Client Story: How Coaching Can Help You Level Up to Leadership
I recently interviewed my client Jen about her leadership coaching journey. I am always so delighted when a client is happy to share their experience because so much of a coaching partnership is very personal to the individual client.
However without client stories like this one, it can be difficult to find out what a coaching session is really like, what coaching is all about and how coaching can help you achieve incredible results in your career.
I interviewed Jen on my podcast and we talked about things like:
- What is a career and leadership coaching session like?
- What outcomes might a client get out of a coaching session, or program?
- And, is coaching worth the investment?
All very sensible questions to find out whether coaching is for you.
Jen, on her coaching experience with Rebecca Allen:
“When thinking about working with you, I saw the value in speaking to someone external to my industry. To grow, you really do need to open up and not shield yourself, which is easier to do with someone outside. As well as getting a pay rise the coaching also freed up a lot of time I was wasting procrastinating – there’s no dollar value you can put on that.”
If you’d like to listen the podcast episode where Jen talked about her leadership coaching experience, listen in here
To add my own ten cents into the discussion, I thought I would include my own list of what to look for a in a leadership coach.
I have had a number of coaches in my time: leadership coaches, business coaches, life coaches, and sales coaches. And I know how important it is to research before you invest any of your hard earned money into any coach.
9 Things to Look for When Researching a Leadership Coach
- Get clear on what you actually want to change
Before researching coaches, identify what you’re hoping to get from your coaching. Do you want to step up into a bigger role, become more strategic, build confidence, navigate a challenging relationship, increase your influence, or figure out your next career move? With this clarity you can start looking for a coach with experience helping people achieve similar goals. - Look at their experience, not just their qualifications
Coaching accreditation matters, but so does whether they’ve worked with people facing challenges similar to yours. Look for experience with leaders at your level, in your type of organisation or industry, and with the kind of challenge you’re facing. A great way to find that out is looking for testimonials. Do they have testimonials on their website? How about in their Linkedin Recommendations? Or do they interview their clients? - Understand their coaching philosophy
Coaches can work very differently. Some are highly practical and action-oriented; others are more reflective and exploratory. Look at how they describe their approach and ask yourself: Does this sound like how I want to be challenged and supported? - Check their professional credentials
Look for recognised coaching qualifications. So for example I have undergone ICF Level 2 training, am an NLP Master Practitioner, and am currently studying my post-grad in Applied Coaching at university. I am always undertaking my own professional development training and mentoring and have engaged several coaches myself. - Do your research
Read their LinkedIn posts, articles, podcasts, videos or webinars. You can get a surprisingly good sense of someone’s thinking, values and personality from the ideas they put into the world. - Don’t choose based solely on their personal success
Someone having been a CEO or senior executive doesn’t automatically make them an effective coach. Coaching is a distinct skill. And effective coaches often don’t need to have any experience in your line of work at all. Coaching is about asking the right questions and being trained to help you see your blindspots and shift behaviour. - Have a chemistry conversation first
This is one of the most important steps. Always see if they offer a free first conversation. A powerful coaching partnership requires you both to feel comfortable, as if you have rapport. When you have the conversation, pay attention to how you feel. Do you feel listened to? Do they ask questions that make you think? Can you imagine being honest with them about things you wouldn’t necessarily say to your colleagues? - Research lots of coaches
Every coach is very different. Do your homework and reach out to at least two. - Choose a coach who will challenge you
A good coach should give you a confidential space where you can think freely, but not necessarily validate everything you say. The value is often in having someone independent enough to challenge your assumptions, spot your blind spots and help you see possibilities you couldn’t see yourself.
The big question to ask yourself is:
“Do I trust this person enough to be completely honest with them — and do I believe they’ll challenge me enough to actually help me change?”
If you’re ready to focus on your career and are curious to find out what you can learn on an introductory chemistry call, book in to speak with me and let’s help you get the clarity you want from your career.
