What is coaching?
Whether it be starting a business, developing a new skill, achieving a black belt, running a marathon, getting a new job, or finding work-life balance, coaching can help.
Most people know what a sports coach does – roughly speaking, they identify an athlete’s strengths and weaknesses, set a training plan, help with mindset, and provide support so the athlete can develop and succeed.
Coaching outside the world of sport overlaps with this, but is normally shorter term, focused on an area of life, more led by the client, and doesn’t tend to involve push-ups!
Different coaches have different approaches, backgrounds and levels of training, so how do you choose who to work with?
Choosing a coach
Research suggests that all styles of coaching can work, but the key is to have a relationship and style that resonates with you. You need to feel a connection with the coach, and for this reason most coaches offer an initial free meeting, so you can see if it feels right. At this stage, be brutal. The coach wants a successful relationship as much as you do, so if you don’t feel it’s a good fit, trust your instincts and say so. If you do feel it’s a good fit, though, then go for it, and commit to the process.
What coaching isn’t
Crucially, coaching is not counselling or therapy. These lines can be blurry because there will be reasons you might be looking for support, but in general terms counselling is more likely to help you understand your past and how that’s impacting your present, while coaching is more likely to look at your present and how you can drive towards the future. Both approaches can be very helpful. I offer coaching.
Coaching also isn’t about me telling you what to do. While a sports coach or instructor will likely give you drills and exercises, a coach in the context we would work together will help you work out what (if any) drills and exercises you might want to give yourself. For example, as we talk you might uncover the next step you want to take towards your own goal, and you may commit to taking that step. This comes from you, not me, but I can help you identify those steps and work out how to take them.
My approach
My background is in small businesses and martial arts, and I have an MSc in positive psychology and coaching psychology. Positive psychology is the psychology of what works – how to live well. This means I think about values and strengths, and I believe that small changes to habit and lifestyle can result in long term positive results. I also believe in an evidence-based approach to coaching, and I’m very interested in increasing self-knowledge, to help align your life with your beliefs. In my experience, it’s amazing what a good question can unlock. Or the change that can come from a simple and easy lifestyle tweak. I like to keep things simple, positive and effective.
- We start with the understanding that you are the expert on you
- I offer a second pair of eyes, and a willingness to put everything I know to work for you, helping to look at things from a range of perspectives
- Together, we can look at your challenges and help you find solutions
We work on things that matter to you
- Establishing foundation habits for health and wellbeing
- Resolving issues at work
- Deciding priorities
- Working out your next steps for your career
- Whatever else nags you at 3am that you finally want to deal with
Positive change is often deceptively simple.
But it needs action.