The Power of Coaching
Coaching provides clients with a safe and respectful space to express their thoughts, feelings, and actions without fear of judgment. In this environment, clients can reflect on their values and goals and determine specific steps to achieve them. Each session allows the client to identify specific and attainable actions that will lead them to their objectives. Additionally, coaching provides accountability based on the terms established by the client.
Local government professionals can benefit from coaching in several areas, including, but not limited to, internal power dynamics, relationships with peers, team members, elected officials, and members of the public, having difficult conversations, workload management, and fully engaging in their work. A neutral and objective coach can help clients reframe negative thoughts and emotions and motivate them while building their confidence.
During a recent coaching session with a local government professional who expressed doubts about their abilities, I asked a pointed question: "How true is it that you are not fully capable of doing this job effectively?" The client quickly realized that they were indeed capable of doing the job, boosting their confidence and realizing how much energy they had been wasting on something that was not true.
In another session, a different local government professional expressed a desire to provide feedback to a co-worker but did not feel comfortable doing so. We explored the real motivations behind wanting to provide the feedback, how it could be perceived, and how to deliver it in a way that would not be mistaken for overstepping their supervisor.
Each coaching session provides clients with the clarity, confidence, motivation, or grace necessary to make progress towards their development goals. Coaching provides clients with the support they need to take consistent, incremental, and impactful action. The cumulative effect of each session is like drops of water filling a bucket until it overflows.
In conclusion, working with a professional coach can be a game-changer. Coaching helps clients boost their confidence, gain clarity, create actionable steps towards their goals, and reminds them of their ability to influence their own circumstances. Imagine a workplace where leaders prioritize building confidence, employees feel valued and recognized, and successes are celebrated. This is the type of organization that a professional coach can help create and sustain.
