written by Michelle
The first time I hired a coach I was so mortified that I wouldn’t tell anybody. I felt like a fraud because I couldn’t do it on my own. I now realize how narrow my perspective was. Of course coaches need coaches! In fact, now that I understand all of the benefits of having a coach, I would actually think twice about hiring someone who has never been coached themselves.
Getting coached allows you to experience what it’s like to be a client. It can give you empathy for what they struggles they might face throughout the coaching process which can provide you with the empathy you need to be a great coach. It also exposes you to different coaching styles that you may have never experienced or considered using before and can make you aware of areas you can work on yourself.
Being coached can also make you feel supported and cared for, which can be a rare experience for those who are used to helping others. It can be a huge relief to just sit back and let yourself be guided by someone else for once. Less ‘thinking’ means that you can put more effort into the ‘doing’. Hiring a coach is a great way to ensure that you actually get to focus on your own needs for a change.
It’s also important to remember that everyone hits a point in their lives where they need help. Even the best coaches can hit a plateau or encounter a mental block that prevents them from moving forward or reaching their goals. Even if they know all the tips and tricks, and have gone through all the proper steps, it can be hard to see the solution clearly if you have a personal stake in the issue at hand. An outsider who has an objective overview can often see things much more clearly.
Hiring a coach can also keep you committed and motivated. Even if you have the expertise to coach yourself, and know exactly what you need to do to get there, paying someone to hold you accountable is money well spent. Coaches can help rally you when your motivation starts to waver by pointing out the success you’ve had and how far you’ve come. We have a propensity to focus on the negatives and so we often fail to see all the positive achievements which can sap our mojo.
Coaching can also open the doors to new friendships and business opportunities. I cannot even begin to tell you how many new people I’ve met through the coaching process and how many times this has led to partnerships and collaborations. These new connections can fill gaps that may exist in your services or complement your own business in pretty amazing ways.
Finally if you’ve been coaching long enough, you may hit a plateau in terms of your knowledge and expertise. Taking steps to break through this plateau by surrounding yourself with people who know more than you do is a great way to grow in your chosen profession and as a person. Uncovering levels you didn’t even know existed can be life-changing and take you to heights that you never thought were possible.
I truly believe that a coach can take you to new levels of performance that might not have been possible on your own. If it’s been a while since you’ve been coached or if you’ve been feeling stuck recently, why not reach out and ask someone to give you a hand? You might be surprised at how liberating and empowering it can be.
