Starting the journey
Throughout my successful career as a Project and Programme Manager, I always focused on my team and how I could help them develop and grow. This became the most enjoyable part of my role.
In time, I decided that life was too short to stay where I was, but I didn’t know what I would do with myself when I wasn’t working hard on the corporate treadmill.
I sought out a coach to help me. As it happened, this coach was a student with The Coaching Academy. She helped me reflect on what was important to me, and I used this knowledge to design a new life for myself.
After six months I was ready to look to the longer term. As I knew that I loved helping people get where they wanted to be, I decided to formalise my coaching experience by getting a qualification.
"Getting constructive feedback from the practical assessments was very valuable and a key to my learning even if preparing for the assessment was rather nerve-wracking."
Beginning my coach training
I went on one of The Coaching Academy’s Introduction to Life Coaching training in 2019. I was impressed by what I learned and felt that I would have a great experience learning with them.
I wasn’t working at the time so I was able to devote 2 days a week to my studies and it took me about 15 months. I really enjoyed the accelerator days, both in-person and later on Zoom.
The most rewarding part for me was working with practice clients, and it was very satisfying when I received positive testimonials from them. Getting constructive feedback from the practical assessments was very valuable and a key to my learning even if preparing for the assessment was rather nerve-wracking.
Finding confidence in old skills
It has been fascinating to learn how my strengths from my previous career are still valuable in coaching. For example, as a project manager, I was already adept at getting people to define an action plan but I have refined this to increase the likelihood that the client will stick to it.
I was also always good at listening and questioning when people brought problems to me, and this stands me in good stead again.
I was keen to start my coaching business as soon as I qualified so I started working on my niche about 4 months before the end of my diploma. I did a lot of reflection on my practice sessions including what I’d enjoyed.
"A simple tip to help improve your confidence is to keep an empowerment journal. Every day, note down things where you have been successful or received some positive feedback."
I also attended some useful internet events and did the Post Course Module from The Coaching Academy. It became apparent that what I enjoyed, and had a track record for. was helping people improve their confidence at work. This came from my previous experience as a line manager, as well as mentoring I had done.
The mission: helping women improve their confidence at work
I work with professional women who feel like they aren’t doing well enough at work, or are worried about leaving a long term employer, to improve their confidence and well-being and perhaps go for a promotion or settle into a new role or career direction.
Improving confidence can seem like an insurmountable challenge but my calm approach helps them break this down into manageable pieces. I also work with busy professionals who may have started down the route to a new qualification, a career change or a new way of life but are feeling overwhelmed by it all.
A simple tip to help improve your confidence is to keep an empowerment journal. Every day, note down things where you have been successful or received some positive feedback. It can remind you to focus on what you have achieved rather than on what you have not yet achieved.
It doesn’t matter if the achievements are quite small things, the empowerment comes from the boost it gives you to go and achieve more. It is also great to have evidence of past achievements when facing a new situation.
Thinking of enrolling?
If you are thinking of enrolling with The Coaching Academy I would say: be prepared for a fulfilling learning journey. You’ll get out of it what you put in. Once enrolled I would say: Don’t be afraid to start coaching – working with a fellow student at the same stage is ideal.
The free Introduction to Life Coaching webinars are available for you to join. They are interactive, informative and designed to help you understand if training to be a life coach is for you.
Take positive action, project forward and plan for a year to remember for all the right reasons. Choose from available dates here.
The Coaching Academy was established in 1999, and is now the world's largest coaching school.
In that time we have trained over 14,000 people to become life coaches.
We are accredited by the International Coach Federation and the Association for Coaching, and we're rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
