Coach of the Month – December Coaching Q & A

This year is coming to an end, but our work on creating a platform for professional coaches of the PSG community is still continuing and definitely will remain so in 2016. We are delighted to offer these coaches an opportunity to introduce themselves and their work, share their experiences and wisdom.

Having a great coaching community is making us proud. Every month of this year we, at PSG, have introduced you one coach of this community. Now it’s time to bring forward the last Featured Coach of the Month in 2015. We are happy to announce that in December it is Grace Kenny. Grace answered our 3 questions about her lessons learnt, fulfillment gained and her thoughts about the main reasons for clients to look for coaching in the first part of 2016.

Here is our Coach of the Month – December Coaching Q & A

PSG: Since qualifying, what are the top 3 lessons you have learnt that support your growth as a coach:

Grace

Lesson 1 START. To grow as a coach, you have to start coaching. I qualified with PSG towards the end of 2008. I followed up with a start your own business course before setting up as a professional coach in August 2009. I remember the day I registered my business online with the CRO and shutting my eyes as I pressed send. There was no going back. Funnily enough I didn’t turn down the voice that said, “what if this doesn’t work?” Instead I answered it by saying, “Whatever happens, I’ll handle it, I want to coach, I want to start this new adventure.” Taking that leap was a great career decision and I have continued to challenge myself and grow Mareus from a part-time venture to a full-time passion.

Lesson 2 Leave your ego at the door and trust the process. This was one of the earliest two-part lessons I learned. I remember coming home from the third session with one of my earliest clients and thinking… “This is not working, we’re getting nowhere, and what will I do if my client doesn’t get things sorted by their fourth session?” In the beginning I was so keen to get results that I experienced the pressure to push things on to a conclusion… my conclusion. Alarm bells went off! I bounced my dilemma off a fellow coach who asked me “whose agenda is it anyway?” A great question. I resolved to leave my ego at the door and trust in the 4 Cornerstones for Coaching. Lo and behold my client experienced that wonderful “AHA!” moment half way through our final meeting and everything we had worked on in the previous sessions fell into place.
Remember the positive outcomes you are working towards are for your client, not you. Sometimes things fall into place in the first session, sometimes it’s the last. As a coach you are a change agent, park the ego, be patient and trust the process.

Lesson 3 – Being in business for yourself is as challenging as it is exciting. Oftentimes coaches are solo employees in their own coaching business. With this scenario you are fully accountable. There is no manager breathing down your neck to have a certain amount of things done in a day. It can be easy to put off doing certain things that would push you out of the comfort zone. To grow as a coach, it is vital to stretch out of your comfort zone daily. The more you challenge yourself the more you grow and develop as a coach. As you read this there’s probably something a little difficult or challenging or scary that you are putting off doing. I guarantee you 100% that is the thing you should be doing to develop as a coach and to develop your business. Resolve to do it now! I always take the butterflies in my stomach as a sign that I am challenging myself, and that regardless of the outcome of that challenge, I will have new learning and growth as a result.

PSG: To – date, as a coach, what has brought you the most fulfillment?

Grace

I am grateful to have had many fulfilling moments as a coach. The variety of people I meet through Mareus and the insights I get into so many different workplaces are brilliant. To have a front row seat as people take a stand for the life they want to lead and to watch the growth in their confidence and the realisation of their dreams is a privilege. To work for myself with so many great people is a buzz. It doesn’t feel like work. It feels like part of my life. It is fulfilment.

PSG: What do you foresee as the main reasons for clients to look for coaching in the first part of 2016?

Grace

Career is currently a hot topic with many people now looking to make a change for a variety of reasons driven by the ups and downs of the economy. New Year tends to be a milestone for change for a lot of people. This can bring a surge of energy to job seeking and job changing agendas. Somewhat linked to career, work life balance is another popular topic. After several years of coping with increased workloads and reduced workforces, many people are at their limits and are seeking change. Confidence and empowerment challenges also underline a lot of coaching goals.

Contact Grace:
Email: grace@mareus.com
Twitter: @mareusgrace
Website: mareus.com
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