What are some of the common myths about coaching? 🤔
Myth 1: Coaching is only applicable to senior leaders in an organisation
This one we hear a lot however the perception is changing rapidly. Coaches are now becoming more visible and available across all levels of the organisation. Although historically coaching in organisation was fairly limited to executives nowadays you’ll find coaching available as part of management development, inductions and across other activities the organisation provides.
Myth 2: There must be something wrong with me, or an issue, to work with a coach
There seems to be a myth that coaching is about ‘fixing’ something. It can be, but most of the time coaching is much more positive, affirming and developmental in nature. However, the focus in coaching is never to ‘fix’. Clients come into coaching to explore, challenge themselves, see things differently, create goals, learn about themselves, feel things they haven’t before, face up their fears, celebrate and much more.
Myth 3: I know my goals so I won’t benefit from coaching
Coaching is not just about helping you understand goals. Although goal setting is part of the process (if you, i.e. the client, want it to be) there is more to coaching as mentioned above. In addition, knowing your goals does not mean meeting them. Many of us actually know what our goals are and what we want to achieve, yet sometimes, things get in the way. Coaching can help you declutter your thoughts and notice things to smash your goals. A good coach can reinvigorate you at work and your personal life, regardless of your position. A coach can help you to set new better long and short term goals, and obtain greater self-awareness and heightened focus at work or personal tasks
Myth 4: I don’t manage anyone so I won’t see value in coaching
Coaching can have many dimensions. It can be about how you relate to your team, but it can also focus on more intrapersonal goals. Many coachees enter coaching relationships working on building confidence, heightening their awareness or work-life balance. Furthermore coaching is not just about work. Most coaches work in a holistic or integrative way bringing in different parts of your life.
Myth 5: I read a lot of self-help books. I understand coaching.
Reading will educate you and spark some ideas, but the execution is what matters and this is where a good coach can step in and support you through the work that needs to be done to improve. Think of it like that: we all know what takes to be a good manager, but why are they so hard to come by? A coach can challenge your thinking, assist you in setting goals and hold you accountable to what you want to achieve – a good self-help book might not be able to do that alone
Myth 6: I already ‘coach’ my team. I don’t need to develop my coaching skills.
Many managers talk about coaching their team however when you ask about what it is they actually do few can give you answers that truly focus on coaching. Most talk about great management styles, or mentoring approaches. However coaching is different. In coaching a manager does not have expectations, judgement or gives advice to their team. Additionally a great manager who is also a great coach knows the boundaries of ethical coaching, confidentiality and the importance of having a non-judgemental approach.
If you want to debunk some of these myths and others, join us on a free Coaching Fundamentals webinar that we run at Become. On the webinar you will learn what great coaching truly is about, the way it differs from related fields (say mentoring), our integrative coaching approach, and the ICF (our awarding body).
The webinar is free and suitable for those interested in organisational or life coaching. It’s also great if you’re thinking about career or executive coaching as your next profession.
