What Is Coaching And Why Do I Need It?
We’re big fans of coaching here at Created.
Every student on our Professional courses gets 1-2-1 sessions with an experienced coach. We’ve seen these sessions transform students’ lives.
The coaches we partner with have backgrounds in consulting, advertising, journalism, civil service, education and professional sport. So they know what it takes to overcome challenges and unlock creative potential. Our coaches have worked with BBC, Tesco, MTV, Moonpig, Hewlett Packard and Google, just to name a few. So our students get coaching from the best. And only the best.
But we’ve realised that not everyone knows what coaching can do for them and why it’s so great. That career change you’re putting off? The job you think you’re not qualified for? That idea you’ve wanted to suggest to your boss for the past year? Coaching might just provide you with the tools and the confidence to realise they’re all achievable.
So let’s take a deep dive into the power of coaching.
Or skip ahead to the section that floats your boat:
Is coaching for me?
Let’s play a game. Can you answer ‘yes’ to any of these statements?
- There’s a gap between where I am now and where I want to be
- I’m willing to try new things, even if I’m not 100% convinced they will work
- I’m committed to take the required action to achieve my goals
- I want to change the behaviours that are limiting my success
- I can keep appointments to work on my development
More than three yes’s? Then coaching could be the career boost you need.
So what exactly is coaching?
Let’s start by defining what coaching isn’t. Coaching is not advice, therapy or counselling.
Coaching is a future-focused conversation with a trained professional. It involves a series of conversations that are 100% about you and your goals. These conversations are designed to help you think differently about things that hold you back. It’s action-orientated. Coaching gets you results.
A good coach will help you:
- Get clear on what you want
- Reach your full potential so you can feel confident in your abilities
- Stay motivated through the tricky patches
Why do I need a coach?
Because it will get you where you want to be faster than if you go it alone.
Growth is uncomfortable. Your coach is there to help you rise through it. Progressing in your career. Communicating your value. Navigating professional relationships. Whatever your challenge, along with your coach you will unpick the issue at hand and define a way to overcome it.
We’ve had tons of conversations with employers in the creative industries. They tell us time and time again that mindset and soft skills are often the deciding factors in whether or not to offer a candidate a job. Your showreel or portfolio gets you the interview*, but who you are and how you cope when the pressure is on, that’s the dealbreaker.
You’ve heard it straight from the horse’s mouth. So ask yourself, can you really afford not to get a coach to guide you towards success?
* Struggling to get an interview? Find out how to make a design portfolio that’ll get you hired.
What’s the difference between coaching and mentoring?
If a mentor is like Yoda – offering gems of wisdom and advice learned through years of experience – then a coach is like Jerry Maguire. Someone who has your back and can help you get where you want to be, but who works with – and trusts in – your own expertise and knowledge of yourself. Less ‘use the force’ and more ‘help me help you.’
Let’s break it down.
A mentor:
- Is an expert in a specific area of design or creative field
- Will give you advice on a project or software
- Can guide you in your development using their own experience
Whereas a professional coach:
- Is an expert in the tools and techniques designed to help you understand yourself
- Works with you to set career goals and build a roadmap to success
- Empowers you to identify the next steps in your development
- Helps you understand what makes you unique
The more you learn about yourself and what makes you tick, the more equipped you’ll be to navigate your career and make choices that leave you fulfilled.
Which all sounds too good to be true, right? But it really isn’t. So let’s look at how coaching actually works in practice.
But first, meet some of the amazing coaches we work with
How does coaching work?
You might want to work with a coach to feel more confident in presenting your creative ideas. Maybe you struggle with procrastination. Or perhaps you’re unclear where your strengths lie and which creative role you’re most suited for. Whatever the challenge, your coach will ask you lots of questions aimed at raising your own awareness and helping you see things from a new perspective.
Then they’ll work with you to break the issue down, clarify your goals and help you define your own way forward. Importantly, you’ll leave every session with clear actions to take. No fluff here, this is about results and getting you where you want to be, no matter your start point.
Coaching is most effective over a series of sessions. Coaches often say that 90% of the work is done inbetween sessions because that’s when it’s up to you to use the new insights you’ve gained or take the action you decided on. Each session acts as a touchpoint to talk about any challenges or successes since the last time, and decide on next steps.
How do I get the best out of coaching?
Coaching really is for everyone. Most people find coaching liberating and empowering, but like anything, you get out what you put in. But don’t let this scare you off. Commitment, honesty and an open mind are all you really need to get started.
At Created, we know coaching works. We’ve seen the proof. Motion Design Professional alumnus John Collins says “The coaching blew my mind. I overcame some really big insecurities and lack of self-belief. As a result, my confidence in my creative abilities sky-rocketed.”
That’s why every single students on our professional courses gets 1-2-1 coaching sessions with an experienced professional coach.
Interested in learning more? Why not meet our coaches.
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