Ever worked with a business or life coach? How did you measure success? As a professional coach for nearly 10 years, I've developed an easy test for success: I listen carefully to uncover values, priorities and opportunities for growth; they acknowledge their role to follow through on commitments to honor those values, priorities and opportunities. That's a true partnership - a win for me in the satisfaction of seeing their growth; a win for them in the results.
What's the pay off? It's in the expanded number of possibilities that become available to someone who previously believed they were stuck; who previously reached for their habitual responses and got the same old, less-than-satisfying results.
When we make decisions or choices based on our own thinking, we're often dependent on the past or our interpretation of the past: 'how did I handle this before? How did it work out?' When we engage a coach or reach out for help from others who don't think the same way we do, we're expanding the number of possible ways to find solutions or maximize opportunities.
However, the acknowledgment of that new insight is just the beginning, although very important, step. Unless that new view is put into action with new behaviors, attitudes and expectations, this process of internal change becomes an interesting, academic conversation and no more. The real opportunity to experience new possibilities is lost. Seeing the incorporation of new awareness into daily behavior and communication is the exciting reward.
Until that conversation leads to real change, coaching doesn't work. It's not about mind shifts alone; it's not just learning new sets of tools, establishment of boundaries, challenges, enhanced listening and communication. It's about taking the new understanding and making it work in daily living. Ultimately, a client's willingness to go beyond an investment of time and money and leap into new territories of relating and behavior is the sign of a successful coaching relationship.
So - who's keeping you accountable to your desire to grow? Who's helping you map out a plan consistent with your values and priorities? Who's helping you to evaluate that plan as you work through the pieces, step by step? And, if you've worked with a coach, how did you know it was working or time to move on? Here's a hint: the perspective with which you're evaluating the result is not the one with which you entered the relationship! And hey, mom's done plenty for you; time to move on to new resources...
Andrea Feinberg, M.B.A., Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst, EQ Mentor and Certified Strategic Business Leadership Coach is a small business marketing coach. Andrea helps small business owners make more money by day & sleep better at night by maximizing the untapped potential they have in their business right now. by Andrea Feinberg |
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