What Does A Coach Do?
With so many self-proclaimed coaches now cluttering the online sphere, discerning the genuine coaches from the self-titled can be a task and a half. On top of this, confusion over what exactly a coach does can make it seem like a daunting mission.
If you’re unaware of the benefits of a coach and what they do, we’re here to fill you in. Whether needing help with goal setting or needing someone to hold you accountable, coaching can be a brilliant way of enhancing your skills and qualities.
If you’re interested in self-improvement but don’t know your genuine coaches from the novices – read on!
What is a coach?
A coach can be defined as an experienced individual helping someone to improve their skill set and performance via personal development sessions.
A coach will identify several key areas for development and will work to improve these areas with a less experienced individual. Ultimately, a coach’s main aim is to help you achieve your goals and improve your performance.
What do coaches do?
A coach can work with you to identify a personal development plan
So you’ve decided you want to embark on a self-improvement journey but have no idea where to start? That’s exactly where a coach comes into play!
A coach will help you formulate your self-improvement plan and will use this as the basis for your coaching sessions. A coach can help you identify key areas for improvement, whilst highlighting your current strengths; understanding these two areas will influence the contents of your development plan.
Personal development plans are unique to each individual and can be used to map where we are versus where we’d like to be. As self-improvement is a lifelong process, your personal development plan may constantly shift and change as you go through life’s changes. A coach will be there every step of the way to aid you, tweaking your plan to suit your current stage of development.
A coach can help you achieve your goals & improve your performance
Perhaps you want to progress in your career or secure a new job, a coach is on hand to help you get to where you want to be.
After agreeing on specific goals to help you improve your performance, you’ll undertake frequent check-ins as you progress through your personal development plan.
The beauty of your newfound coaching relationship lies in the arsenal of tools a coach has to help you succeed. Through their methodical approach to goal setting, coaches frequently use SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound goals), which breaks down your goals into actionable elements.
Having a coach to report back to and goals in writing can massively aid your performance. Studies show that working with a coach increases your chances of achieving your goals by 60%. In addition to this, individuals who write down their goals are 42% more likely to follow through with achieving these goals.
A coach can help you prepare for the future
You may not be exactly where you want to be currently, but a coach can assist you in developing much-needed skills for the future. Coaches can help you develop a range of skills – they may assist you in building your confidence or developing leadership skills. Both take time to nurture and will be vital skills further down the line.
Whatever path you’re on, a coach can help you prepare your future self by focusing on gentle steps in the right direction. By slowly working on areas of struggle, a coach can help you develop skills in weaker areas.
Remember – becoming the best version of yourself doesn’t happen overnight. If you’ve got something important coming up in your professional or personal life that you feel you need support with, a coach can be a great source of reassurance. The aid a coach can give you during times of great change and growth can be invaluable.
A coach acts as an accountability partner
Another brilliant aspect of a coaching relationship is the addition of accountability. Once your personal development plan is in action, your frequent check-in sessions with your expert can act as a source of motivation. Reports show that having an accountability partner massively increases your chances of success.
A coach’s regular feedback places emphasis on where you’re up to, whilst detailing the outstanding steps on your goal plan. Having someone to hold you accountable introduces a dynamic that is pivotal to your success and is one of the many benefits of working with a dedicated coach.
As you track your progress with your expert, you’ll often find the need to revaluate your goals, having already succeeded in many areas.
Discover coaching for yourself
Ready to start your own coaching journey?
Now that you’re kitted out with all the information you need, the next step towards achieving your goals is to find the right coach for you. A simple way of identifying a good match is through our Expert Matcher quiz. Tell us a bit about your experience and what you’re looking for help with, and our handy tool will show you the top 5 experts suited to you.
With over 100 experts with a range of specialisms, our experts cover lots of bases; from niche sectors to all-round coaches, there are so many possibilities.
Unsure whether coaching or mentoring is right for you? Check out our blog post on mentoring here. Both coaches & mentors offer excellent opportunities for growth. Our free Virtual Coffee service gives you the opportunity to speak to a number of experts before committing to your sessions.
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