You're facing setbacks in your career. How can a coach help you navigate through challenging times?

Clarity can be gained through widening our perspective : Learn to assess the situation with as much neutrality as possible, and think of ways to make the most out of a setback : state the challenge faced with your coachee, and have them think of as many ways as possible that make this event advantageaous to them, let them do this for 3 days before making any deicison like quitting a job or escalating things. We are training the perception to widen and to look at things differently to find creative solutions. When done properly, a challenge can most of the time be transformed into a stepping stone!

I help my clients navigate through career setbacks by fostering resilience, optimism, and a growth mindset. For instance, one of my clients was passed over for a promotion, I help him change his view and consider that this not as a failure, but as an opportunity and challenge for growth. I guide him as well to identify his strengths, set realistic goals, and develop strategies to bridge his current skills gap. I see to it that I have provided emotional support, helping my him manage stress and maintain motivation during this challenging time. This approach can empower him to take proactive steps towards his future career advancement.

A coach can provide an objective perspective to help you gain clarity on the root causes of the setbacks you're facing in your career. They will ask thought-provoking questions to uncover any limiting beliefs, fears, or blind spots that may be holding you back. With this newfound awareness, you can then reframe the challenges as opportunities for growth and development.

A coach serves as your strategic partner, helping you navigate challenges with clarity and purpose. An executive coach provides a confidential, judgment-free space to process your emotions and thoughts where you can gain perspective and move from reactive to proactive thinking. Coaches assist in crafting both short-term tactics and long-term career strategies. We help you align your actions with your ultimate goals. We work with you to identify lessons learned and how to leverage these insights for future success. Through our partnership, you'll learn to think more strategically in your role. We help you see patterns, connect dots, and make decisions that position you for future success.

Your coach can help you lay out a step-by-step plan that could get you to focus to: identify anything that you already know is a problem area for you; identify what new skills or experiences you need to acquire; plan out how to acquire these new skills/experiences; identify individuals who can help with this; make use of your networks to help you achieve all of the above; and update your CV and LinkedIn or other networking profiles.

Once you have clarity, your coach will guide you in crafting a strategic action plan to overcome the obstacles and move forward. They will help you set realistic goals, prioritize your efforts, and develop a roadmap to achieve your desired outcomes. Your coach will hold you accountable and provide the motivation you need to stay on track.

In addition to strategic guidance, a skilled life coach can help you enhance the specific skills necessary for success in your career. Whether it's improving your communication, time management, decision-making, or leadership abilities, your coach will provide personalized training and exercises to help you develop these crucial competencies. With enhanced skills, you'll be better equipped to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.

It may be tempting to conflate the term "setback" with "challenge". A setback is often a stair-step, forward. If it feels like sometime things are one step forward and two steps back—challenge yourself to consider that it could actually be one step back and two steps forward.

An example working with one of my clients who's issue is that she is facing criticism at work, I said to her instead of taking it personally, I guided her to see it as constructive feedback. It help her to focus on her strengths, learn from her mistakes, and view challenges as opportunities for growth. This mindset had motivated her to persist in the face of adversity, seek continuous learning, and strive for improvement. Ultimately, this approach can turn setbacks into stepping stones for her career advancement.

Sharing one of my clients who is feeling overwhelmed with his workload, I guided him to seek help from his colleagues and immediate superior. As they can encourage him to build strong relationships at work, foster open communication, and collaborate effectively. I point out to him that this network can provide him with resources, advice, and emotional support during challenging times. By fostering a sense of belonging and mutual support, this approach can help him overcome setbacks and thrive in his career.

One of my client who was dealing with a project failure. What I did was to guide her to reflect on what went wrong and how she can improve. This can help her develop coping strategies, maintain a positive outlook, and bounce back from adversity. This resilience can enable her to handle stress, overcome obstacles, and adapt to change effectively. I also help her learn from the experience, improve her time management skills, and successfully lead the next project.

Acknowledge, Accept, Action The very first step is to realise what is happening and acknowledge the situation. You then need to identify what to accept, what can't be changed, what you have no influence over. Take Action on what you can control and will help you move forward.

A coach can help navigate career setbacks by offering perspective, setting clear goals, developing strategies, boosting confidence, improving skills, providing support, and ensuring accountability. My specialization is working on the mindset first, rest all follows.