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The Coaches in My Corner

In my work with Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in foster care, I get to see the importance of having someone in your corner that you can rely on, especially for children in foster care who can often feel isolated and on their own. The mission of CASA, ensuring that every child in foster care has someone in their corner extended into the workplace. The Executive Director was laser focused on transparent communication and honest feedback, a virtue that stayed with me even after I left the organization. While the role of a coach is different than that of an advocate having someone in your corner is important for all people. When you aren’t sure what next steps to take, having someone who is interested in your success is an invaluable asset to have. I’ve always felt like I could rely heavily on the people in my life to help me advance my career, and overall well being as an individual. I see my partner, supervisor, and even my close friends as my coaches. They all have something unique to offer me, they really care about me, and I can trust them wholeheartedly (Blueprint Leadership Development, 2016). 

Having a coach in my corner is an effective tool to help me develop into a better person and a better employee. The coaches in my life have used the GROW model to hold me accountable to my goals, reflect on the reality of the circumstances I find myself in, explore the options available to me, and then help me plan for the future (South West Coaching Ltd., 2012). They also have enough personal insight into my life and my career that they can provide realistic and actionable advice to help me when I reach an impasse. A current coach in my life, my supervisor at the Savannah Area Campus for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a great example of someone with these qualities. I’ve worked with them in the past in other capacities, so we built rapport and trust quickly. She has been with the university for 10 years, so she definitely has something to offer to me in terms of job related expertise. As a new Assistant Campus Director I follow her lead as she leads the campus and myself toward success. In just four months I have become proficient in my job duties and feel ready to take on new projects, thanks to the focused direction and coaching from my supervisor. 

In the MSLD program I will have an opportunity to work with a certified coach within the College of Business for a period of six months. This is an interesting and exciting opportunity to talk out my many passion projects to ensure that I am spending my time wisely and making progress toward my goals. As of the time of this writing, I work with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as an Assistant Campus Director; Court Appointed Special Advocates as the Pre-Service Training Facilitator; the Board of Elections as a trainer and poll manager; The US Census Bureau as an Enumerator; and the Neighborhood Improvement Association as a volunteer tax return preparer and quality reviewer. My goal with a coach will be to ensure that all of these projects are contributing to my goal of becoming a professional training facilitator and consultant. 

Image From: https://www.stoodnt.com/blog/career-as-a-business-coach/

References

Blueprint Leadership Development. (2016, June 17). Coaching the uncoachable [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/UQgFfDlUlx8 

South West Coaching Ltd. (2012, July 1). The GROW model in action [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/6f3X2PEsV-Q 


A500.6.3.RB The Coach in Your Corner
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