It took me 3 years to come to a decision to go for a formal coach training and certification. I have been coaching in my own way since 2014. Yet, I was not sure that I wanted to be a full-time coach or that I needed any training for that.
I was drawn towards facilitation. I loved working with a bunch of people to arrive at a solution that worked for them. To adapt the methodologies and concepts to virtual space was a new challenge. That made me do a virtual facilitation course with Ajit Kamath, CPF. Facilitation reminded me that It did not matter how much I knew, what mattered was how enriched the participants felt, at the end of the session. I became conscious that there was no need for me to showcase myself, all I needed was to follow the process and to keep the focus on the learners.
A 5-week video making challenge with Sharat Sharma followed. I created videos, hosted Facebook live sessions and was also invited as panelist in webinars. Sharat pushed us to think beyond our limitations. He challenged us to aim higher. I learnt to give up the fear of being judged, and in turn to stop judging my clients.
I also loved the concept of design thinking so I did a certification course through University of Sydney on Coursera. I started applying the principles to everything, even my presentations, and HR projects for some of the clients. Some sessions with a group of entrepreneurs in an Incubation center, opened my eyes to the immense potential of these concepts. I got enriched by the emphasis on empathy and the belief that the right answer must start with the right question.
I finally decided to take the leap and joined the coach training run by Subash at Regal towards the end of 2020.
One of the most immediate transformation for me has been my listening. As someone working with senior professionals, I had been a good listener. However, Coaching helped me push it up many notches. Conversations came naturally to me, and coaching helped me become more present. When working with my team, I am looking to help them get answers. In my personal space, journaling and reflection have helped me handle stressful situations with more poise.
It all came together when one of the Mentor Coach, Rekha, asked the question- " Think about how coaching is transforming you”. Little did I know that over the years, I was being prepared to become a coach. I realized that as I was coaching others, I was being coached too.
