When I talk to people who are developing their coaching skills, they are often focused on finding that ‘perfect’ or 'powerful' question to ask their client which will make the biggest impact.
I have news for you… you can't always prepare for it! That 'perfect' question comes from the moment itself, the feedback from the person you are coaching, what you are hearing from them, and sometimes more importantly what you’re not hearing from them!!
I have worked with many clients who have reached a point in their life where retirement, or another life transition, is starting to feel decidedly close. Often they experience a sinking feeling because they really don’t know what the next stage in their life should look like? Sound familiar?
How many of us have created a vision for what we want our future to look like?
In many cases, we have not felt the urgency, or needed to start planning for that next stage (apart from perhaps the financial aspects), until circumstances or a sudden realization has raised questions or caused us to think about that next stage in our life.
We all know that delegating work to our direct reports is a great way to help them develop, feel engaged and supported. So why do we find it so hard to do?
Many clients I have coached have come to me with this dilemma.
Often the reason given is because it’s quicker to do the work themselves, they’re busy and it takes time to show someone what to do, or give direction on what is needed.
Coaches are increasingly being seen by businesses as crucial in supporting their leaders in achieving goals and as a key component in their learning and development programs. The International Coach Federation (ICF) describes coaching as a process of partnership with a client to generate a thought provoking and creative process, which results in client action. It is particularly good in helping people stay focused on their goals and aiming for success.