You get what you put into a coaching relationship

I believe in the value of coaching. So much so that I’ve paid, out of my own pocket, to work with several coaches. I’ve respected and admired each coach both for their coaching skills and who they are as people.

The most important factor in the success of these coaching relationships, however, has been my engagement. In each coaching relationship, I made the decision to make the most of it. As a result, I’ve experienced both personal and professional growth.

If you decide to work with a coach, or, if the company you work for gives you the opportunity to work with a coach, here are several suggestions to make the most of it.

Trust your coach – The more authentically and honestly you share your thoughts and feelings with your coach the more value you will receive from the coaching relationship. If you put a wall up it greatly limits your coach’s ability to help you.

Come with a topic – Come to each and every meeting with something you want to work on with your coach. If you struggle with this, keep a running list of topics on a notepad or google docs file.

Suspend your inhibitions – Coaches will ask you difficult questions and sometimes suggest exercises that are out of your comfort zone. The purpose of this is to broaden the range of your thinking and feeling.

Do the work – Coaches will often suggest ‘field work’ in between sessions. Don’t procrastinate. Make time for it. It will accelerate your progress.