3 stages in your career where a career coach can be pivotal

  1
   22 Jul 2023
   Sunny Bhasin
   All about working with a coach

In the last 25 years, professional coaching has delivered many success stories in corporates, empowering executives to take charge of their own career, meet their objectives and find fulfilment.

 

While many executives partner with a professional coach at different times, I have found that if coaching is taken during transition points, it pivots the executive into impactful development and provides for much-needed support.

When you are made a line manager

 

As a first-time manager, I felt I was doing a dance of balance. On one hand, my responsibilities increased and on the other I had to take time to understand the nature of other people to bring out the best of the team.

 

There is a constant push and pull which a manager needs to exercise. Decisions are taken which impact both the outcome and also the people in the team.

 

Partnering with a coach at this time, helps the person to identify and then maximize their strengths. A coach can help the manager to hone and develop their own unique leadership style.

 

When you are promoted as head of department

 

As the head of finance, I had many an instance where I had no one to turn to for clarifications. My peers were handling their own teams and in a different area of work. The boss was not accessible or would not be able to devote the expected time to clear my doubts.

 

But the work has to be done!

 

Challenges in work situations help you to rise to the occasion and deliver on the objectives. Sometimes you waste time when you get stuck and most of the time you accumulate a lot of stress and repressed emotions.

 

A session with a coach in such circumstances, allows one to focus on the objective and helps you to evaluate the best solution with the given resources.

 

With a thought partner, as you voice out your feelings, obstacles and probable solutions, it allows you to take action steps to keep moving forward.

 

When there is a dip in your performance ratings

 

I have had 5 exits in my career of 20 years and almost double the number of promotions. When I look back now, I can clearly see how I could be a better employee. In my mind there were instances of a bad boss, office politics, stagnation, low ratings less pay, however a lot was still under my control.

 

A dip in rating is a sign to offer support. Generally, one doesn’t decide to leave the office in a day. There is an assessment of the new opportunity vs. the old on various factors like profile, position, pay etc. One key factor is the happiness quotient of the employee in the current organization.

 

A professional coach provides a safe space where the executive can vent out repressed feelings. It is tied to an objective of delivering on the goal of the individual as well as the company. This allows for development of the individual as they take actions without the clouding of judgment and short-term thinking.

 

I use professional coaching on an ongoing basis and have found it instrumental in setting up my business. I see the same testimonial from my clients, be it business owners or corporate executives.

 

Try out a session with an ICF Coach in your network and you may be pleasantly surprised at the impact it can have on your career.

 

You may also reach out to me or my Coachups cofounders Nikhil or Paarul to share instances where you felt the impact of professional coaching in your career.

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