Is Coaching a Must-have?
This week is International Coaching Week (ICW). While celebrating the 20th of ICW as an executive coach, I have been reflecting on whether it is true that “Coaching is a must-have”.
The field of Coaching has been developing into a fast growing profession in the last few years. Many people have become coaches. Even though many people are seeking out for coaching, still, there are many coaches who struggle to build their business. It’s a very interesting phenomenon and very confusing market for the consumers. They ask, “Who should I hire? How much should I pay? Is coaching a must-have?”
Most people who consider hiring coaches are the population that can afford coaching. They might employ the services of life coaches, business coaches, leadership coaches, and executive coaches. For this population, coaching is nice to have available .
I have always worked in the wireless tech industry in addition to running my coaching business. As a product manager, I have applied the coaching skills I’ve obtained to creating cohesion among cross-functional teams. Coaching skills have helped me build trust and deliver products on time. Coaching skills to me are a must-have.
I have witnessed many leaders becoming successful through executive coaching. For them, having coaching skills is a must-have for their effective leadership. So the distinguishing factor here is “coaching vs coaching skills”. Some people are coaches without knowing it or owning the coaching skills.
I would say, coaching skills are a must-have for leaders or anyone who wants to build relationships and a fulfilled life. Coaching skills such as the ability to listen attentively, question with curiosity, reach agreement through difficult conversations and communicate clearly with courage can be developed through coaching sessions. When people decide to develop themselves through courses, coaching, mentoring, and hardship, they will have more capacity to learn and practice these coaching skills.
So is coaching a must-have? I think the answer is yes- whether you call it “coaching” or not.