I just got off the phone with a person I started coaching
today. He lives in Los Angeles, is in his late twenties and has a wife and a
baby.
After talking with him, I found myself energized. I
wondered: “What makes me so happy about interactions like that?”
Here’s what I love about coaching:
1. The diversity. I consider myself privileged to have the
chance to interact with folks in different career fields, of different
life-stages, with different personality types, from different ethnic
backgrounds. Taken together, the people I coach possess an incredible array of
talents.
2. The learning environment. People who welcome coaching are
teachable! They want to learn and
grow, otherwise they would not agree to be coached. I love how each and every
one of them welcomes the kind of interaction that calls them out of their
comfort zone.
3. The creativity. I like to think of coaching as a playful
process. In my experience, good coaching involves improvisation. It’s amazing how a single question can spark
out-of-the-box thinking. Coaching encourages people to take a step outside a
situation to look at it from a different angle. The process of slowing down to entertain
questions we might not otherwise consider can serve as a powerful resource for
breaking through barriers.
4. The safety. Coaching provides a context where people can be
completely honest. Many people think of coaching as merely “performance driven”,
but I do not share that sentiment. Whether we like it or not, our actions are
most often driven by our thoughts and feelings. So…no matter what someone is
thinking or feeling, I want those I coach to know I will not judge them or
think less of them. If they are feeling doubtful, they can express it. If they
are jealous, they can own it. As a coach I love helping people get in touch
with the source of their thoughts and feelings. By encouraging authenticity,
the way can be cleared for real progress.
5. The intentionality. Coaching
takes a dream the size of Mount Everest and breaks it down to
one-step-at-a-time segments. Too often people feel a situation is totally
beyond the realm of their influence. That’s when I like to ask, “What can be
done?” By thinking “possibility”, people are able to see a path in the woods. You
can take that one step, you can make that one call, you can face that
particular challenge. By the end of each coaching session, each person has a
clear idea of what they can do next. Their action steps are realistic, yet
stretching. People discover the difference they can make as they become
deliberate about what to do next. It’s
amazing what you can accomplish if you are patient and willing to commit to
tangible action.
6. The companionship. The word “companion” comes from two Latin
words meaning “with bread.” We like to think of non-judgmental friends as those
who are “there” for us, bringing the simple “bread” of solidarity. Well, I like
to think of coaching that way, too. In my coaching sessions, I hope people will
be nourished by the gift of a listening, understanding ear. No one likes to
feel alone. I love coaching because I get to come alongside all kinds of people
to champion them—their gifts, their dreams, their passions. In my own experience,
I've found those kind of people invaluable—the ones who say, “We see what you
are doing, we see what you are about, and we celebrate it. We believe in you!”
That’s what coaching is to me and that is the biggest reason I love coaching.
-Troy Cady
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