Do you have too many decisions to make and not enough time? Or information? Or both? Are you spending too much time on the urgent rather than the important?
One of the starting points as a coach that I find really powerful is the underlying belief that the client – you – often has the answers already. The challenge you face is in retrieving them. And the job of the coach is to help.
As you rise in an organisation, the decisions you have to make become more and more consequential. However, the support you get from peers and your superiors often diminishes. There is – or at least you might feel there is – an expectation that you should already know the answers.
The reality is that, in many cases, you probably do know the answers. At least you know better than anyone else in the organisation. And yet it’s difficult to quieten your mind enough to find them.
A sounding board would be helpful. Therein lies the role of the coach.
They are not the expert – you are. But they can provide a sounding board, a mirror, or a different perspective that will help you draw out the answers you need. To find solutions more quickly and with more confidence. To help you identify the critical information you need. To distinguish between noise and the important.
So, why do so many hesitate to work with a coach?
I think it’s the belief that having a coach might be seen as a sign of weakness. It's not who you are. You don't like to ask for help.
What would happen if you turned that around and asked whether you want to develop and grow? Would you like to make smarter decisions, faster and with more confidence? Do you want to use all the assets that you bring to the table?
This is not about weakness but about strength.
And I’m not alone in thinking this. If it’s in the FT it must be true, right?