Let me introduce to 7.5 tips to get the most from your coach and coaching.
Yep, this may seem a little odd coming from a coach on a coaching website, the thing is I have the congruence to make sure I not only challenge my clients, I also encourage them to make sure they challenge me as their coach to ensure they get the most from each and every session. I see myself as the professional coach (No I’m not a self-licking lollipop), I have been a Master Coach in the military and had the honour of being coached and taught by some of the world’s top coaches, Sir John Whitmore, Brad Sugars, Marshall Goldsmith to name drop a few. I’m also very much still learning the craft of coaching, and the most valuable learnings come each and every week from my clients during their coaching sessions.
Now there is no shortage of coaches for you to choose from, and they will share the passion for helping others as I do. Unfortunately, there are also an equal amount of coaches in the marketplace who are, well let’s say confused, not sure if they are a coach or consultant, not sure if they should mentor or mediate, how to add value, who talk too much, don’t ask the right questions and maybe see stuff as the solution. And when I talk of stuff I refer to them trying too hard to add value through the application of strategies, process, procedures and shiny things we want to have in business. Rather than the really important point of coaching to create stretch, the challenge in order to learn, grow and succeed. For them to be the best version of them and their business to be reflective of that.
7.5 Tips
So, I wanted to offer a short insight as to how you can help them as clients and make sure you are actually getting the results you are looking for. So here are the 7.5 tips to getting the most out of coaching:
- Create the ‘Coaching Experience”: Be clear what you would like to gain from the overall coaching experience and specifically for each session. What do you want to cover before the coaching session begins, this makes sure that every minute counts. Before you start the session ask yourself a simple question; “If I could cover just one thing today and have it be worth the entire month’s coaching fee, what would it be?”
- First Things First: One way to see to it that your session and coaching experience is valuable is to prioritise what you want to go over. Coaching is not the place to save the best for last! Put the most important item at the top of your list. That way, even if that’s the only item that gets handled, the session will have been worthwhile. Here’s a really interesting idea if you are unsure of what’s important to you, what’s the priority, maybe because you’re a little overwhelmed, then get your coach to help discover what that is. You’ll know when the subject comes to the surface.
- Make Clear Requests: Once you have your list and the priority, essentially the goals you would like to achieve, write down what requests for coaching you have in one or two short, clear statements. For example, let’s say your number one topic is, “How to make my business more profitable in the next 60 days?” Ask yourself, “How do I want my coach to support me in this?” Do you want to brainstorm some new ideas, develop the ideas you already have by talking them through, get some resource information from your coach, define what I need to learn etc?
- Cut that Chat: Keep the “chit-chat” to a minimum. I enjoy chatting and building rapport with my own coach, but not if it takes up half the call. Remember that the focus of the session is to coach you towards the outcomes you seek, you’re not investing in a friend. Now, if that’s what you are paying your coach for, that’s fine, just realise it may be a costlier friendship than it needs to be. Chat with friends who aren’t charging you to talk to them. Get down to business with your coach.
- Train Your Coach: Give regular feedback to your coach so they know what works or what is most valuable to you so they can do more of it. Also, let your coach know what’s not working or has less value so it can be eliminated. At first, you might not know what’s of most value but it won’t take long before you realise that some sessions are very powerful and other calls are so-so. Evaluate what was different about the two, and train your coach. In simple terms your coach, if they haven’t sensed or picked up on the limited value already, will be thankful for cutting to the chase, so they can coach you on what does matter.
- Make Sure Your Coach Trains You: There will be an affinity as to why you are working with your coach, so to make sure you get the most from each and every session and in-between, make sure they train you. Make sure you understand just how you are going to be committed, to get the work done, to develop yourself and or your team, to lead or manage. Let them know where your weaknesses are if they haven’t been discovered, and likewise your strengths so they can help you get the most from the coaching experience.
- Make sure you have a clear understanding of what you have committed to achieve from the coaching session, don’t just assume your coach will automatically hold you accountable if there isn’t clarity. It will only result in a lack of productivity, and excuses as to what went wrong, and then will ultimately weaken any relationship you have.
7.5. Paradoxically the point five top tip is by far the most important one. You absolutely must be aligned with your coach and have a clear understanding of the rules of the game, what you expect from him, the program and what he will, of course, expect from you. In this manner, it means you can have the tough conversations and the celebration as you move closer to your vision of success.
Coaching is a great investment, and having the right coach relationship is key and will accelerate your progress. Let’s be clear coaching isn’t meant to be a breeze, it’s meant to challenge you, stretch you, inspire you and motivate you if it’s not have a good chat with your coach.
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Now there’s a challenging thought…
