The Benefits of Coaching

Although everyone's experience of coaching is personal and therefore different, certain benefits keep cropping up. The first of these is time to actually think. It might not sound like much, but when did you last get proper, uninterrupted time and space to think things through? Julie Starr, author of The Coaching Manual, writes about coaching giving "you a chance to step back from the day-to-day and gain perspective on what really matters." That alone can make a really positive difference. Suddenly you find yourself spotting patterns that you'd never noticed, making connections that were always there but invisible when you're caught up in your day to day existence.

Self-awareness is another benefit. Through your coach's questions and the quality of their listening, you start seeing yourself more clearly - what drives you, what you're good at, how you come across to others. In fact, in The Psychology of Executive Coaching, Bruce Peltier argues that "increased self-awareness is the foundation for all other development." Once you understand yourself better, lots of other things get easier - how you work with others, how you communicate, how you handle difficult situations and many others besides.

Next, there's the confidence that comes from finding your own answers rather than being told what to do. You'll discover you're more capable than you'd ever believed. Leading expert David Clutterbuck puts it well: "When people generate their own solutions, they own them - and they're far more likely to act on them." That sense of ownership doesn't just apply to whatever you're working on right now- it changes how you approach problems going forward. You become more resourceful, more self-reliant.

Coaching also helps cut through the fog. When everything feels overwhelming or muddled, coaching helps you work out what actually matters and where to focus your energy. Julie Starr says coaching helps people "get unstuck" - whether that's a specific problem, a difficult decision, or just feeling like you've lost your sense of direction. Once you've got that clarity, you can move forward more purposefully.

And there's a critical balance in the relationship: your coach will hold you accountable, but without judgement. They'll challenge you when it's helpful but always with support. Peltier calls this being "simultaneously supportive and provocative" - creating that safe space where you can be really honest with yourself, while still getting the helpful nudge you need to develop.

In the end, what you get from coaching depends on what you put in. But if you're genuinely up for it, it really will make a positive difference.

Key References

Starr, Julie. The Coaching Manual: The Definitive Guide to the Process, Principles and Skills of Personal Coaching.
4th Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, 2016.

Peltier, Bruce. The Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application.
3rd Edition. New York: Routledge, 2016.

Clutterbuck, David. Coaching and Mentoring: Practical Techniques for Developing Learning and Performance.
2nd Edition. London: Kogan Page, 2014.