Coaching through change
Coaching can support coachees through and towards change, empowering them to achieve their goals and find greater personal and professional fulfilment.
The ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, famously stated that “The only constant in life is change”. If change is all around us and is a constant, why do most of us find change so daunting? Well, there can be a number of reasons why we find change so daunting and of course the reason may be different dependent upon the particular change we are facing. But until an individual understands why they find a particular change so daunting, they can find the whole concept of the change overwhelming. The potential reasons include:
- A fear of the unknown, moving into unfamiliar territory, creating uncertainty of what may happen next.
- Disruption of comfort zones, moving us away from our routines and creating unpredictability.
- Loss of what is familiar to us, including routines, relationships, ways of doing things. This can trigger sadness and anxiety.
- Loss of control of what is happening around us, which can lead to insecurity and a feeling of powerlessness.
- A fear of failure and criticism because we cannot deliver what is expected of us within the new situation or environment.
- Where we have had negative experiences of previous change, we can be more apprehensive of additional change.
- Change can also challenge the sense of ourselves and identity, leading to feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty about who we are and what we want.
We cannot underestimate the anxiety that change can create and the impact of that anxiety. The mental health charity, MIND, sets out that anxiety not only causes emotional and mental health issues, but it can also cause a range of physical issues including: a churning feeling in your stomach, feeling light-headed or dizzy, pins and needles, feeling restless or unable to sit still, headaches, backache or other aches and pains, faster breathing, a fast, thumping or irregular heartbeat, sweating or hot flushes, nausea and sleep problems.
We need to recognise the potential impact change can have on individuals and consider how we can support individuals facing change. A coach can provide tangible support, making a real difference to how the coachee perceives, embraces and adapts to the change.
The role of the coach is firstly to help the coachee to understand and accept the change, providing a safe space for the coachee to talk through their concerns and fears and helping them to view the change as an opportunity for growth and development. The coach will support the coachee to identify their objectives and develop an action plan, giving the coachee a sense of control, holding them accountable for their actions and helping them to build resilience not just for this change but future changes. The coach will encourage the coachee to reflect on what they have learnt about themselves and others during the change process, supporting their understanding of themselves, encouraging their own self-worth and helping them to recognise that change can be positive.
Ultimately the coach will not only support the coachee through today’s change, but will equip them to respond positively, proactively and pragmatically to future change.
As Winston Churchill said: “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often”.