Are You Coachable?
J.T. O'Donnell
Founder & CEO, Work It DAILY | Board of Directors & CMO, McCoy | Career & Professional Development | Job Search | HR & Recruiting | Employer Branding | Recruitment Marketing | Talent Management | Executive Coaching
I work with two types of people who need performance coaching.
1) The confident professional who is frustrated by their inability to move their career in a more satisfying direction.
2) The uncertain professional who is frightened by their inability to control their career and keep it stable.
Which one do think is more successful when they get coaching?
It may surprise you to learn that neither type is significantly more successful. I've worked with thousands of people and have seen both types use performance coaching to take their careers and their confidence to new heights. But, I will tell you this: those that do not succeed all share one common trait.
They don't really want help - they want validation.
Seeking Solutions vs. Wanting Validation
Within my first year of private practice, I learned quickly how to spot individuals who weren't ready for career coaching. These folks claimed they needed help. They even said they wanted help. But, when I asked them a series of discovery questions about their situation, their answers told me a different story. This is called "behavioral interviewing" - it's the same technique many HR professionals are trained to use in job interviews to determine if a candidate is self-aware and telling the truth. It works. Here are two scenarios I commonly see of professionals not ready for coaching:
Example #1 - Tell me I wasn't wrong.
A professional will have a very good career track record, but something has happened. i.e. they didn't get a promotion, didn't get the dream job, their company changed compensation packages, etc. Something in their career didn't pan out they way they planed it and they're angry. These individuals want to find a way to "right the wrong." They claim they are open to coaching, but as we discuss their situation, it's clear what they really want is for someone to tell them how unfair what happened to them was and they deserve to be treated better. They don't want to hear how they could have approached the situation differently to get alternate results. They just want someone to validate they did everything right. Yet, that's not the case in careers. We can always try to do everything right, but careers are a game where the rules change daily. We need to know how to anticipate the changes when we can, and adapt when they change without our consent.
Example #2: Tell me I'm a victim.
A professional who feels their career never really took off. They look back on their professional history and see failure after failure, all due to circumstances beyond their control. Eventually, they say co-workers and management take advantage of their vulnerability as their career got worse. These individuals also want to find a way to "right the wrong." They argue they've always tried their hardest and had the best intentions, but they were never appreciated. As we discuss their situation, it becomes clear they want someone to validate they've been a victim of circumstance. They want to be absolved of any wrong-doing in their career failure. Yet, that's impossible to do. We all must take accountability for our actions in our careers. None of us are perfect. We all make career mistakes and have things happen that let us down. However, it's the ones that can learn from those experiences that are able to move forward.
So, who does well with career coaching? (Actually, it's YOU!)
The funny thing is, if you chose to read this post, then I already know you are coachable! The very fact you wanted to click and find out if you were shows you seek ways to make yourself better and aren't focused on trying to escape criticism.
You are a professional who sees their career for what it really is - a never-ending road they need to pay attention to and navigate with care. You don't expect others to fix your problems. You see a coach as an objective resource that can help you get a clear picture of what's in front of you and how to drive forward so you hit the least amount of bumps in the road. Coachable professionals also use career coaching to help them get back on track when their career takes an unexpected hit. Even then, they believe in themselves enough to know they can find the career success and satisfaction they want - they just recognize they can't do it alone.
I bet you probably have a mentor or two in your life. I also bet you've solicited help from coaches online or in-person at some challenging point in your career. Good for you! Coachable people get results. I have several coaches for my business. Couldn't make it with out them.
Bad career coaching? Or, wrong choice of coaching tools?
I know some of you will read this and say, "I tried career coaching, and it was the coach's fault." And, in some cases, I'm sure it was. Yet more often, I see people paying for the wrong kind of coaching and then blaming the coach instead of themselves for making the wrong investment. For example, lately I've heard several stories of people paying $2000 to have their resumes re-done, only to get not a single interview with the new-and-improved document.
First, I think it's crazy to spend that kind of money on having your resume done.
Second, a resume writer is not a career coach.
Third, you should know how to create your own resume. You will need to update it repeatedly throughout your lifetime. Why not learn how to do it right?
Rule #1 when purchasing coaching: The coach should teach you a skill you can use now, and in the future.Think about pro athletes. They use several coaches to help them improve their performance. The same applies in career coaching.
Plus, a resume doesn't get you a job! 8 out of 10 applications submitted online are never seen by the hiring manager. That's because applicant tracking systems toss your resume when you aren't a match for the keywords and experience criteria they set. So, paying all that money for a resume to send it into a big black hole doesn't make any sense, does it?
Takeaway: invest in the right coaching when you have the proper mindset and you will see results.
In my next few posts, I'm going to educate people on how to identify where they need performance coaching in their career and how the can identify the right resources to help them.
If you want to read more of what I've written, check out my articles on Inc.com.
P.S. - First time reading my posts? Thanks for taking the time to stop by! Not only do I write for Linkedin, but I'm also founder of a popular career advice site,CAREEREALISM,and currently run the career coaching program,CareerHMO. I hope you'll check them both out!
If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also like:
CAREEREALISM’s Founder, J.T. O’Donnell is a nationally syndicated career expert and workplace consultant who helps American workers of all ages find greater professional satisfaction. Her book, CAREEREALISM: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career, outlines her highly successful career-coaching methodology. Purchase her e-book of CAREEREALISM for only $9.95 by clicking here !
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"Free Thinking is Priceless. Life-Centric Thinking is Abundance Incarnate" ~the trojan GIRAFFE of whiteness~ Seeking Angel Investor> 1-Woman-Improv > HOW TO DEMOLISH RACISM BY 2030 #AutisticAF +Acquired Prodigious Savant
8yThis article really nails an important point - the resume stage is the wrong end of the job search to invest heavily. Once you get an interview and you have been chosen to compete with a small group of very similarly qualified candidates, then investing time to practice interviewing in game-like conditions can really pay off. Who do you know who has invested in their interview skills to the extent of practicing in "mock interview" conditions? It is a way to gain a significant advantage, because that one hour conversation directly impacts your entire financial future.
Executive Coach | ICF Assessor & Mentor Coach | Coaching Supervisor
8yThese are the same issues we see in couple counseling and coaching. One or both individuals look to the counselor or coach to validate that she or he is "right" or a "victim". Such individuals don't change because they don't hold themselves responsible for their role in creating what is.
Volunteer Recruitment and Coordination, Communication, Education
8yI think adaptability is very important. The coachable person will say, "I've been doing this, but it isn't working. What can I change to make myself more successful?"
Professional Life designer
8yO'Donnell, I find another type of coachee. One who wants a quick fix. For instance, if they have a cardiac infarction, they will go and get the angioplasty done immediately. But if you ask them to change their life habits to prevent another infarction, they will do nothing. What do we call these type of coachees? Are they ready?
Strategic Marketing, Global Pharma Events & Project Management Executive
9yGood article. I think everyone is coachable if they want to be. The goal of the career coach is to guide you but you have to do the work if you want the exercise to be successful.