As the old saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” In order to coach others well, we often need coaching ourselves.
Finding a coach is essential to reaching your goals because he or she holds you accountable and makes you better. However coaching may take many different forms.
The three types of coaching I see most often are one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and the use of published media.
No matter what you learn through coaching, not taking action will cause you to fail.
As a health coach, I am always trying to improve my skills. During a training, I was introduced to Coach Micheal Burt, author of “Everybody Needs a Coach in Life”.
He reminded me that even coaches need coaches. But where do you find coaches? The three methods of coaching I mentioned earlier all have their positives.
One-on-one Coaching
An example of this type of coaching is a personal trainer. This is a person you respect who can speak into your life. He or she can hold you accountable, challenge, and encourage you. This type of coach believes in you so much that you want to please him or her.
Accountability or Group Coaching
An example of this is a mastermind group. This type of coaching consists of a group that comes together over a common goal. The benefit of this is that when you have a group of people who make it a priority to meet, there is built in accountability. Having action steps between meetings makes you want to avoid being the person who shows up without having done your “homework.”
Coaching via Published Media
An example of this coaching is books or podcasts. This type of coaching takes the most effort because you have to take the initiative on your own. The benefit is that you can access lessons in an intimate way at your leisure, such as during a commute. The downside is that in order for the book or podcast to be applied, it takes action. So, if you opt for this type of coaching, make the commitment to be involved in the process.
Whatever option or options suit you, action and follow up are essential, and this takes discipline. When the coaching ends, life happens — we get into our routines and that motivation that took place during the “coaching session” begins to fade. So, if you’re not going to take action and apply what you’ve learned, then you have wasted your time.
Taking action with what you’ve learned separates success from failure, it separates the person who is overcoming from the person being overtaken.
As leaders, when we learn something new or valuable, our natural motivation is to share it with others. When we receive coaching, we want to coach others, and that’s a good thing.
However, not everyone is at the same place as you. In fact, that person just might need a cheerleader at this moment.
David A. Specht Jr. | President of Specht Newspapers, Inc.
