Guest Blog: Dr Catherine Baudino on Why Go To A Coach?
Posted on July 20, 2022 by Tess Cheng
Dr Catherine Baudino is an executive coach based in London, the UK. Her current clients include business people at all stages of management.
I invited Dr Catherine to guest post on my blog to share her insight on coaching and why one would consider going to a coach. She very kindly accepted the invitation.
–TESS
As an executive coach, I am often faced with this question.
And a very valid one, it is too.
Start by asking yourself:
◂Is there anyone in your orbit with whom you can discuss your issue? Will they be impartial?
◂Will that person be able to ask you provocative questions? i.e. to push you a little further to get to the core of the matter?
◂Are they likely to UNDERSTAND your situation?
◂Can they help you create an action plan?
◂Will they monitor your progress in a non-judgmental way?
If your answer to all of this is YES, then you do not need a coach! You are a very lucky person indeed to have such a person in your life. Treasure that! Most of us do not have such a luxury and need a professional who will provide:
◂a safe and comfortable environment where you can open up, discussing the issue(s) facing you; as the saying goes, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’
◂Will they make you accountable to your proposed action plan?
If the answer to any of these is NO – that is when coaching comes in. To understand what coaching means/does, just look back at the questions listed above and you have the answer!
I would like to concentrate on one particular point: for me, the coach’s fundamental role is the safe, non-judgmental environment they create for their client, whilst at the same time maintaining accountability. Each of my sessions finishes with an action plan, – otherwise it is a mere chat and hot air.
That said, coaching does not provide an ‘instant fix’, nor is it ‘one size fits all’. After all, if – for example – you are talking to a nutritionist, you cannot undo a life’s behaviour in one fell swoop. You may end a session with a commitment to explore what licences you need to open your first restaurant, but give up half-way because you have found the paperwork too taxing. Your coach will not criticise you for abandoning the task and will point out the progress you are making; you have now realised that the hospitality business is not for you. Onto the next exploration….
Similarly, one of my clients, Isabelle, a vivacious Italian accountant, came to me complaining about her English bosses and her heavy work load, but – after a couple of sessions in which I challenged her thinking – she came to discover that the fundamental issue was that she felt undervalued and wanted a pay-rise. Then, armed with this revelation, she needed to rehearse her conversation with her bosses. That is where further coaching may come into play. We discussed the timing and place of her request. I explained to her that emotions often dilute a message and it was best for her to ditch her Latin effervescence. Isabelle practiced delivering her request, ensuring it was rational, and logical. She practiced, and practiced again – to herself in front of the mirror and in front of me. She asked for my feed-back until she was ready to go!
Your coach is not a soothsayer; your coach does not have the answers. They are there to provoke and to elicit those answers from you.
Choose your coach with care. That is why I offer a free 30 min. chemistry session. You need to ensure that you are both comfortable with each other and feel your chosen consultant is someone you can know, like and trust. Additionally, there are different types of coaches, too: business coaches, executive coaches, health coaches, life coaches, a writing coach etc.:
◂Business coaches tend to look at your business from its accounts to its strategy
◂Executive coaches help senior business people on different levels which include their personal development, their ability to communicate with stakeholders and colleagues
◂Health coaches will assist you with your physical condition and habits, including diet where appropriate
◂Life coaches address your personal development, your ability to deal with issues
◂Writing coaches will support you in your book writing, publishing and marketing
In fact, in the past year, I have been writing a book – STEPPING INTO MY SHOES. I took on a writing coach, the lovely Georgia Varjas (herself a published author). Despite being a coach myself and having previously written a PhD, I felt I needed someone to:
◂help me structure my thoughts
◂report to, regarding my findings between sessions.
Even coaches need coaching! I can only say it is one of the best investments in myself that I have ever made.
About the author:
Dr Catherine has been helping leaders and senior professionals gain clarity and confidence in their work and personal lives for many years.
Dr Catherine’s book, STEPPING INTO MY SHOES, is based on the author’s corporate experiences – which include breaking the glass ceiling in 1987 and appearing on the first ever reality show on BBC2’s Money Programme, a precursor to the Apprentice! It can be purchased by Amazon.
A free 30 min chemistry session can be arranged via her website: www.drcatherinecoaching.com
