REFLECTIONS
Leadership Perspective : We All Need A Coach
By Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi
Steve Jobs had a famous quote . ‘ You cannot connect the dots looking forward ; you can only connect them looking backward . So , you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future . You have to trust in something - your gut , destiny , life , karma , whatever . This approach has never let me down and it has made all the difference in my life ’. As I reflect on this quote , I tend to agree strongly in how it shows up in life as well as our careers .
As we join employment , we are so hopeful of a steady rise to the top . We have dreams of how life will be once we are there . We believe that it will be very straight forward . Work hard and get promoted to the next level . However , gaining experience in the workplace is not always a straight line . One has to be agile to get both depth and breadth by being open to experimenting with roles that are outside their area of expertise .
For instance , a marketer should be willing to take up roles in sales or customer care or research and insights . These provide a wide range of experience that enriches one ’ s career . These experiences in the future , as Steve Jobs said , enable us to build confidence as we progress up the ladder .
However , there are times in our career when we feel stuck . We are jaded especially if the progress is not as expected or if others seem to be rising much faster than we are . Frustration starts to check in . We become clear that the status quo needs to change . This is when a coach becomes a great catalyst in delivering clarity and focus .
What is coaching ? According to Betterup . com , coaching is when an individual works with a trained professional in a process of self-discovery and self-awareness . Working together , the coach helps the individual identify strengths and develop goals . Together the coach and the coachee practice and build the skills and behaviours required to make progress towards their goals .
They go further to affirm that coaching is for everyone . Coaching is an individualized process that can nurture rapid growth and help catalyse sustainable change . It is hard work for both the coach and coachee .
The first step is identifying a coach . There are many people who are certified coaches . Most organizations have staff members who are available to provide support in coaching . Further HR managers in your organization have access to coaches and can refer you to a coach that meets your needs .
Once you identify a coach the next step is to establish chemistry . The coaching relationship is quite personal ; both coach and coachee need to feel comfortable with each other . The coachee needs to feel that they can trust the coach to maintain confidentiality . The first meeting is therefore more casual to create a comfortable space for the coachee to be able to express themselves freely . Once the coachee gains comfort , contracting takes place . It could be formally through a written contract or verbally . It is critical that the coachee contracts the coach .
Coaching uses a simple model to catalyse
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