Finding myself in the Coaching journey By Preeti Bharat Shetty

I still vividly remember the first time we had a peer coaching session in class. Our mentor coach gave a 15-minute demonstration, and I couldn’t help but question why he wasn’t solving anything! We, as people specialists with an HR background, are usually expected to address problems and challenges. However, this session was a life-changing experience in which I realised what coaching was all about.

The 15 minutes were comprised of the coach’s questions and responses. I witnessed the power of coaching in the 12th minute. Without any prompting or direction, the coachee began to solve the problem on her own. And by the end of the session, the client had gained a greater sense of awareness. Then there was the debriefing: “the client is creative and complete.”

I’m one day away from finishing CTT’s “Coach to Transformation” course, and it’s been quite a ride. I’ve learned the value of exploration through powerful questions as I’ve progressed from not understanding the process to fully believing in the power of coaching.

I had to test this newly acquired skill now to make sure it worked. My first haphazard try was with my 6-year-old son, who has been having difficulty writing. Of course, he had no idea he was my first test subject! We were working on his writing skills, and after a moment where he couldn’t seem to get it right, he quit. I realised I had a problem.

I saw an opportunity to put my freshly gained coaching talents to the test and seized it. I asked him, “what causes you to give up”, and he replied, “Mumma, I find it too difficult.” I paused for a few moments before asking what made it so difficult. He claims that there is a voice inside telling him that this is difficult, and since I keep getting it wrong, I believe it is correct. This remark shocked me, and I wondered how a six-year-old child can understand so much about their own inner self.

I further questioned how he’d feel if he got it right, to which he replied, “I’ll be happy.” “And why is happiness so important to you?” “It would make you happy,” he said! Of course, as a mother, it was a difficult realisation, but I couldn’t help but ask, “What can you do to make yourself and your mother happy?” and he promptly gave me three solutions to the so-called issue statement we began with.

As he went away, I realised I had discovered something special and that I wanted to work on honing this skill. 13 sessions into this journey, while I have reached the end of this adventure, I believe it has only just begun. As a coach, I would like to continue working with clients and sincerely support them in discovering themselves. I still have a lot to learn and uncover about myself as a coach and I am excited about the journey ahead!

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Author Name: Preeti Bharat Shetty