Imagine going along your career path for five or ten years and hitting many of your goals with gusto and high energy. The workplace provided you with new knowledge, new skills, meaningful relationships and stretch assignments that allowed you to be captain of your ship. Even during times of turbulent waters your inner compass empowered you to navigate to triumph. Then something changed. You started to feel a shift in getting out of bed in the morning. Instead of looking forward to the day, you were sensing some uncertainty and discomfort. The work environment was no longer the place that seemed right for you at this time in your life and career. You felt “off” and even a bit shaky.
Many leaders can relate to this scenario at different points in their professional and personal lives. In working with many of my clients, this feeling of wobbliness can hit them suddenly or build up over a period of time. What can eventually happen, is they no longer recognize the person they were. At that pivotal point, they have a decision to make- explore what is happening or ignore what is happening. One choice will lead to fulfillment and the other one to continued frustration. What will they choose?
A Coach Can Help You Face A “Blip” In The Road By:
1. Walking Alongside Of You
One of the most fascinating parts of a coach’s role is to not give instructions but rather help leaders discover what is right for them. A coach walks alongside of you while you discover what path is best for you. After all you are the expert of yourself. A coach has a deep box filled with coaching tools that they carefully put into place to help leaders delve into their authentic selves.
2. Staying Curious With Your Dreams
I am sure you have heard the expression “This is not my movie but yours”. Well the truth is that when leaders hit a “blip” they are the only ones uniquely qualified to decide which crossroad to take. Therefore, a coach stays curious about what is going on in your movie and asks powerful questions to unleash your story.
- Who are you in this movie?
- What’s happening and what’s not happening?
- What’s the movie really about?
3. Uncovering What Matters Most To You
One of the greatest discoveries leaders can make is figuring out what they value most in both their personal and professional worlds. These hidden gems come through the way each person makes decisions and acclimates to their environments. For example, one leader I worked with couldn’t decide whether or not they should stay with an organization and forgo a promotion or jump ship and follow a different path. As we explored what they valued most, they reached a very important “aha” moment and things all came together.
Working with a coach can help leaders uncover what they value most in their professional and personal lives. Click To Tweet.
4. Brainstorming Creatively
Not all coaching experiences are equal. That means that it is important to find a coach who is a good fit for you and the coach. But once that magical coaching partnership is right, there are so many creative ways to go on this journey together. In addition, Co-Active coaches use many different resources to dive into the waters with leaders. They draw upon a leader’s:
- Mind/Thinking
- Body
- Emotions
- Surroundings at work and play
5. Opening Up Possibilities
An exciting part of partnering with a coach is exploring possibilities that leaders may not have even considered. Sometimes looking at a “blip” through a new lens will empower leaders to think of different paths for themselves or choices that will better align with their values. The result can be to either enhance where they are now or make a more daring or bold move. It’s the leader’s choice! The coach supports their precious decision.
6. Focusing On Your Next Steps
Without goals and action steps, learning more about themselves is not very valuable to a leader. So together a coach and a leader collaborate to move their dreams forward. What kinds of ways do they do that?
- Create strategic goals
- Set timeframes that they agree upon
- Establish some challenges
- Decide how to hold the leader accountable