My Coaching Journey….

It was year 2017 nearing to an end and I was close to finish my long innings with corporates as a senior finance professional. I was getting ready to send off my structured work regime, functional responsibilities and supportive role I played, to help corporates, with expertise I gained over four decades.
I wanted to take a fresh guard. I had a faint thought of engagement into something related to people. As it came first, I joined a training program – Train The Trainer. This new endeavor brought me a brand-new experience of interacting with bright and aspiring youngsters, deserving to be trainers.
This time around, I made few friends involved in facilitation activities, where I heard of coaching for the first time. With curiosity, I began to know more about coaching, did my research, met relevant people and began visualizing an elevated journey from ‘Trainer’ to a ‘Coach’. I felt , I am getting pulled to something I love to do . That brought me to the institute, Coach to transformation, for 60 hours of formal training under ICF format.
This was a new beginning. The training was an intense and thought provoking regime . it challenged my settled perceptions, belief system, attitude make up and a comfort zone – inside out.
It deepened my hidden quest to capture the vast infinite knowledge of human potential, the mind and motivation. At the same time, I could realize real potential in me, to be a successful coach, with my long value add exposure to the corporate world, which involved great leaders and sharks together. .
I was to learn few fundamental lessons to become a successful coach. I love to share them with you
Intuitive listening: This is a fundamental lesson. Ability to read between the lines, to pick up on the unspoken clues that hint at a larger story behind the words. Listen to understand and not to reply. Intuitive listening sharpens your mental capturing. eventually quicken your ability to understand a problem statement and ability to set out your coaching strategy with your client . Intuitive listening insulates you from distracting thoughts and self-doubts emanating from client.
Listen with empathy: Another great lesson. Feel the conversation. Empathy helps creating foundation of trust and a strong mental and emotional connect with client. Furthermore, it relinquishes your domineering desire to prove our age, authority and knowledge, at regular interval.
Confidentiality: We are responsible to respect confidentiality of the matter, when someone chooses to share with you his personal and delicate feelings, with trust. Breach of trust, directly or indirectly, is a moral crime.
Past is irrelevant: Coach people from exactly where you are. Past is irrelevant. future is relevant to make a difference.
Stop judging people: Effective coach never judge his client. He knows best, when and how to mute the evaluation process and fully focus on understanding the client.
Powerful questions: Powerful questions is an art and heart of good coaching. An effective coach utilizes this power to make client challenge the way he sees himself and the world. A good coach leads his client on way of self-discovery.
Coach vs mentor:. A coach has some great questions for your answers. A mentor has some great answers to your questions.
Coaching is a journey and not a destination: The doing is often more important than the outcome. So, it turns out that you might not even need to reach your goal to be successful. Coaching is a continuous process of improvement both for you and your client
I found coaching, a unique engagement to pursue with zeal and find passion to work with people realizing their aspirations.