The coach as 'tracker'

A simple search for ‘coach’ on LinkedIn throws back over 1.5 million matches. Given the popularity of the title ‘coach’ and how it varies from person to person, I thought I’d weigh in by providing my perspective.What is a coach?Simply put, a coach is a person that listens without judgement and facilitates a fluid conversation to help you gain clarity. There is nothing magic or special about this process but it does require great skill to be an effective coach. A great coach will pick up on your ‘true’ self and keep following the trail you leave and nudging you back on course when you deviate.What to expect from a coach?While there are many ways to look at this, in any coaching conversation I aim to achieve a true connection with the coachee. This can only be done by being 100% present and in the moment with that person. There also has to be an element of adaptability within the coach and coachee as while we might want to plan a coaching conversation from beginning to end, very often, the fluidity of the conversation unearths new areas to explore. So,  you can expect to:1) Be challenged in a way that you hadn't necessarily planned for.2) Have someone guide you back to what matters most and where you should be focussing your attention3) Be engaged in a conversation with yourself that you normally don't make time for i.e. being real about what's going on.How will you know things are progressing?When asked to describe coaching, I like to use the analogy of a bush tracker. A tracker’s objective is to identify and follow the trail of someone or something until they can locate their exact position. To the untrained eye, a tracker can appear to be ‘lost’ or not following a trail at all. A beautiful example of this was illustrated in the Australian film 'The Tracker' where a young police officer questioned a seasoned tracker’s ability to locate their target accusing the tracker of leading them off course into the desert, potentially to their demise. In reply to the challenge, the seasoned tracker, with his steely eyes and unrelenting focus, simply pointed forward and said “that way” . To demonstrate how he knew which way to go, the tracker got down close to the ground and pointed to a tiny rock, not more than a centimetre wide, which had been kicked over just one quarter of a turn. In amazement, the young police officer asked “That’s all you need”? and off they went. This had a profound impact on me as so often people are looking for the ‘big’ answer or the ‘high impact’ sign to let them know they are on track. When you slow things down and truly listen, it’s the small seemingly insignificant clues that illuminate the way forward.Like a tracker seeking their target, a coach is helping you hone in on your true self, the path you desire most and the direction you need to take in your life. A skilled coach is able to recognise the small ‘stones’ you kick over and ensure you stay on course.What benefits will come from coaching? As coaching expands as an industry, so does the evidence supporting the benefits of coaching. Executive coaching has been found increase workplace wellbeing, goal attainment and resilience while decreasing stress and anxiety (Grant, Curtayne &  Burton, 2009). Gallup, a global leader in strengths based management, has conducted research demonstrating that increases in profit,  sales, customer engagement, employee engagement and reductions in turnover and safety incidents can all be linked back to strengths based coaching and management practices (Rigoni & Asplund, 2016). In addition to the growing body of quantitative evidence supporting executive coaching as a highly effective intervention, qualitative data suggests coachees experience an increase in self awareness, confidence, clarity, alignment to purpose and life satisfaction. Certainly with my own clients, coaching can be a highly profound, deeply personal process that creates significant positive change. All of my clients would agree that it isn't easy, but well worth the effort.Is coaching for everyone?My personal experience with coaching has taught me that the benefits a coachee receives are directly proportional to their readiness and willingness to be coached. For those that are willing and ready, coaching can be an amazing opportunity to bring forward decisions, tap into their true abilities and achieve their greatest aspirations. Beyond success, a coach’s greatest gift they can give a person is allowing them to fully embrace all of who they are and not be ashamed to show the world.If you'd like to explore how coaching might benefit you or someone you know, give me a call! ReferencesGrant, A., Frith, L., Burton, G. (2009). Executive coaching enhances goal attainment, resilience and workplace well-being: a randomised controlled study. The Journal of Positive Psychology: dedicated to furthering research and promoting good practice, 4(5), 396-407.Rigoni, B., Asplund, J. (2016). Coaches: Essential to building strengths-based companies. Gallup Business Journal, December 2016.