How do you keep growing after coaching or mentoring?

Never stop. Never settle. Coaching is just the start, the real game begins after. Set goals—SMART ones. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Constantly evaluate, relentlessly adapt. Keep the momentum, stay hungry. Learn daily, execute ruthlessly. Think big, act bigger. And remember, the real growth? It happens after you think you’ve learned it all. Keep pushing, the sky’s the limit!

There is no "after coaching or mentoring." All of us always have more to learn. There are always opportunities to grow. Smart goals lead to further smart goals. I find it helpful to set goals of different time scale. Some goals for retirement, some goals for the decade, year, month, week, and day. These will set a frame for the roadmap of life's journey. Of course these are not static but are revisited every so often. The most important are the long term retirement goals. They will keep you true to who you are.

One of the most essential point working with a coach is defining Smart and tangible Goals aligned with our vision . and making them work step by step

Coaching/mentoring isn't a 'quick fix'. ?? Personal development and transformation is a lifelong journey ??. It needs to be seen in the long term. Every bit of investment you make in yourself, is exactly that: an investment in YOU ??. Every coaching session, every tiny step towards your goals ??♂?, every time you journal ??, every time you make space to strategize ?? - this is what leads, bit by bit, to you becoming the best version of you and reaching your potential ??. Cliché I know, but it really is all about the journey ???, not the destination ??.

Constructive feedback is a gift. Good leaders apply a 360 degree mindset by soliciting feeback from peers, advisors, and team members. Focus on one thing at a time that you can improve, be relentless about your behavior change and monitor the change to improve yourself. It is easier to improve by commiting to a single change. Over time, this will become a habit. A good read is Ask by Jeff Wetzler. It will help you to improve your curiosity and create a safe environment to solicit feedback.

Seeking feedback is one of the most powerful ways to continue growing after coaching or mentoring. Peer advisory groups offer a unique space where candid, constructive feedback comes from those who understand your challenges and goals. By inviting feedback from a variety of sources—peers, team members, or even customers—you gain deeper insights into your strengths and areas for improvement. Just as importantly, offering feedback to others sharpens your communication and empathy, creating a cycle of mutual growth and shared accountability that elevates everyone involved.

Receiving feedback is crucial for leaders evolving their behaviors ??. It provides valuable perspectives on actions and interactions, serving as a mirror ?? to align intentions with impact. Constructive feedback not only pinpoints areas for growth but also cultivates a culture of ongoing development and team trust ??. In today's era of leadership, this iterative process empowers leaders to adjust and hone their behaviors, thereby elevating their effectiveness in goal attainment ??.

Feedback received should always be weighted according to whom it is coming from and their level of experience and expertise on the matter. While receiving feedback is almost always useful, especially when it’s constructive, one should be wary from self proclaimed “pro” or “gurus”, who may not have your best interests at heart, bur rather their potential financial gains.

First off, you never stop being coached or mentored. My mentors are still my rock when I need to bounce an idea off of them, or at bare minimum I think about how one of them would handle a situation. However, you also become stronger by becoming a mentor and a coach. You can't ever really pay your mentors back, you have to pay it forward - and it's critical that you remain open to their ideas the way your coaches and mentors were open to yours.

Self improvement through coaching and mentoring is an ongoing process, not something you can check off your to-do list. To get the most out of the mentorship and guidance you receive, you must maintain a growth mindset and continuously build on that knowledge. Look for growth opportunities in everything you do, and you’ll benefit from putting your newfound skills into practice.

Always ask yourself "Who are you mentoring and who is mentoring you?" Continuing growth is vital, especially in leadership roles. Based on my experience as a former US Army Officer, where each rank involved specific leadership training, I advocate for a personal development plan. This approach is something I also encourage in my mentees. Regular learning is key; I personally commit to reading at least one book weekly, ensuring a broad and informed leadership perspective. Additionally, I participate in a leadership development program, course, or seminar annually. This continuous learning strategy helps in staying current with leadership trends and practices, enhancing both personal growth and the ability to effectively mentor others.

When it comes to development, consistency can be more effective than intensity. Five minutes of skill-building per day over three months will give you the same amount of training as one 8-hour day of exclusive focus. But you’ll have deeper acuity and better integration of that skill because you practiced it consistently, over time. Every day, ask for feedback from one person. Read one article. Do one self-reflection exercise. Look for short, discrete tasks that you can execute with full commitment inside a 5-10 minute time frame. And protect those 5-10 minutes on your calendar as a daily practice.

Regular reflection is one of the best ways to grow. This quote says it all: “We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.” ― John Dewey

You know how hard your work is if you are a successful leader. You constantly have to - role model your culture - be clear about your organization's direction - fill your days with meetings and 1:1s You spend 95% of your time ?in the dance“: In other words, you are in action mode with no time to reflect on direction. But you have little "balcony space". Your ability to think slowly, your attentiveness and your muscle for reflection suffer. As a result, you have to → execute without reflecting on your direction → role model without a deep understanding of yourself → try to be present with a cluttered, untrained mind. You need a dedicated reflection space. A retreat that deepens your relationship with your own wisdom.

Keeping the momentum going after coaching or mentoring is a lot like sticking to a promise you make to yourself. Think of it this way: the good habits and routines you picked up during your sessions? They're your secret weapons for continuous self-improvement. Make these practices a regular part of your day-to-day life. It's like keeping the engine running so you don't lose steam. Remember, it's all about staying true to your game plan, even when the coach isn't watching. Keep at it, and you'll see the difference it makes!

For many leaders, one of the things they appreciate about receiving coaching is having the time and space to think and reflect—an oasis of calm in an otherwise relentless day. I encourage my coachees at the end of their coaching program to schedule regular coaching conversations with themselves—so they don't lose momentum. 1. Time-box: Block 45-minute slots in your calendar every two weeks. 2. Ruthlessly prioritise: It's important not to treat this time as a buffer that you can use for other activities. Consider this time to be as important as a meeting with one of your senior stakeholders. 3. Hold yourself accountable: Honour the commitment you make to yourself. Pause ... reflect ... and have a self-coaching conversation.

Reflection is important. I do this on a regular basis, usually by taking a long walk listening to a podcast. I also write down, by hand, conversations, feedback, and thoughts from each coaching session. That helps me to remember and go back to the topics as needed. I am a believer in action and feedback. Make sure to set achievable goals and give them a deadline. To ensure you follow them through. Friends, colleagues, and family are great for feedback. So don’t shy away from sharing your coaching goals with them.

Beyond the conventional avenues of coaching and mentoring, expanding your support network involves embracing diverse connections for sustained growth. Joining professional associations opens doors to a wealth of knowledge and collaborative opportunities. Engaging in mastermind groups or peer coaching circles provides varied perspectives and collective wisdom. Online communities offer a digital space for continuous learning and networking. While maintaining ties with a coach or mentor is beneficial, consider the enriching experience of connecting with new mentors who bring fresh insights. In this ever-evolving network, the key is to cultivate relationships that fuel ongoing personal and professional development.

In cultivating your support system during coaching, your coach is just one part. Envision what success looks like in different facets of your life, and identify who you need to achieve it ??. It's akin to assembling a board of directors: you require a cheerleader, a challenger, a confidant, an advisor, a mentor, and more ???. Deliberately construct your "mastermind" network, and don't hesitate to rotate roles as needed for optimal growth and support.

Tap into your most overlooked strategic asset. If you have one, involve your Executive Assistant or Chief of Staff in your coaching sessions. Or at least let them know the takeaways. Build your coaching directives into a day-to-day operating system that your Executive Assistant can use to hold you accountable.

Growth is sustained by being around others who seek to grow. Keep progressing by finding a support network. Join a professional association, meetup group, or online community to stay connected and inspired. Find more coaches and mentors to help you with the next stage of your personal or career journey. Your network will provide abundant ongoing support, guidance, and encouragement if you lean into it. Connect, engage, and keep striving.

From my experience, you need an informal circle of peers, confidants, friends. Not just a professional association, or a setting where you are still 'on the tip of your toes'. Letting of steam or sharing experiences with 'professional friends' is definitely better. If you don't believe me or you would want to find evidence for this statement, I have an easy answer. Look at people in law-enforcement, military, or first-responders. How do they handle support networks? All of them have informal frameworks, they use humour and frank language to get things of their chest. When these peer safety-nets don't work, people will fall into the hands of formal support systems. That just does not return the same result, similar to anonymous online forums

If exercise does not hurt, you're not getting stronger :-). In the same vein, coaching should get you to think uncomfortable thoughts outside of your comfort zone. But the challenge has to be within reach and that's a delicate balancing act. My advice is to take it one challenge at a time. Trying for multiple stretch goals simultaneously will probably lead you to miss them all. With focus, you will get them all one-by-one.

Step out of your comfort zone and embrace challenges that push you to grow and evolve. Set ambitious goals, tackle new projects, and take calculated risks to expand your capabilities, overcome limitations, and unlock your full potential.

Great leaders can leverage their brains through neuroplasticity. This is your brain's ability to change and re-organize itself. It's like a constant remodelling process where your brain forms new neural connections, adjusts existing ones, and even reshapes its structure in response to learning, experience, and challenges. Neuroplasticity loves it when you step out of your comfort zone. So, to keep growing once coaching or mentorship has finished, I encourage you to take calculated risks and make in bold moves with and within your team.

To excel as a leader, coaching and mentoring are a good start, but committing to continuous learning every day is key. Dive into books on leadership, coaching techniques, and organizational behavior. Stay updated on the latest research and explore diverse fields like psychology and neuroscience. This knowledge base enhances your credibility, fuels innovative solutions, and inspires those you lead. Remember, leaders are judged not only by their technical skills but also by their people skills and conceptual skills. Coaching and mentoring should be a complementary part of your ongoing learning process.

Create a structured Personal Development Plan (PDP) that outlines your goals, the actions needed to achieve them, and the timelines for each action. Regularly review and adjust your PDP to reflect your evolving aspirations and the dynamic needs of your role. My own PDP includes biannual reviews where I assess my progress and set new objectives based on both my career aspirations and feedback from my peers and mentors. Actively work on expanding your professional network to include mentors, peers, and thought leaders from different industries or specializations. Networking can expose you to new ideas, practices, and collaborative opportunities.

Continual growth after coaching or mentoring hinges on self-motivation and commitment. Focus on personal accountability and harnessing individual drive. Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals provides a framework for measurable progress. Seeking feedback is crucial, as it aligns with the value of merit-based progression. Maintaining a learning mindset keeps you abreast of new developments and strategies. Regular reflection ensures you remain true to your principles and learn from every outcome. Building a support network can mean surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who share your values and drive. Finally, challenge yourself consistently to push the boundaries of your capabilities.

Je h?her die berufliche Position des Coachees, desto üblicher ist es, dass das Coaching ein offener Prozess bleibt und sich nicht auf einen abgegrenzten Zeitraum beschr?nkt. Falls Sie die M?glichkeit, sich über einen l?ngeren Zeitraum begleiten zu lassen, nicht haben: Bleiben Sie offen für Feedback und nutzen Sie es, um sich auch in Zukunft st?ndig weiter zu entwickeln. Pers?nliches Wachstum endet nicht mit dem Abschluss der vorerst letzen Coaching Session sondern ist ein lebenslanger Prozess.