Learning to Coach

I have been toying with learning how to coach for a while. Part of me has resisted the idea: I have been working successfully as a coach since before the boom in coaching, and (I suspect) for longer than many of those who offer coaching courses and qualifications.

But the better part of me knows that there is plenty to learn - and also knows just what I would think of someone who thought they were beyond learning!

Then there were the practical problems: because of the nature of my working life, it is hard to commit to a programme that runs on a particular day every week or every month. My diary simply isn't like that. Likewise, I clock up enough miles, without having to drive to the North East or Lancaster over and above my work...

But all of that has fallen beautifully into place. Thanks to the Cumbria Coaching Network, I have got to know Simon Whalley of Bluetree Development. Simon is able to offer the ILM level 7 programme that I want on the terms I want it: that is to say, locally and at times to suit my diary - and also very customised around my interests and the areas I want to learn more about (in particular the psychological models underpinning effective coaching, and associated issues such as projection, transference etc).

So I have embarked on a programme of study, armed with a pile of worthy-looking books, and building on the feedback from my coaching clients, and only slightly daunted by the fact that I have still got a lot of editing to do on my book at the same time (and new work keeps turning up!).

But now that I have committed (and indeed started thinking and reading) I am very energised by the process, and looking forward both to understanding what I already do, better, and also to improving and enhancing my skills to give my clients an even more effective coaching service.

And who knows: it may even help to lay to rest that nagging unhelpful story that surfaces occasionally in the wee small hours: 'One day they'll find out...'