What’s So Powerful About Coaching?

Marilyn Orr

It is International Coaching Week. I thought it would be a great time to talk about the power of coaching and what it is and is not.

So often I hear people say “Oh I don’t think I need coaching, things are going well.” To use a sports analogy that would be like saying the Patriots don’t need a coach because they have won so many games. (Sorry if you are not a Patriots fan.)

Coaching is best suited to people who are doing well. In some organizations it is a benefit for the best performers. Absolutely it can help people where they are struggling but internal motivation and readiness are key factors in the success of coaching.

Coaching makes you dig deep. It can make you uncomfortable. Have you ever noticed that sometimes there is a bit of resistance before you break through to a new way of thinking? A coach is trained to help you breakthrough your old limited thinking to new possibilities.

Imagine being listened to. I mean really listened to! Imagine someone who hears your passions, sees your strengths, knows how to get you to your best strategies, improve your work/life balance and life in a much more fulfilling way. It is powerful stuff.

This is an awesome video on what coaching is and it’s benefits:

Here is a great definition from this video about coaching:

“Coaching is a guided process where somebody helps you, through the power of questions and active listening, come to your own conclusion. You have to get your own answers. These are the best answers because you are the expert for yourself. I think coaching is the leadership style for the future.”


Coaching is not advice giving.

Coaching is not therapy.

Coaching is not mentoring.

Coaching is not consulting.

Coaching is highly supportive, non-judgmental, enlightening, surprising at times and builds self-esteem.

It is really hard to describe even though I have been coaching for 12 years. It is a very experiential process.

Here’s my offer, if you have not had coaching before but are curious I’ll gladly give you a free session. This is not a sales pitch, I’m not taking on many clients right now, but I know many great coaches.

One of the best benefits of being a coach is knowing a bunch of other great coaches. We coach each other often. I love getting coached. Coaches hold the space for me - knowing that I can do something, be someone, when it might be hard to do for myself. They help me play bigger, like myself more, be more at peace.

Thanks to all my colleagues who are making life better and more meaningful for other human beings on this planet!!!

Happy Coaching Week!!!

Marilyn

Marilyn Orr is a Professional Certified Coach, who, through her coaching business “ Capacity Building Coaching ”, thrives on building both personal and organization capacity through leadership coaching and development.

If you are reading this blogpost, but are not subscribed to “Marilyn’s Musings” weekly blogposts, you can sign up here: http://eepurl.com/brC4OD

(note: If you are having problems viewing images, click "Read in browser" below)

By Marilyn Orr 12 Mar, 2020
Really, a Pill for Loneliness?There truly is research going on for this right now. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/26/pill-for-loneliness-psychology-science-medicineIt is not that this isn’t a major problem. It is a huge issue now and trends show it having grown.22% of adults in the USA “always or often” feel lonely.
By Marilyn Orr 30 Jan, 2020
A dear friend of mine said to me once, “you know what I need before I do”.Being sensitive to emotions and subtle language cues is not something I was born doing. In my mid-twenties I was oblivious to my own anger. I mean, really oblivious.
By Marilyn Orr 26 Dec, 2019
Speak to your audience Take a few moments to plan your post Don’t forget to add images Edit carefully before posting You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you. Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words. Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.
By Marilyn Orr 19 Dec, 2019
Although the potential for a happy holiday is present for many of us there are any number of ways that it can go sideways and be highly stressful.This blog post is for you. The few of you that have an easy holiday ahead, I applaud you and remind you to really appreciate how amazing that is, and likely, how rare.The potential de-railers come in a number of forms: relatives that we find difficult to be around, a lack of control over our own schedule, too much time socializing (if you are more intr...
By Marilyn Orr 21 Nov, 2019
Are you Smarter Than All Your Friends?This is meant to be sassy. Here’s the point. Are you surrounded by people that just appreciate who you are without challenging you or pushing you towards a better you?It is amazing to have people around us that affirm us.
By Marilyn Orr 24 Oct, 2019
In a couple weeks I have the honor of speaking with up to 200 people about advocating for oneself. Finding our voice - not just to speak up for ourself but to create opportunities for advancement, acknowledgement and compensation.This is such an important topic. So many messages get in the way of us promoting ourselves.Self-promotion equals arrogance, is the opposite to humilityI’m not perfect, not the best person for the promotions, etc.I should focus on what I need to work on, focusing on stre...
By Marilyn Orr 12 Mar, 2020
Really, a Pill for Loneliness?There truly is research going on for this right now. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/26/pill-for-loneliness-psychology-science-medicineIt is not that this isn’t a major problem. It is a huge issue now and trends show it having grown.22% of adults in the USA “always or often” feel lonely.
By Marilyn Orr 30 Jan, 2020
A dear friend of mine said to me once, “you know what I need before I do”.Being sensitive to emotions and subtle language cues is not something I was born doing. In my mid-twenties I was oblivious to my own anger. I mean, really oblivious.
Share by: