4 Myths about Leadership Coaching
As soon as someone asks me what I do, and I mention anything about coaching, they give a look of, ‘I have no idea what that means’. So much so, I try to avoid using the ‘coach’ word to describe what I do. And let’s be real – every second person is calling themselves a coach in something these days so it’s pretty confusing.
So let me clear up some common misconceptions.
- A coach must have worked in your exact role to be able to coach you
This is the one that irks me the most and I hear it all the time. A coach who has trained as an accredited coach, has the skills to be able to assist any person in any industry or role. True coaching is based on the premise that the client already has all of the answers they need inside them. The coaches job is to draw it out and remove the roadblocks and limitations they have placed on themselves. To broaden their perspective to see all of the options available to them.
2. A coach will tell you what to do and give you all the answers
This would be the 2nd most common misconception I hear. A good coach should definitely NOT be telling a client what they should do. A good coach is wise enough to know that they have not walked in your shoes, and so could not possibly know what is best for you. Sure, they can help you to see other alternatives you haven’t considered, but ultimately they will support you to reach your own conclusion.
3. A coach costs a lot of money
Not necessarily. Some seem expensive if you look at it purely on an hourly basis, but generally you might receive an hour or two of coaching per month, so in overall terms, the outlay is minimal. And that’s before you look at what it saves you. Time, energy, and by getting clear on what you want and what you need to do, what you spend then becomes a lot more intentional.
4. Leadership Coaching is only for executives
Definitely not. Everyone at every level will benefit from coaching. In fact, the earlier you get yourself this type of support, the faster you will probably progress to exec level (if that’s where you wanted to go). Coaching is for all people who have goals (or feel like they need some) and need a roadmap to help them get there. Coaching is for people who want their future to be different to what it is today.
To get the most out of your coaching experience, you will need to trust and open up to your coach, so make sure its someone you feel comfortable doing that with. Also ask them what formal coaching certification they have. This will help you to know if they are a “coach” that feels they are an expert in one particular thing, or if they are trained to be able to help you to get to the best result for yourself.
It can be lonely at the top! So if you think you might need a supportive, non-judgmental person in your corner, all there is to do is reach out and start a conversation. I will explain all the details to you in your preferred method of communication. You can get in touch here.
