You may or may not (but I doubt it) have heard of coaching, if nothing else you probably have heard the term ‘life coach’ in the very least. But what is it really!
The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
To have a coach means to have a person that is a thinking partner, an accountability partner, someone who asks the hard questions and is there to support you through finding the solutions that make sense for you. A coach is also the person that will help you sort through the noise and chaos and find the path forward towards your possibilities.
Coaching is NOT
Therapy or counselling - which is often concentrated on dealing with past challenges & experiences.
Mentoring: which is to guide from one’s own experiences or expertise
Training (or teaching): which is to learn certain objectives outlined by a curriculum
Consulting: which is to assess current state and recommend or implement solutions.
A coach can be specific in their focus (i.e. life challenges, leadership, wellness, etc.); regardless of their niche or specialty there are many benefits of having a coaching partnership. A person may gain deep insights into their patterns, habits and how to break cycles, one can identify and acknowledge biases and judgements that may be hindering their movement forward, a person can improve communication skills, increase self esteem and confidence and increased productivity.
When it comes to leadership there are numerous benefits of being a coach like leader:
By asking powerful questions you engage others in a quest to a deeper understanding.
Deep listening skills create a deeper connections and clarity.
Clear assumptions and really get to the reality of situations.
A very focused mindset which supports increased productivity
It creates thriving leaders as opposed to followers.
Coaching is not a one and done skill or practice, it’s a continuous process of learning, reflection, understanding and development; along with a healthy desire to make a difference in the lives of others and ultimately the world.
If you found this article helpful it would be wonderful of you to share it with other leaders.
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