Coaches approaches

Something I’ve rarely experienced from a business coach (where I’m being coached), is a truly holistic understanding of the person they’re coaching (me).

With the benefit of hindsight, and the insight from others outside of the business coaching space, below are some questions I like to explore with my own coaching clients:

• How do you feel about work (love it; stressed out; meh)?
• How do you feel in general (happy; lonely; not sleeping well)?
• What’s your time availability (are you juggling a young family at home during your work day; do you have a lot of hobbies; do you volunteer)?

These can have a huge effect on your ability to act on direction from a coach.

Without knowing at least part-answers to these questions, I feel uninformed… almost irresponsible setting tasks for them in an attempt to hit a goal.

Sure – it’s on them to know their capacity and limits, and only ask for help they truly need… but limits (as well as potential) are sometimes hard to see in yourself.

…it could be why we seek out coaches…?

Which means as coaches, part of our job is to help identify their capacity, and mould our recommendations to suit what they’re capable of, without them burning out.