How getting a Coach improved me at work

Looking back on my career I see that the times when I really improved as a Project Manager and as a person was when I received good coaching. As with many people, my coaching wasn’t being sought by me or being prescribed by others, it had happened organically. Throughout my career I had periodically come under the guidance of a good manager, a good leader or a good colleague. Over time I’d discuss how my work was going and discuss the issues I was having. I would bounce ideas off them and adapt my approach to difficult situations based on their advice.

It is rewarding and comforting to have a trusted confidant in the workplace and to benefit from an alternative viewpoint to your own. When I have faced difficult situations having an objective opinion and a person to offer a totally different perspective to the issue was critical to moving on towards a solution.

But of course, I didn’t always have access to the right type of person at the right time. There were many occasions when I needed to struggle with a tricky project situation or a difficult relationship and I had no sounding-board to offer an alternative way forward. Naturally, we learn a lot by getting through such problems and we acquire experience and resilience. However, we also risk making avoidable mistakes or acquiring personal stress as the issue plays out.

Away from work we rarely take on a new challenge without seeking expert advice. That is particularly true in the world of sport. Whether it’s the football coach, yoga teacher or Spanish tutor, we seek out knowledgeable experts to help us attain our goals. But it seems we are not so motivated to do this in a work environment. This is strange when we consider the amount time we spend at work and the importance and influence it has on our economic and mental wellbeing.

So why the resistance to getting a coach the work environment? Well, maybe it’s the name. We so strongly associate the title ‘Coach’ to the sporting arena that it seems unusual to have that role in a work context. So let’s leave the name to one side and focus on the results. Good workplace coaching is vital to ensure individuals and teams appreciate the whole environment of their work. Often it can happen organically. But when teams are busy, and resources are focused on their own issues and deliveries, it can be difficult to find time support others.

My opinion is that getting the benefits of coaching should not be left to chance. Business owners and team leaders should incorporate a coaching plan as part of their overall support to their team. Maybe this support can be supplied from within the organisation, but it is also wise to consider getting an external point of view to challenge the team and drive better results. One convenience of the external coach is that they can target their support to the team and individual and they can be utilised only when needed. Indeed, managers may want to use the objectivity of an external person, to get the team out of their comfort zone and to encourage alternative and better ways of working.

It’s time to move on from the title and embrace the benefits that coaching and supporting your team can provide.

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