What does a coach do?
Research has identified that three quarters of people seek coaching to facilitate their transition to a new role (1).
Making the move from Constable to Sergeant and from Sergeant to Inspector are significant role transitions. Whilst the goal of achieving a promotion is clear, the journey to realising that goal is an individual one.
Having made the decision to compete in a promotion process, it can then be very hard to find meaningful support. This support can be the key factor between success and failure (or ‘deferred success’ for those who choose a growth mindset).
The underlying intent of every coaching interaction is to build self-belief and give you the tools you need to be successful. A good coach uses a mix of models and techniques, helping you stay focused and on your line of purpose.
Is coaching in your promotion toolkit?
Coaches offer guidance. A trained coach asks questions, listens and generally helps you work from the inside out. Skilful use of questioning stimulates, challenges and provokes your thinking. This helps examine issues from different perspectives, to generate options for action, to deliver results sought by the individual and required by the organisation.
“I think, therefore I am.”
Back to that Growth Mindset: Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your perspective, what you think and believe affects the way you will behave and perform. Your thoughts affect your feelings and your feelings affect your behaviour. Internal obstacles can often be more daunting than any external ones.
“The single universal internal block is unfailingly the same, variously described as fear of failure, lack of confidence, self doubt and lack of self-belief.”
Coaches think of people in terms of their potential not their performance. Customising their approach to an individual’s needs, the coach’s job is to provide support to enhance the skills and resources the individual already holds.
If you have specific goals you want to work towards, or tasks you want to complete, a coach can help you get to work on making it happen. Steve Cooper is a qualified coach and mentor with the Institute of Leadership and Management, facilitating the success of police officers aspiring to promotion.
(1) Research by Coutu. D and Kauffman.C: What can coaches do for you? Harvard Business Review, January 2009
Kind Regards, Steve
Wherever you are on your promotion journey, www.ranksuccess.co.uk can help with guidance and support.