The journey from where you are now to where you want to be is one of possibility and promise. But like any great adventure it is filled with potential hazards, pitfalls and unexpected detours. The role of your coach is to be your fellow traveler on this journey, to guide, support and encourage. A fundamental belief of coaching is that everyone has within them everything they need to succeed - ie a tiny acorn holds within it the mighty oak tree.
Coaching is considered one of the most powerful forms of personal development and has much in common with psychology. The essential difference between coaching and psychology is that coaching focuses on goal achievements and personal development where psychology will go deeper into past trauma or wounding. However, with certain types of coaching, there will be times where the coach is able to deal with a certain level of past experiences which may be holding the Coachee back. And an experienced and professional coach will recognise where someone may need to be referred to a psychologist.
For a young person, coaching can help clarify career choices, develop the personal mastery and leadership skills they need to progress in their career and help them explore their strengths and potential. For the leader in business it provides a safe space for them to explore potentially life changing decisions or overcome obstacles they are facing and to help them develop their inner awareness, resilience and leadership ability to get the best from their people.
Take Mark for example. At the beginning of a coaching conversation he was unsure whether he wanted the position at work for which he was being groomed. Sometimes we need to unpack what it is that we don't want in order to understand what we do want. Through these conversations he was able to explore his strengths to see whether they would be suitable for the position. It wasn't long before he realised that he would be better suited in a more specialist position and chose not to take up the opportunity. Two years down the line he has been promoted twice.
The value of coaching is more than just setting and achieving goals, it is about discovering the magnificence of who you truly are.
Date Published: 08 August 2017
