What is Coaching?

Athletes work with coaches to help them perform at their highest level and achieve optimal results.  Their goal is clear -- win the event!  Coaching helps you set clear personal and professional goals, identify resources, and keeps you on track so you can win YOUR event.   

Business coaching focuses on meeting goals through effective leadership, whether you are running a business unit or your own company.  Career coaching helps you develop effective tools, strategies, and resources to move your career forward.

By looking one to two jobs ahead, career coaching focuses on how to get the skills and experience that will prepare you for your next or ideal job.  Career coaching can help you identify gaps in your knowledge, skills, and abilities, then implement strategies to close those gaps. You will also receive guidance in cultivating strategic relationships throughout your organization so the right people know who you are, and how you add value.  

As a newly promoted manager, or business owner, the thought of managing people can be both scary and exciting.   Coaching will help you become a successful manager; one who develops strategic relationships, delegates, communicates effectively, sets boundaries, and holds people accountable.   As your staff grows and develops their skills, you will grow your bottom line through higher productivity and fewer people leaving your organization.  You will also become more adept at understanding, and navigating, corporate politics. 

You want to select someone you would feel comfortable working with, so meet at least three coaches before you make your final decision.  Don't be afraid to ask questions about their training and experience, successes, and any specialized skills they bring to coaching.   

In your meeting, be prepared to answer questions like why you're looking for a coach? What is or isn't working in your personal or professional life?  What you'd like to do differently?  And, most importantly, when you'd like to get started?

For a free list of additional questions, download the Coaching Questionnaire.  

Here are a few reasons why coaching works:

• Having better and clearly defined goals is the foundation to achieving those goals faster and effortlessly.
• You develop new skills that lead to more effective communication, improved relationships, and a more balanced life.
• You get measurable results that will impact your life.  My clients have:
  • Gained the confidence to negotiate a salary increase.
  • Successfully taken over managing a new department in a different business unit.
  • Improved communications and relationships with their manager and direct reports.

A mentor provides guidance by sharing their path to success and the pitfalls they encountered along the way.  A therapist looks at how the events in your past impact you today.  A coach focuses on where you are today, where you want to be in the future, and supports your commitment to get there.  

Deciding to get started is the first, and biggest, step you will take.   The second step is to complete the 'Contact Us' form.