Unleash your unlimited potential

Throughout my career, I’ve enjoyed mentoring people. This has been a tremendously gratifying aspect of my work so far. It is especially so when I receive feedback informing me of the impact I had on an individual’s progress along their career path. I view this as a key part of my responsibilities as a leader.

I’ve also had the good fortune to be mentored by some amazing individuals; thank you to all who shared their wisdom with me. I’ve derived a lot of value in the form of decisions at key points in my career journey.

While mentoring does have a good deal of positive impact, it is limited in its applicability. The mentor is typically working within some boundaries, understanding the mentee’s strengths, shaping her career goals, and providing guidance on how to achieve those career goals. In some cases, the mentor may also be able to create opportunities to further the mentee’s growth. This relationship is typically unstructured. In many cases, I’ve seen limited follow-through. There is no training to be a good mentor; some are naturally good at it. You are lucky if you get one of these folks as your mentor.

Add some structure to the relationship, introduce a powerful toolbox of techniques, recognize the natural creativity of people, their resourcefulness, introduce an accountability structure, and we elevate this relationship to a whole new level. We have what is commonly known as a coaching relationship, between a coach and client. I recently discovered the power of being coached. It drew me in! I wanted to learn those techniques. To make them an integral part of the work I do — as a product & technology leader, and as an advisor.

I have embarked on the journey of acquiring these skills, adding this powerful toolbox to how I operate every day. The word “coach” is overloaded; for the context of this article, we should think executive & leadership coaching.

In a recent coaching session with a client who was new to coaching, I was asked how coaching is different from mentoring? A pretty good question that got me exploring how coaching goes beyond mentoring. How it can be applied in many more situations.

As we move forward in our career, and in life, we develop limiting beliefs; we develop habits that are hard to change. These put a brake on what we believe we can achieve, and hence on our progress. Some struggle to see the big picture clearly. To see how their role is evolving; to shape that evolution. To control the transformation. This can lead to frustration, which can lead to new limiting beliefs, and the cycle goes on.

For those in leadership roles, it is typically lonely at the top. Feedback no longer flows freely; the responsibilities increase; there is more at stake. The pressure to be right more often than wrong is high. These external factors can subtly create boundaries that we subconsciously stay within. Even if we become aware that we need to transform, it is extremely hard to pull off such transformation.

But it does not have to be this way. With external support, is possible to get past these limiting beliefs. A coach can provide this support. To orchestrate purpose-driven changes. To support you as you live each day honoring your values. With the support of a coach, changes become real possibilities. You get control of your self-sabotaging inner voices; you gain control of your inner critic. You replace them with your true resourceful and creative self.

Your coach helps you explore situations from multiple perspectives, some of which will certainly lead you to new creative solutions. It’s quite amazing how a good coach does this! As you gain some clarity about the type of change you want, your coach helps you create a plan of action. And, should you need it, provides support for accountability.

The coaching relationship is a structured relationship with focused time and space to energize the transformation; a relationship of high trust, confidence, and credibility. One in which the ground rules allow the coach to challenge you, to push your boundaries. With co-designed accountability structures. Where the coach taps into your creativity, your assertiveness, your ability to say no, to set boundaries. Taps into dormant resources that can shed light on otherwise difficult situations.

The coach is not a consultant or problem solver. You are the problem solver, the coach is your guide. This very apt metaphor illustrates the point well. Say you want to learn how to ride a bike. A therapist would talk to you about how it feels to ride a bike, and possibly your fears. A consultant would write a detailed guide and hand it to you. A mentor would explore with you whether this was part of your career growth plan. A coach would have you hop on the bike and walk alongside you, providing you any support you needed, until you were able to ride by yourself. Credit for this metaphor goes to Susan Carlisle, a respected trainer of coaches, and a coach herself. I’ve taken the liberty to stretch and paraphrase this metaphor to include a mentor.

“We are looking for lives to be lived, not problems to be solved.” Jim Patterson.

Transformation is not simply an idea, but a commitment on the part of the coach.

Transformation occurs when we shift limiting beliefs, change perspective, live in alignment with our values and life purpose.

I have already experienced these coaching skills bringing immense value to my role as a product & technology leader. I now feel a new sense of empowerment to support & transform leaders I work with. The combination of these coaching skills with my domain expertise in the software industry feels very potent. To be a consultant who can not just provide advice, or execute a plan for the client, but also empower the client to evoke the transformation they want. I look forward to delivering this value to clients.

I believe this will allow me to help executives & leaders of all types, at various stages.

To harness their own limitless potential.

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Cross-posted on LinkedIn on 11 September 2019.