For coaching to be successful, keep these things in mind.
Your intent to change and desire for change will be serious. You will be intentional about making the appropriate time and effort into developing who you are as a leader and a person. Coaching helps you do this, but a coach cannot do it for you.
You will make every effort to ensure You are at your peak mental, physical and emotional state for each Session. This involves preparing yourself for coaching mentally, being in a physical space that is conducive to the coaching experience, and put aside anything that may have preoccupied you prior to the session. Sometimes it is just not a good time for a session. If that is the case, please try to give 24 hours notice of cancellation if that is what you feel you must do. Sometimes coaching can help with uncertainty or confusion, but coming to the session with that understanding is important. You cannot work on one thing when your mind is on something else. Be honest and open with the coach to get the best coaching experience.
You are ready to work and receive feedback. You are willing to try new ways of learning, be honest and open, keep to your commitments and inform your coach immediately when things are not working for you. Coaching is an investment in yourself. If you are going to commit time, resources, and energy to coaching, be sure to be in the right frame of mind and see this as the investment it is.
You are willing to explore, challenge and change thoughts, feelings and actions that you recognize as self-defeating. It happens. We all have those times when we are down on ourselves or feel like a failure. If we didn’t have those times, we may never feel motivated toward positive change. Staying in the feelings of negativity does not facilitate personal and professional growth. Be ready to address any self-doubt and be willing to see where you are able to replace doubt with action.
You understand your coach will be focused on you and your best interests as a whole, not just your goals. Sometimes what we think we need to work toward really isn’t our true focus and goals. We think we should do such and such, but our subconscious knows what we do not. Let your coach work with you on establishing goals and through pondering questions bring you to the realization of your best self.
You are willing to give the coach the benefit of the doubt and wholeheartedly try new concepts or different ways of doing/approaching things. There is a place for skepticism, but when skepticism keeps you from making positive change and coming to helpful new learnings, it can be a detriment. Stay positive and trust the process.
You recognize the value and worth of yourself and the investment you are making in your personal development. You are worthy of the investment into growing as a person and a leader. This is important work, and not just something you are doing without any intention or motivation to change. Coaching is a way to become more confident and equipped as a leader.
You understand the need to plan the relationship ending in advance to allow for a degree of closure and wrap-up. There may come a time when you feel it is time to wrap up coaching either for a period of time or long term. Let your coach know that you feel it is time to wrap things up, and he or she can work with you on closure and a plan for the future.
Sonja Tobey 