Does Coaching Really Help?
By Bruce Taylor
I talk to a lot of people about coaching, not because they want to become clients, but because they're curious about coaching. And they all ask, "Does it really work? Can you really help me get what I want?" Well, the answer is a resounding "Probably."
Coaching isn't magic, despite what some of the crystal-gazers want you to believe. All a coach does is help you focus all your energies on what it is you want to achieve, then put together a plan for getting it, then carry out the plan. I say "all," but that's actually a lot because most people aren't at all clear what it is they want. Think about it - has anyone ever asked you in all sincerity, "What do you really want?" And if they did, would you be able to answer them? Most of my clients need a lot of help with that one, because they're used to asking themselves questions like:
"What am I entitled to?"
"What does he/she want for me?"
"What should I say I want?"
So answering honestly requires a lot of introspection and courage - because once you've admitted to yourself what you want, you feel obliged to go get it, and that can cause big changes. The most frequent stumbling block for clients at this point is that little inner voice that says, "I can't possibly do that." or "That's for other people." The coaching literature calls this voice "the gremlin," but I think that's to cute a word so I use the term "saboteur." After all, this is the voice that wants to wreck all your plans before they even begin. Getting the saboteur under control is one of the toughest parts of coaching.
The next step in the generic coaching model is making a plan to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Strangely enough, you probably already know what you need to do, once you know where you want to go. My role is to help you keep the plan realistic, to keep all the options open so you don't get caught in just one path, and to help you identify the critical points in the plan. We might make a plan for a week or a month or a decade, but I'm a great believer in writing it down so you always know what to do next.
And the last step is helping you execute the plan. To be honest, I do exactly none of the work here: you're the one who has to follow the plan, make the phone calls, get the allies, call the meetings, write the papers, whatever. My role is to help you remember the goal: why you got started in the first place and what it will mean to you when you succeed. In the inevitable times when the plan doesn't seem to be working, I help you analyze what's happening and help you replan if necessary. And above all, I'm your biggest cheerleader - I try to transfer as much enthusiasm as I can from me to you to help you get through the tough times, and help you celebrate even the small successes.
So that's what coaching is all about and why the question "Does it work?" can only be answered, "Probably." Success depends on a combination of my skill and your determination and, if we both show up ready to try our hardest there's an overwhelming likelihood that you'll achieve what you set out to do.
Man, I love this job.
Bruce Taylor is the Owner and Principle of Unison Coaching, and provides corporate and executive coaching to a wide variety of businesses including engineering, human resource, consulting, and recruiting firms. Mr Taylor has extensive background in Psychology, Human Resources, and Software Engineering. He holds a Masters degree in Computer Science from Duke University, a Masters in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, and a Certificate in Job Stress and Healthy Workplace Design from the University of Massachusetts. He can be reached at www.unisoncoaching.com or bruce_taylor@unisoncoaching.com.
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