Often, our strengths contribute to us being in crisis. These include willingness to take on responsibility, our natural respect for authority or being flexible. When these coincide with significant challenges or when there is more to do than hours in the day, we can find ourselves under pressure.
This can become a vicious circle as time is so short. It impacts the quality and speed of our decision-making, the opportunity to get perspective and our confidence. From there we don’t seek counsel, respite or support. We quickly get into a position where asking for support feels like an admission of failure when in other times we might view it as an opportunity to learn.
In this case, my clients often look to me to save them; to solve their problems. This is not the role of the coach. However challenging the situation, there is no-one more capable of resolving your situation than you. The coach’s role is to pose questions that help you process what comes next, where you start and what’s critical to success.
What led you here? Hypothetically, what do you want to achieve? What are the benefits you would see? What has worked in the past? And what might work now? The challenge is in finding belief, but the simple process works.
Sometimes, the initial session can have a dramatic impact on your clarity and your conviction. Alternatively, despite the scale of the challenges you are feeling, we start small. We focus on achievable, pro-active and tangible actions that get the ball rolling; you implement good habits to build upon and re-establish your confidence.
After 20 years as MD of my own Branding Agency I hit a trough. As a creative, the responsibility for people management, sales and operations gradually left me feeling drained. I needed to make a change but felt stuck between my connection to my business and my identity, as well as a sense of failure and unrealised opportunities. My health was suffering. Working extensively with Richard helped me clarify what was most important to me, my future and my family. His skill was to help me separate conflicting thoughts and feelings and identify my core beliefs and priorities. Subsequently, I re-structured my business and then latterly wound it up. Although this was not easy, I never looked back and I remain grateful for Richard’s support.Ian Loseby, Managing Director, Arris Design, 2016
