Why Successful People Engage Coaches.
If you think that coaching is for people who are stuck, or who cannot move forward on their own steam, you might be surprised to learn that coaching is something used more by highly successful people. You only need to ask Bill Gates. He is the very person to tell us “everyone needs a coach. We all need people to give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”
It’s not just about feeback though. It’s about reflection, direction and most importantly- it’s about looking forward and creating the future you want, with the best version of you in it. And a great way of getting there is having a coach as both a soundboard and catalyst to enable change, development and fulfillment.
How does it work?
Having a coach helps to anchor your progress and boost motivation. The moment you opt for coaching, you are making a decision to be accountable for your actions, and that alone helps to do leave behind excuses and procrastination which can block us. Coaching will help you stretch your limits and embrace the challenge of getting to where you want to be.
Great coaches ask great questions. But how do you know that they are great questions? Usually, they are the ones that we cannot answer straight away, and often they are not very comfortable ones either. If you leave a coaching session mulling over the questions and find yourself thinking and planning, then it was likely a very good session. You are moving things in your life.
Of course, it is important to reflect on old habits and past experiences. It gives you insight into where your behaviours are coming from, especially if you want to conquer negative thoughts, fears and beliefs. A great coach will be able to find a balance between inspiring and challenging you, along with having empathy and always remaining non-judgemental.
In my coaching practise I focus strongly on the appreciative inquiry approach, a concept originally popularized by the positive philosophy of psychologist Carl Rogers.It means that I will encourage you to focus on your strengths, talents and desires, and in the next step will challenge you to build upon these strengths in order to reach your personal goals. That’s why coaching is all about developing your strengths, no matter where the starting point is.
