Coach Yourself – Career Coaching Tips
0 CommentsCareer Coaching – Coach Yourself
One challenge, when working through what we want to do with our careers, is we can often rule out interesting possibilities too early in the exploration process.
Whilst reducing options is, of course, useful to reach a final choice. The basis on which we rule out those earlier decisions is key.
Sometimes we can rule things out too early as being ‘impossible’ for a variety of reasons. Skills, time, finances, family obligations, self confidence, judgment. Whereas the opposite is true that when we determine we do want to do something, and then focus on how to make that happen, new opportunities, ideas, support, or solutions arise.
I therefore encourage brainstorming with freedom, without judgement, or decision making, before trying to narrow it down. Not least, sometimes patterns emerge that may not have been obvious if a filter had been applied, or it had been internally rather than on paper.
To help you get started with brainstorming – here are three series of open questions that can be a useful starting point when exploring ideas at home:
1. If money was no issue, or I were to wave a magic wand, what are my thoughts, and what would I want to do. (To explore new ideas).2. If I knew that I could do this/it well/easily/or could gain the skills to do it readily, what would I do next. (To explore a few ideas, including some that might feel impossible).3. If time or money were not an issue, how would that influence my thinking about this work or process. What obstacle, if any, do I honestly need to overcome? (To explore what might need reviewing).
4. What could be another reason that is holding me back? What might I be using as an excuse? (To explore where we might be using external situations, whereas we have internal thoughts getting in the way).
5. Is there anything else that I need to deal with, or is there anything I can let go or or change to make this easier for me? (To explore solutions or actions. Sometimes we think we have to do something in a particular way, or work in a certain way, to get the outcome, but we can choose something that fits better with us).
Career coaching takes many forms, from deciding what to do, how to get there, to keeping the actions and motivation going. It can take the form of promotion work, getting there, or when new in role.
If you are working through a career change alone, take a look at LinkedIn and other job boards for inspiration, and supportive articles. Find a person or a group that who will keep you accountable, review personal and professional skills you might want to develop, and remind yourself regularly what change you are look for and why, so to keep going.
Remember, whether you take a step or not, time passes anyway.
If you want to find out more about Career Coaching or take up your free trial coaching session by completing the Contact Form below, clicking on any book your session button, or email [email protected]
