When I building my first company, I realized that the biggest limitation to my company's growth was my own growth as the founder & ceo. So I hired a coach. In a matter of months, my then-coach guided me to put in place a strategic growth plan, bring to life company values, work through stressful interpersonal situations, and be a lot more decisive and concrete in my style. It was invaluable.
If you're considering coaching, here are 12 ways you might benefit:
- Hard results - greater productivity, faster promotions, bigger profits
- Deeper learnings - about yourself, how you're perceived, where you can improve
- Faster action - advancing things faster and with greater precision
- Space to hear your own voice - to talk something through and gain perspective
- Awareness of perspectives, beliefs, and attitudes that may be holding you back
- Support and confidence to "lean in" and make bold moves
- Clarity on your values and what you stand for, which leads to greater conviction
- Ideas for ways to improve that you may not see - awareness of blind spots
- Emotional support, empathy, and encouragement - feels less lonely
- The cold truth others won't tell you
- Third-party moderation for 360-reviews, strategic planning, and conflict resolution
- Support for improving specific skills - communication, delegation, conflict management, team building, persuasion, etc.
In my eyes, these are incredible leverage points for growth. But don't get me wrong, coaching isn't a panacea. It won't work for someone who doesn't have a desire to learn and grow. In some situations, consulting or therapy may be more appropriate (see chart below). And let's face it: not all coaches will fit. There's an element of chemistry that needs to be right.
