8 Things You Didn't Know About Coaching

It’s no surprise that coaching can be an effective way to grow your business or career. The problem is, many people have never even considered it and have no idea what the benefits are or whether they could get the most out of it. Coaching may be the best thing you’ve never tried! Here are 8 things you didn’t know about coaching that might just convince you to give it a try.

1. They aren’t going to fix your life

Business coaching isn’t a cure-all. It’s not going to transform you into a highly effective leader in one hour—or even five or ten. If you expect to walk out of your first session with all of your questions answered and all of your issues resolved, you’re going to be disappointed. After working with so many different leaders over our careers, we know that no coach could accomplish that much in such a short period of time. So be patient. Coaching works but it definitely takes time and effort! That said, once you get started with coaching, there are some things you can do to ensure that your relationship will go smoothly and yield meaningful results. Here are nine things you should know before starting your first business coaching experience

2. A good coach will give you advice – but you still need to do the work

The first thing you learn when you begin coaching is that no one else can do your work for you. A good coach will give you great advice, insights and suggestions. But, at some point, it’s up to you to put them into action.

3. A coach does NOT take over your life

Coaches are not mental-health professionals or psychiatrists. They do not take over your life, run it for you, or tell you what to do. Instead, they’re part of a collaborative effort to help you achieve more and be your best self. A coach may suggest certain actions at times but only because he or she believes those actions will move you toward your goals in a way that feels comfortable for you. Remember: The first rule of coaching is that there are no rules!

4) The best way to prepare for coaching is to think about what you want from it beforehand

If I had only known my ready-for’s—what I was really ready for—I would have tried coaching sooner! Knowing what you want to get out of coaching will help you work with your coach on exactly that. It also helps when it comes time to coach someone else: Your experience will be richer, more complete, and more likely to be a positive one if you plan ahead rather than winging it.

5. If you aren’t ready now, you might be later

One of my favorite quotes, by one of my favorite mentors, is If you aren’t ready now, you’ll be ready later. I love it because it implies that coaching can happen at any time in your career.

6. Finding a good coach might require working with several before finding one who fits with your style

Some coaches prefer to work with a lot of structure and ask for written work and regular meetings, while others are more permissive about how you set up your coaching plan. Make sure you try to meet with several before choosing one. If you're finding that you aren’t connecting, it's better to move on than push forward in a relationship that isn’t working. You’ll know when you find your best fit. So don’t be discouraged if it takes a few tries to find a good match, and remember that like any relationship, finding a good coach takes time and patience.

7. Coaches can help you see things differently – but they don’t walk on water (or anything else!)

A coach can help you see challenges from new perspectives, but she doesn’t actually fix problems for you.  If coaching is going to work for you and your organization, it will be because your coach helps you develop skills and strengths that allow you to make progress on your own.

Having someone unbiased on your side is one of many steps you’ll need to take to achieve success. A coach won’t walk on water for you, but he or she can give you an objective perspective about what it will take to get there.

8. Not everything works for everyone – stick with something until you know whether or not it helps

Once you find a coaching method that seems to help you and/or your team, stick with it for at least a couple of weeks before trying something else. Many people who have never coached before are so turned off by their first experience that they conclude coaching isn’t for them. A handful of methods and a few sessions aren’t enough to get a good sense of whether or not coaching works for you. Give yourself at least a month, keeping in mind that if you don’t like what you tried once, try another approach! Your results may be different from others—and that is ok!

What is Hero Nation coaching?

At Hero Nation, we believe everyone deserves to have a compelling, clear vision of where they want to go and a custom-tailored map to get there. It's hard to create and execute without support, that's where we come in! We assist you in curating the mindset, skillset & toolset needed to become your own hero in your business & personal life without sacrificing one for the other.

Schedule your free strategy session today and discover how our coaching programs can help you! https://www.theheronation.com/strategy-session