How can you identify and overcome your limitations as a coach or mentor?

One thing I have found to be helpful is to have a coach or two and several mentors. You can’t see the forest but they can and a coach without a coach is set on the thought that they have it all in the bag. That is dangerous for them and their clients. If you want your clients to invest in themselves, you better be. If you don’t, you’ve already stated your limitation.

Overcoming our "limitations" as a coach and as leaders is a must. Early in my coaching career, I received feedback that I tended to be overly directive. It was a valuable insight into my coaching style. I decided to work on it by seeking peer reviews and engaging in coaching supervision. This self-awareness and commitment to improvement allowed me to become a more effective and empathetic coach, better serving my clients' needs. This experience taught me the power of self-awareness in coaching. By acknowledging my limitations and actively working on them, I not only improved as a coach but also demonstrated to my clients the value of continuous self-improvement and learning, which they often find inspiring and motivating.

Maintaining a strong professional network can be extremely beneficial. If a mentee asks about a topic outside my area of expertise, I will offer to connect them with someone in my network who is an expert on the topic. I've never had a colleague say no to the request. My mentee benefits from my colleague's expertise and expands their own network in the process.

"Make your mess a message for others." I have always believed in myself. I'm proud to be what I am with all my strengths and weaknesses. Neither I'm a god nor a machine. I'm a human with strengths and weaknesses. What I do is - convert my weaknesses to strengths by being true, real, honest and vulnerable. I share my stories with all the vulnerabilities with social proofs and focus on BEING THE TRUE SELF. My mentees get connected fast and I don't have to do anything special. I just have to be and live myself. The message is well transmitted to them. The real stories connect with the emotion and even my weaknesses are converted to strengths. I love being real, doing real and connecting with the core with my mentees. It's simple.

If I'm open to growing, I can identify my strengths and gaps. I find the biases are challenging to identify. Honest self-reflection of peer feedback over a period of time can help identify the biases.

Continuous Learning and Consistently Learning on focused areas give broader perspectives also help to understand various situations and scenarios. Even reverse mentoring open the doors to understand different generation expectations.

Upskilling is necessary, whether it is life or learning. You grow by learning, doing , making mistakes, re-doing, unlearn, re-learn and what not? The modes could be anything - Free resources, Videos, books, magazines, blogs etc etc. The best way to learn is to learn from a mentor who handholds you, guides you and keep correcting you over a period of time. The more your are updated with the latest knowledge, trends, technologies, you add to your credibility and authority as a coach. ??It enhances personal development, boosts self-confidence, and opens up a world of new possibilities. ??It contributes to a sense of accomplishment and achievement in our career. Overall you can add more and help more to your set of audience. It's easy.

I find this the most important one. Most of my coachees hail from different continents, cultures, and industries and each present a unique set of challenges. Fortunately my own startup journey has taken me from the NY in the West to the East, providing me with a well-rounded perspective. This global exposure has been instrumental in being flexible and addressing the diverse needs of my coachees. And to bridge any knowledge gaps - I've undertaken courses from Wharton, as well as workshops from leaders like Brian Tracy and Stephen Covey. It helps me teach root principles, have an end-in-mind and form good habits - a foundation for any solopreneur, entrepreneur or even an existing startup founder.

Here are steps to help you recognize and address these limitations: 1. Self-Reflection: Regularly engage in self-reflection. Ask yourself what areas you feel less confident or competent in as a coach or mentor. Consider your past experiences and any challenges you've encountered. 2/Peer Evaluation: Connect with fellow coaches or mentors to conduct peer evaluations. They can provide valuable insights into your coaching style and areas where you might be limited. 3/Develop a Growth Mindset: Adopt a growth mindset, believing that you can improve and develop over time. Avoid fixed thinking that assumes limitations are unchangeable.