the ability to get to where you want to be, the coaching space is a dedicated place for you to dedicate time, energy and attention to uncovering the answers you already have.
In a good coaching partnership, you as the coachee should feel safe and supported to take risks and step out of your comfort zone so that you’re being challenged.
As a coach, I see my role as enabling you to approach life not from the limits that you might have previously put on yourself, but by embodying the future version of yourself and taking action from that mindset. This is how change and transformation really start to happen. We need to take action that aligns to who we want to be, not who we are right now.
3. The third point and actually WHAT MAKES A COACHING RELATIONSHIP SO POWERFUL IS ACCOUNTABILITY. From the minute you make the decision to work with a coach, you’ve decided to invest in yourself, make space for yourself and commit to a process of transformation. This is in itself is a massive step in holding yourself accountable and it’s also a beautiful act of self-love. A good coach will also hold you accountable to yourself by getting you to set clear goals that stretch you.
4. And finally, COACHING FOCUSSES ON THE “WHY” AND THE “HOW”. This is the key difference to coaching and therapy, where therapy often focuses on the why, reflecting on the past, and how that has influenced our behaviour today, whereas coaching touches on this too, but also very much focusses on the how, so how you’re going to make change, how you’re going to decide what it is you want to do for work and get your dream job for example.
Coaching and therapy are both incredibly powerful things and can actually really complement each other. I’m currently working with two coaches, and a therapist.
WHY MIGHT YOU WANT TO WORK WITH A COACH? Embarking upon a relationship with a coach is for you if you want to see a transformation in your life. Maybe you feel stuck in your career, you know it’s not making you happy, but you don’t have a clue what steps to take to help you find more fulfilment…a coach is for you.
I do this work because I know that it makes a huge difference. I’m currently investing in two coaches for myself, so this is real. Coaching, and the right coach really can enable you to transform.
TIPS ON CHOOSING THE RIGHT COACH FOR YOU. Coaching is unregulated, which I actually think is a good thing because it allows space for so many different kinds of people to do this work. But like anything, choosing the right coach for you is important because it’s such an intimate relationship, you need to connect with each other. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of choosing someone who wasn’t the right coach for me, so here are some tips to think about when you’re thinking about working with a coach…
Normally when investing in something one of the first pieces of advice is to get recommendations, but as coaching is SO personal, it may not be a fail-safe option. But there’s no harm in asking around for recommendations and then start following the people on social media so you can get a feel for who they are, how they work, and if you feel you actually connect with them as people.
Think about what will motivate you to really show up for yourself. Yes, you could opt for the cheapest person you come across, but will that encourage you to do the work, show up on time, and fully commit to this deep work?
Make a shortlist of two or three coaches that you’re interested in working with and arrange a discovery call with them.
If you’re interested in working with me then please get in touch here.