How to become an Exceptional coach?

As a coach, you have the experience, perspective, and (perhaps most importantly) the objectivity required to recognize, highlight, explore, and throw a life-line to the opportunities for success. You can help override negative thinking, fear, immobilization, and other limiting emotions that get in the way of people making changes they really want in their lives.

Exceptional coaches hold the space for possibilities.

Holding the space for possibilities means:

• Helping people figure out even small steps that move them forward and toward their unique and self-determined definitions of success. Small victories generate confidence - in one’s self and in the fact that change is actually possible.

• Reminding people of their intentions. Even the best goals and action plans can be obscured by the blur of day-to-day priorities and challenges that pile up on employees. It’s easy to become overwhelmed and let the ‘urgent’ overtake the ‘important’. But a coach can gently jog someone’s memory and quickly help them return to the path of possibility.

• Participating in problem solving.  Perhaps it’s one of Murphy’s lesser-known laws... but it seems that the surest way to find a roadblock is to generate a plan. Problems and challenges are an eternal feature of the landscape of change.  And for someone who’s struggling to find the energy required to overcome the inertia of staying put, these problems can make change look like an impossibility. 

The questions, curiosity, and all of the mechanics of coaching are important... but what’s happening between the words is also critical.  In today’s hyper-busy world, it’s challenging to stay focused, keep one’s eye on the goal, and maintain momentum toward it. Holding the space for possibilities is virtually invisible; yet it reframes reality for others, helping them imagine and envision ways to make the changes they’ve set out for themselves.

A significant dimension of leadership is coaching... engaging in conversations that help others make the leap from where they are to where they want (or need) to be. Whether the focus is on correcting a performance problem, expanding capacity, improving relationships, or developing within one’s career, coaching is a powerful tool for supporting others as they grow, achieve, and realize their full potential.