Coaching and mentoring are essential at every level, as they can greatly contribute to people’s success in life.

One crucial aspect of coaching is becoming a better listener.

Here are some influential figures who have shared their thoughts on why coaching works and why everyone should seek a coach in their life:

• Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft, once said, “Everyone needs a coach. We all need people who give us feedback. That’s how we improve.“
• Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, emphasized, “The one thing that people are never good at is seeing themselves as others see them. A coach really, really, really helps.”
• Oprah Winfrey, a well-known television personality, actress, and entrepreneur, expressed that coaching helps “stop the crazy mind chatter in your head that tells you all the time that you’re not good enough.”
• Hugh Jackman, an award-winning actor, singer, and producer, highlighted the importance of not letting negative experiences define oneself, stating, “Something bad has happened to everybody on the planet. But if you continue to tell that story to yourself, that that is who you are, it will continue to be true. But it doesn’t have to be that way.”
• Anthony Robbins, an author, philanthropist, and life coach, pointed out that a coach provides a different perspective, saying, “A coach just has a different perspective. Still to this day, the best have coaches because the coach can see what you can’t see because you’re in the forest, they’re outside of it.“

What do we mean by the word coaching?

Coaching involves a person, known as a coach, who assists the coachee in reaching a goal or bringing about a change in attitude. It’s an opportunity to contribute to another person’s development. Coaching is a two-way partnership where both parties share knowledge and experience to maximize the coachee’s potential and help them achieve their goals.

Since coaching is based on mutual agreement, active listening plays a crucial role.

For instance:

• When a new or inexperienced employee requires explicit direction on a task.
• When the coachee has clearly violated policies or core values.
• When there is no improvement in performance after multiple coaching sessions.

The Essence of Coaching and What It Isn’t

Coaching is a means for learning and development, guiding someone towards their goals through the mutual sharing of experiences and opinions to create agreed-upon outcomes. It is important to note what coaching is not. It is not an opportunity to correct someone’s behaviors or actions, direct someone to take action to meet goals, or assume the role of the coach who has all the answers. Good coaching avoids manipulation and coercion, focusing on what is right as well as what works.

Coaching should always have a purpose.

You engage in coaching or seek coaching when you believe that working together will lead to improved performance. Through coaching, you can help others maximize their individual strengths, whether it’s building analytical skills or overcoming personal obstacles like fear of public speaking. Coaching enables individuals to reach their full potential by fostering continuous learning, acquiring new skills and competencies, improving communication skills, preparing for new responsibilities, and optimizing time management. It also helps clarify and work towards performance goals while increasing job satisfaction and motivation.

The benefits of coaching extend beyond individual coaching and can positively impact families or teams by improving working relationships and fostering more productive collaborations.

When should coaching take place?

Unlike goal setting and performance reviews, which are formally scheduled, coaching is an ongoing process that occurs as needs or opportunities arise. Coaching sessions can be scheduled for specific situations, but more often, coaching happens informally during personal interactions, through phone conversations, or via email.

Here’s a valuable tip:

When people ask for coaching, seize the opportunity to provide guidance. As Galileo Galilei once said, “You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself.”

So, does life coaching work?

Absolutely! Everyone, regardless of their level of success, can benefit from coaching in some aspect of their life. Therefore, if you are interested in becoming a coach or being coached, keep your ears open to someone who can teach you something. As the motivational speaker Jim Rohn used to say, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

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