Coaching: An Introduction
Deirdre Davison, SPHR
Coaching, what is it, why does someone
need it, and who will benefit from it? The following answers those
questions and provides a brief introduction to the craft of coaching.
In one sentence, coaching is the art of
helping someone move from where they are to where they want to be.
While that is an oversimplified definition, it does encompass the essence
of the coaching relationship as movement to the client’s desired outcome.
That movement can take many forms such as goal setting, business planning,
creating a better life/work balance, or even seeking deeper spiritual harmony
to name just a few.
Answering the question, “why does someone
need a coach” is best articulated through an example. A former client
worked very diligently to create a thriving business. She focused
every waking moment on activities that would improve her corporation’s
standing in the marketplace – at the potential expense of her personal
happiness and marriage. She came to me with one goal, “to find a
healthy life/work balance”.
Over a six-month period, we co-created,
agreed to, enacted, evaluated, and refined a number of steps in her plan
to reach the goal of a healthier life/work balance. Her first and
probably most difficult task was to stop checking her corporate emails
after 6:30 pm. After mastering that task, she started turning off
her PC at 6:30 pm; more activities followed and were mastered. Eventually,
my client’s comfort level grew to the point that she was able to turn off
her cell phone when she got home. Once we felt that she was
ready, she took a long weekend with her husband and left her cell phone
and computer behind. That weekend was her turning point. She
began to recognize and celebrate the fact that balance could be attained
and even more importantly, that there was real value in it.
Those tasks - turn off your phone, stop
obsessing over your emails, and take a vacation may seem like simple solutions
to find balance. In reality, they can be both incredibly frightening
and overwhelmingly difficult to implement alone. My client not only
had to come to the place where she was ready for change but was also willing
to be accountable for her decisions and actions. Today, my client
maintains a healthier life/work balance. She still works at least
ten hours a day during the week, but on Fridays, she leaves the office
by 6:00 pm and focuses the same boundless energy, zeal, and enthusiasm
that make her a great businesswoman on her family.
Her energy levels, both physical and mental
have increased and she has a much healthier attitude towards work, her
employees, and life. Her business continues to flourish and
she reports that her entrepreneurial spark is rekindled. She enjoys
her company again and each day is as exciting as it was when she first
opened her doors for business! Through the process, she discovered
that her business does not need her twenty-four-seven and that she is not
giving up control of her business, but instead taking proactive control
of her life which in turn gives her more focus and structured control of
her company. My client attained her goal of finding a healthier life/work
balance and now works to maintain it.
It is easy to answer the final question,
“who will benefit from coaching” in two words, nearly everyone! Are
you currently following the path of your dreams? Are you focused
and efficient in life or work? Do you have goals and if so, are you
currently reaching them? Do you feel stuck or in a rut? Is
your effectiveness as a leader at the level you need or want? Is
your business growth on target? If you answered no to any of the
above questions that apply to your life or business, you may want to think
about engaging a coach. If you answer yes to the following question,
I encourage you to speak with a professional coach. Do you genuinely
desire change in your professional or personal life and either don’t know
how or are afraid to take the first steps?
When seeking a coach, look at his or her
credentials, education, and professional background. Remember that
coaching is not psychological counseling. Unless your coach is a
licensed counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist, he or she is neither
qualified nor licensed to offer psychological counsel. The same is
true for legal advice. Unless your coach has passed your state’s
bar exam, his or her advice should not be considered a substitute for proper
legal counsel.
Deirdre Davison, President of Metanoia
Consortium, is a Professional Coach and Consultant and author of the Quickstart
Guide for Self-Employment and The Itty Bitty Vision Book. She can be reached
at 803-802-7773 or ddavison@metanoiaconsortium.com
