SO YOU THINK YOU DON'T NEED A COACH?WRITTEN BY TWIZ KAY

My first thought about coaching was that it was completely unnecessary for me. That it was for other people, not me. That it was for super professional, mega corporate, executive, high flying, international business types. Not me. Then I met my coach. I liked her immediately and she made me smile. Later on, in our business relationship, she made me cry but that’s a different matter. Coaching really helped me when I was in a role that I had taken, upon advice from Richard Branson. Well, sort of. I’d read that he once said ‘if someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you’re not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later’ so I blame him for me accepting the job.

I blame him...

Anyway, it turns out that discussing my darkest fears and worries about taking on a job I didn’t actually think I could do, really helped. And finding someone who could sensitively listen to my vulnerabilities and who I could trust not to laugh at me, was very important. I think that finding a coach is a bit like finding a friend. Some people you meet are lovely for that moment in time but you know you don’t want to spend more time with them, sitting around, eating pizza, drinking prosecco and laughing until your tummy hurts. (Luckily, I found a coach who I now sit around with, eat pizza with, drink prosecco with and we most definitely laugh until our tummies hurt.) However, when picking a coach, you need to realise they will likely be telling you some tough things to hear, harsh criticisms and truths. So, it’s far nicer if they have a lovely smile to take some of the sting away from their words and it definitely helps when they have made you cry.I didn’t even consider getting references for my coach. I just knew I wanted to work with her so, I’d suggest, a bit like when choosing a friend, go with your gut feeling.

My coach and I worked together for a while, and I can honestly say, that without the work we did, I wouldn’t be self-employed now. The thought processes I go through for business dilemmas are down to our sessions. I know that when I need to talk in front of groups of people and I’m feeling terribly nervous, I hear her words of support and enthusiasm in my head. When I need to be super professional for a business meeting, I know I can communicate clearly and achieve my goals for the meeting because of her input to my career. But mostly, she taught me to be authentic and not try to be the ‘professional businesswoman’ I had created in my imagination, based on someone else, not me. So, to summarise, get a coach. Especially if you think you won’t get anything from a few sessions with one.For more super professional musings, follow us on Instagram (chmarketingguildford) and Twitter (@CHMarketing1)Written by Twiz Kay, C&H Marketing