The world has become a noisy place. There is information overload and complex situations that make decision-making tough. Change is constant, but the level of uncertainty is high, the deadlines are demanding and decision-making is crucial.
All these external factors make it difficult to tune out the noise and tune in to what is important.
This is the point where a good coach is invaluable. Coaching is a learning experience, which is personal, focused and result-oriented. It clears the inconsequential out, so that you can deal with anxieties, offload stress and achieve clarity.
Managing change is often the most common coaching theme among senior executives. Everyone assumes that they have figured it out. However, a trusted and thinking partner, can help to develop new perspectives.
Effective coaching increases performance by allowing you to reflect, challenge your thinking and change your behaviour in a safe space. It can also prompt you to take action and keep you accountable due to the commitments you have made to yourself.
- Coaching is focused on the person, rather than the problem.
- Coaching is not done to you, rather it is a voluntary process on you.
- Coaching can be an ongoing process or be a short-term process to overcome a specific challenge.
What can coaching do for you?
Coaching leads to behaviour changes. It brings clarity to thinking.
Some people describe it as a ‘Light-bulb moment’ others as an ‘Aha moment’. Your coach can challenge your thinking without judging you. By taking you out of your comfort zone, the coaching process can provoke ideas and thoughts, which ultimately lead to better decision-making and provides clarity amid uncertainty.
Coaching can be an emotional experience as well. It can allow you to increase emotional awareness and help develop emotional regulation.
Coaching is an investment in yourself.
Beneath the surface
Coaching originated from sport and is focused on performance. With the development of neuroscience and psychology, it now incorporates techniques from all those fields. Coaching is not a one-time event, but a process. The process is not linear, but a cycle.
Coaching has a proven ability to stimulate a growth mindset and that presents an opportunity to grow, even during challenging times. Mindset also determines leadership qualities. Human beings learn how to react in new ways, how to face challenges and think differently.
The effectiveness of the coaching is largely dependent on the clarity of the goal.
There is a variety of tools used in executive coaching, drawn from different disciplines, such as psychotherapy, counselling research, leadership development, and adult learning. The best coaches have a range of tools available and select those best suited to the individual with whom they’re working.
If you want to explore how coaching can help you to move to the next level in your business, let’s have a talk.
Dr Sonya Dilova is the founder of SF Vision Accelerator Coaching. As an ILM level 7 certified executive coach and 20 years experience in the finance industry, she helps senior executives to achieve their goals. You can contact her on sonya@sfvisionaccelerator.com.
