MEGGIN MCINTOSH, PH.D, ON COACHING
What is coaching?
I heard someone say recently, “A coach doesn’t answer your questions. A coach questions your answers.”
Having a coach means working with someone who is in your corner, with no vested interest in the choices you make. A coach’s role is to support you as you explore options and take steps toward what you want, which may involve helping you figure out what you want!
At times, coaches help you see the next step; other times, they nudge you to take the next step; and nearly always, assume your coach will question you on your decisions about the next steps. Always, there’s support and accountability set up in a way that works best for you.
Working with a coach makes a tremendous difference in top-notch academics’ lives. It can both accelerate a shift as well as the trajectory of the change. Nearly everyone who has had a coach – and has been truly invested in the coaching process – wonders, “How does anyone NOT have a coach?”
How do I choose a coach?
- Read through the coach bio information that’s been shared with you.
- Further investigate two or three of the coaches whose information piques your interest, looking at their websites, Linkedin profiles, recommendations and/or other online resources.
- If you are ready to decide based on what you see, read, or sense about one of the coaches, then you’re set!
- If you want to explore further before deciding…
- Request a brief call with one or two of the coaches. You and the coach will be able to determine if you are a good match (area(s) of focus, style, approach, expectations, etc.)
How do I know if I’m coachable?
You are coachable if you are willing to:
- Do the “work.” Although you will experience breakthroughs during some coaching calls, most of the growth happens between calls. It’s fascinating and not surprising.
- Listen and be open to new possibilities and ways of thinking.
- Speak up and talk through your ideas, as well as ask questions and test out possibilities.
- Take responsibility for yourself, your choices, and your decisions.
Who benefits from coaching?
The best people benefit from coaching. Coaching builds on top folks’ questions, challenges, and talents. Along with their coach, the best people look for and discover patterns, entry points, areas worth noticing, and places where small changes yield significant results.
What’s the pacing?
Depending on the coach you’re working with, the two of you may determine that a once-a-month call is best. Or, you may determine that you really want to focus and build some momentum and that talking two or three times each month is going to make more sense.