WHY DOES EVERYONE NEED A COACH?
The other day, someone asked me, “Does everyone who is working in a corporate job (regardless of their level in the company) need a Business Coach?” It is a very interesting and relevant question, especially at this time when the world is being torn apart by a virus, and people are struggling to cope. Though I had a whole lot of great managers in my work career, I never had the benefit of a dedicated coach, and now that I am a trained coach, I realize what I missed. Like every sports person needs a Coach to reach and stay at the top of their game, I believe that for sustained high performance at work, everyone needs a Coach. I am presenting my thoughts in this article on why this is so, especially in India.
India is a unique country of many hues – we have people of different languages, educational / social backgrounds, upbringing and experience levels coming together in businesses to work together. We also have one of the toughest systems of education which puts millions of youth through the grind daily. So, one might assume that with all this diverse experience around us and the benefit of a rigorous education, one would be able to manage to perform well under all circumstances.
However, all our education and experience often doesn’t prepare us for the kind of challenges that are thrown at us in the workplace.
14 MAY WHY DOES EVERYONE NEED A COACH?
The other day, someone asked me, “Does everyone who is working in a corporate job (regardless of their level in the company) need a Business Coach?” It is a very interesting and relevant question, especially at this time when the world is being torn apart by a virus, and people are struggling to cope. Though I had a whole lot of great managers in my work career, I never had the benefit of a dedicated coach, and now that I am a trained coach, I realize what I missed. Like every sports person needs a Coach to reach and stay at the top of their game, I believe that for sustained high performance at work, everyone needs a Coach. I am presenting my thoughts in this article on why this is so, especially in India.
India is a unique country of many hues – we have people of different languages, educational / social backgrounds, upbringing and experience levels coming together in businesses to work together. We also have one of the toughest systems of education which puts millions of youth through the grind daily. So, one might assume that with all this diverse experience around us and the benefit of a rigorous education, one would be able to manage to perform well under all circumstances.
However, all our education and experience often doesn’t prepare us for the kind of challenges that are thrown at us in the workplace.
So whether it is dealing with a tough sales or delivery target, a new promotion with significantly enhanced responsibilities or just handling a difficult boss, customer or colleague – we are often unsure whether we have the skills / will to handle the situation. On the positive side, we may have certain professional / personal goals we have set for ourselves – such as growing into a new role, starting our own business, overcoming a bad habit, etc. but we have just never got around to it, and have lost the confidence to even start.
All this coupled with the hyper competitive environments we all work in creates a situation where people are stressed out, don’t always help each other, and we have no one to even bounce off our thoughts. We often know the answers, but aren’t sure whether they will work, and have no confidence to execute.
In all such situations, Business Coaching is a powerful and empowering process that inspires the coachee (person being coached) to maximise their professional and personal potential. The Coach does this in a series of one to one interactions over a period of time, by asking powerful questions which force the coachee to think deeply about their goals, why they are important and how they can get to them. By creating deep awareness about their situation / strengths, the coach helps them discover their own answers and encourages them to take responsibility. The coach also acts as an excellent sounding board and supports the coachee in their journey towards overcoming challenges and meeting goals.
In any part of the coaching process, the Coach doesn’t provide any “advice” but merely draws the answers out from the coachee by asking relevant questions. And the coachee inevitably has all the answers and is often surprised by their own insights, as the coach has compelled them to think out of the box they are stuck in. The coach then elicits a clear plan from the coachee on how and when they would take action on the plans which they themselves came up with.
The Coaching process is extremely empowering and increases the self belief of the coachee, leading to change in behaviour.
This in turn sets them on the path towards achieving their goals. It works much better than any management advice / training which are uni-directional, and aren’t always accepted by individuals.
In my humble opinion, everyone gets overwhelmed due to challenges at work, and struggles to get going on their goals and aspirations – no matter how well educated or well heeled / networked they may be. In these situations, if they really have no one they can turn to for support, work life can become truly stressful. A Business coach is hence pretty much a necessity for everyone who faces such situations and needs support.
Reach out to us if you have further questions on this topic or need a Business Coach!
The author is a Certified Life & Business Coach, and is the founder of GoPush Consulting, a firm focussed on helping companies and individuals improve their Sales performance through Sales Consulting, Training and Coaching. Follow GoPush Consulting on LinkedIn.
