I thought I might take a step back today and share my coaching story, so that you get a feel for why I rate coaching so highly above other learning options.
It was 12 years ago that I started to read about the power of coaching compared to training. Research shows that coaching leads to an 80% change in behavior compared with just 20% after attending training. Here’s why I think that is…
1) coaching focuses on the exact issues that the coachee wants to tackle, so it’s totally tailored to those needs
2) as a result of the questioning approach, the coachee comes up with their own answers to these issues, and is therefore much more inclined to follow through on the actions they decide upon
3) there is accountability built into the process, assuming the coaching is an ongoing relationship, as the caochee reports back on progress each time
Since my role was/is all about changing behavior, it made perfect sense for me to learn this coach approach.
I started to apply my new coaching skills immediately at work. In particular, I use them in my career counselling relationships, as it seemed more useful than giving advice and mentoring. I don’t have people reporting directly to me, but when working with others, I do choose a coach-approach much of the time.
After about 6 years, I applied for my Associate Certified Coach accreditation with the International Coach Federation. It was important to me to show that I was serious about developing as a coach, and who knows, if I ever go independent, this accreditation will stand me in good stead.
In 2008, I went on a brilliant course by Coaching Development to sharpen my skills further, and that lead to me gaining my Professional Certified Coach accreditation in June of 2010.
To continue to keep sharp, I am now part of a coaching triad. Each time we meet, one of us is coach, another coachee, and the third is observer. The observer holds the coach accountable to exceptionally high standards of coaching, as we are all working towards our Master Certified Coach status. That could take me many, many years, as I need to rack up 2500 hours of coaching (I’m currently at just over 900). But in the meantime, it’s a great way to get continuous feedback so that each of our coachees receive the best coaching we can give.
I’ve realised now that I get most personal fulfilment out of coaching coaches. So my next step is to learn how to be a coach-supervisor. That’s a slightly different skill, but relies on coaching as the foundation. I want to help other coaches to be brilliant.
Now, I know that not everyone wants – or needs – to go through the in-depth development that I’ve experienced (about 30 days of training, over 900 coaching hours, numerous hours in coach-supervision, written and verbal exams, etc), but I still know that this is a vital skill for anyone who is responsible for the development of others. So in future posts, I’ll write more about how you can apply it, without such an immersion.
