Could I benefit from working with a coach?

If you are wanting to make changes in your life but you are struggling to do it alone, a coach could be just what you need. The right coach will work with you to help you move forward and reach your goals, whatever those goals might be. I have been working as a coach for nearly three years and I work with different people wanting to achieve very different goals, but the main reasons people chose to work with me include:
- to understand themselves better
- to find direction
- to reach their potential
- to be accountable for their actions
- to change their mindset for greater success
- to increase confidence and to get re-motivated

If any of these resonate with you then working with a coach could be a positive move forward.

So how do you go about choosing the right coach?

There are many coaches around but it is important to work with a coach who has been professionally trained and has the correct credentials. My training was certified by the International Coaching Federation (www.coachfederation.org.uk) but there are other bodies that also exist. Having been trained professionally, I follow an ICF code of ethics which each of my clients receives prior to coaching.

As coaches we are all different and so you may have to look around for a coach with whom you feel you can work, with whom you have a connection. Before I start any coaching I always offer a pre-consultation chat where I talk through the coaching process and ask the individual to talk a little about what has prompted them to look for a coach. I then ask them to take time to think about things before agreeing to proceed. The main points I put across in this pre-consultation session include:
- Everything discussed is in complete confidence.
- If at any point the client wants to stop the process that is their prerogative. They might find down the line that I am not the right coach for them.
- I am there to question - I am not there to lead or suggest. I am there to question, to support, to challenge and really to act as their biggest cheerleader in supporting them to achieve their goals.

Coaches with a focus

You will see that many coaches will specialise in a certain area, from Executive Coaching to Team Coaching, Confidence Coaching and Life Coaching. I position myself as a Life Coach, a Student Coach and also a Mindset Coach. I have heard some people refer to Life Coaching as ‘fluffy’ but this is simply not the case. As a Life Coach, I work with people to support them in all areas of their lives because more often than not they interlink. One of my most used tools is the Wheel of Life which asks clients to consider:
- their work/career
- their health and fitness
- their family and friends
- their emotional wellbeing
- their personal growth
- their relationships
- their money
- their fun and leisure

The wheel exercise asks individuals to discuss all areas and asks them to consider where they feel that making changes would add greater value to their life as a whole.

The end GOAL (see what I did there!)

Essentially, the role of a coach is to support you in moving from A to B so that you can achieve what you set out to achieve. If your coach is not doing this, it might be time to look for a different one.

Good luck.