All coaching professionals want to broadcast to the world how good a tool it is, how many useful insights can be gained in a session and how it can transform lives. There is a lot of truth in that, BUT! In my experience, in order to deliver on the above promises, certain prerequisites are needed. Coaching will not be successful if:
- the client does not attend the session voluntarily – they were sent to “get coached” by the manager, the HR department or anyone else;
- the client is not prepared to share his/her thoughts and emotions openly. In this case, the session « skims » the surface and does not talk about the substance, which does not add any value to either side;
- the client is not in the mood to work and expects the coach to do all the work;
- the client is not ready to commit to working towards change;
- the topic the client wants to address is not the most important for the client at the moment. In other words, if it doesn’t « hurt », it is unlikely that the time of the coaching session will be used purposefully;
- there is no connection between the coach and the client. It may simply be a question of personality/authority/needs fulfilment. I invite you to read about my experience of choosing a coach here.
On the other hand, a coaching session will be successful if:
- both the client and the coach are willing to experiment and to look at the situation from an unexplored angle;
- the client is ready to take responsibility and act towards change;
- the client is open to changing their beliefs;
- the coach and the client can openly share their thoughts, observations and insights with each other;
- the client will choose a relevant topic and be motivated in addressing it;
- the coach will step back from his/her own knowledge and take a genuine interest in the client’s situation and stimulate his/her thinking, without squeezing the client into a box.
If someone recognises themselves in the first list, it does not in any way mean that they are a « bad » client or that coaching cannot help them. The answer is simple – not just yet. The issue is probably not ripe and the current situation is good enough and does not motivate to change. And I always encourage you to try, because coaching is a great way to raise awareness!
Did the second list resonate? Go ahead and book your first meeting here 🙂
With best wishes for growth,
Dovilė
Your thinking partner online, in France (Savoie), Switzerland (Geneva region)
linkedin.com/in/dovile-rodziute