Very often, I get asked:
‘Does coaching really work?’
‘Is it really worth investing so much?’
‘How can you help if you are not as successful as me?’ (This is usually asked indirectly)
To tell you the truth, there is no straight answer to these questions, so I respond by saying, ‘It depends.’
I cherish deep warmth with my coachees and look at coaching relationships from a very long-term perspective and am comfortable politely saying ‘No’ when I find the person not ready/committed.
So, let’s dig into what makes coaching work.
Goal: Professional coaching always starts with a goal. If you have no idea where you want to be, you would end up reaching nowhere. Many times you want something but don’t have absolute clarity. In the beginning, an effective coach would help you establish a clear goal if you are feeling lost. Although, it’s common for your goal to shift as your consciousness grows.
Clarity: One needs to have clarity on the coaching process, duration, number of sessions, frequency, coaching fee, and responsibilities of both coach and the coachee. Once these points are clear, get a coaching agreement signed so that the complete focus moves to value creation, not the logistics.
Safe Space: In my experience, the highest value is created when the coachee feels safe. It’s the coach’s responsibility to ensure that a conducive atmosphere is created for a free dialogue. If the coach is trying to influence the coachee’s decision or pushes her to do an act that she is unwilling, the safe space is compromised. Committing to 100 percent confidentiality is another way to make it safe for the coachee.
Transparency: Both coach and coachee need to be brutally authentic at all times. If any party gets into pleasing or delays the feedback, the coaching is compromised.
Chemistry: I would rate this factor the highest. When you speak to the coach, do you like it? Do you lose the sense of time? Do you feel like talking endlessly? I have been in conversations that lasted for over four hours and we still felt like talking.
Most of my clients have created unprecedented value during the engagement and they vouch for it. Like many of my clients, a CEO I work with once shared, ‘Vivek, had I joined your coaching five years back, the trajectory of my life would be completely different.’
For the coaching to work, both coach and the coachee need 100% commitment. If one party falters, the coaching is sabotaged.
Change your game!
Vivek
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