When you look back on your career and adult life, I’m sure some lessons stand out for you.
Some stuff, you simply have to go through. Other stuff, well, it would be nice to skip past it or at least know how to manoeuvre those situations more confidently, wouldn’t it?
I’ve used coaching for my professional and personal life for the last 5 years and – informally – from the start of my career. I want to share with you how coaching can be a great shortcut to achieve your goals and how you can get started.
Coaches tell you stuff that other people assume you know (but you don’t)
My first coaching experience was with my speaker coach, Montana von Fliss. Until then, people – including me – didn’t pay attention to how I presented a topic or company on stage. With Montana, everything changed.
She helped me tap into my passion for teaching and build new skills so I could present with confidence and conviction.
Montana didn’t assume I knew what to do. She showed me the basics and gave me the tools to continue learning after she got on a plane home. She is still in my life as a sounding board and coach, and her impact on my career has been immeasurable. I believe you can’t be an evangelist without getting in front of an audience and all my ‘in front of an audience’ skills are thanks to her.
Coaches give you tools and systems to succeed
If you want to achieve repeatable success, you can’t start from scratch every time. You need systems that work and that you can return to time and again.
Another life changing coaching experience for me was 2 years ago when I completed an 8 week cohort-based course on personal finance and investing.
Understanding the basics, gaining clarity about my financial habits, and finally grasping financial products that can help me get on the path to a comfortable retirement was very impactful for me. It involved spreadsheets, calculations, research, and exchanging ideas with coaches and other participants.
I was equipped to take control of my finances and have made huge progress since. I grew my house deposit while investing every month to make sure I don’t have to live on porridge in old age. Without this course, I’d still be wandering around in the dark with my finances and probably would have lost a lot to inflation.
Coaches know what you need to do to get to your goals
Typically, they’ve experienced a very similar path. They get what you want to achieve. They know what’s required to get there, what the road blocks look like and they have a bunch of ideas for navigating around those obstacles.
This doesn’t mean you will have an easy ride through life, but instead of wasting years trying to figure stuff out, you can ask for help sooner, so you can head into the right direction without too many detours.
This year I have worked with two great coaches, Gloria Bulla and Lauren Leopold, who helped me set up my coaching business and grow it. Gloria understood what I needed to do to get started, so she sorted me out when I was stuck. Lauren knows me and my mindset challenges, and gets me moving in the right direction when self-doubt creeps in. She’s been in a very similar situation herself and is coaching me through the next steps.
How can you find a coach that’s great for you?
There are a lot of coaching options out there and in my opinion 3 factors are important when choosing a coach:
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You get on well, i.e. you both like working with each other.
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The coach understands your situation, cares about your success, and has proven success themselves.
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They actually do what they recommend to others and don’t just talk a big game.
It’s important that you trust your coach and if they care about your success, you can be confident that you’ll get a lot from your coaching.
I find it crucial that the coach I work with really lives and breathes what they ‘preach’. I see it with Montana, Gloria, and Lauren. They all do the things they taught me. They take those approaches, refine them, and share their lessons with me.
That’s what makes a great coach.
Do you have plans to seek help from a coach in 2023? If you’re looking for help with your data & tech career, because you need direction and guidance, I’d love to talk to you about my coaching programs and the ways we can work together.
I offer 1-to-1 coaching and in January I’m launching the Stride Sisterhood , a series of group coaching workshops that brings together women who want to tackle career challenges together in a collaborative environment.
Have a great week!
Eva