Ever wondered what Coaching is all about? Lancaster University Coach Amanda Ross (Marketing Manager, Research and Enterprise Services) explains what coaching is all about and what you can get from it.

What is Coaching?

“Coaching is about developing a person’s skills and knowledge so that their job performance improves, hopefully leading to the achievement of organisational objectives. It targets high performance and improvement at work, although it may also have an impact on an individual’s private life. It usually lasts for a short period and focuses on specific skills and goals,” (CIPD 2009).

The way I put it to clients in my own words is that coaching is at it simplest, a conversation. It is time outside the busy working day just for them, to think, to speak, to be really heard. I am there to listen, to ask questions and to help them reflect on their problems, and to empower them to find the right solutions and ways to move forward.

How and why did you become a Coach?

I have had coaching for many years, starting when I was on a Women in Management Course and some people on the course started to train as Life Coaches and needed people to practice on. My degree was in Psychology, and I have always found people interesting, so I said yes please! I can pinpoint life changes that started from to those first coaching sessions and I still use some of the tools I learnt about from my first two coaches many years later. I have also had coaching at different points in my career, for example after stress, after changing roles, and at points of change in my career. I have always found it hugely helpful – I believe in and trust the process, and so when the opportunity came up at the University to train, I went for it.

Another reason was that I’d already trained as an Action Learning Set Facilitator, which is also all about being non-directive and using empowering, appropriate questions to help people come up with ways to solve their own problems, and I really enjoyed that experience of helping people, so I was confident I could do it.

What skills and qualifications do you need to be a coach?

Some of the skills you need to be a coach include the ability to build rapport and create and hold a safe space, active listening, goal setting, ask effective questions, be empathy and reflect and feedback what you hear. I gained the Institute of Leadership and Management Level 5 in Coaching and Mentoring in 2019. and joined the Lancaster University Coaching Bank, which offers coaching to all Lancaster University Staff. As part of the University’s Coaching Community of Practice I receive regular supervision and training to keep my practice current.

Who is coaching for?

Anyone and everyone! My clients have included people across a variety of sectors, roles and levels in their careers, from new starters, to Heads of Departments. I think everyone should have regular access free coaching. Many organisations like the University offer free coaching to their staff, or you can find a coach in private practice. It works best when you have a specific problem in mind, as coaching is very goal orientated, but it can also be used when you need to review or take stock, for example, if you feel stuck or are not sure which career path to take. Many first sessions are review type sessions to help narrow down a problem and provide focus.

How does a coach help people?

“Unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them,” (Whitmore 2003).

A coach helps people clarify and focus their thinking. Coaching can support a variety of development needs at any time, including getting up to speed with a new role, managing priorities, career planning, stress management, and returning to work after an absence.

It can help you understand what holds you back, help you deal with change, and increase your ability to manage stress/work life balance. It can help increase awareness of your own feelings/other’s feelings and how to deal with you, help improve professional relationships, improve communications skills such assertiveness, influence and negotiation, and increase your self-confidence and self-awareness.

For example, I've helped people find new jobs, gain new skills and experience, change the way they communicate in their teams, improve their relationships with their line manager/junior staff, look at problems differently and find new solutions, and improve their confidence.

What have you gained from being a Coach- and how has developing those skills helped you in other ways?

Strengthening and regularly practicing the ability to actively listen, reflect and ask insightful questions is useful in many ways. For example, as Marketing Manager when gathering a marketing brief, when managing junior staff, in team meetings when people share work issues, with academics to get to the route of the applications, benefits and newsworthiness of their research, and the wider collaborative work that my team does.

It’s also improved my voluntary work, for example, as a School Governor, where my role is to question and challenge and act as a check on the management of the School.

I’ve also learnt more about the challenges business face through creating the Co-Located Companies Coaching Programme with my colleague Rachael Sterret, and coaching staff from our companies, which I have really enjoyed, and has enhanced the University’s offering to businesses.

Are there any negatives about being a Coach?

Not really! It does take time though, and sometimes it would be nice to have more time perhaps, but three or four sessions is usually enough to help someone, and sometimes people only need one session to make a beneficial change, it varies.

What would you say to anyone thinking about getting Coaching?

Give yourself some time just for you and go for it! It’s all about you and you are in control of what you share, and the goals you want to explore. The way it works usually is you have what is called a chemistry chat with your coach first, to see if you get on together, and they'll explain the coaching process and a bit about them, and talk you through the Coaching Contract- it's a robust, open process. We’re lucky to be able to have coaching for free, so take advantage of it, and give yourself some time for you to think about whatever you need to.

What would you say to anyone considering training as a Coach?

Don’t do it if you think it’s all about giving advice- it’s not, it’s about empowering others to come up with their own solutions, at their own pace too, so if you would find the non-directive part of it hard, it’s not for you. If you find people interesting, think you are a good listener, and want to help people, go for it. I’d recommend you have some coaching yourself first to understand the process and discover the benefits for yourself.

If you are interested in accessing coaching, or training to be a coach at Lancaster University, see the Coaching and Mentoring web page or contact Amanda for a chat.

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The opinions expressed by our bloggers and those providing comments are personal, and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lancaster University. Responsibility for the accuracy of any of the information contained within blog posts belongs to the blogger.