The Business Bulletin
Discovering your potential Very often as business owners we neglect our own personal development as the endless ‘to do‘ list takes priority. However, for some of us the last year has provided unexpected opportunities for reflection and personal growth by giving us time to really think beyond the day to day and providing the space to try out new things
I’ve been able to continue developing
employee, I’ve had to learn lots of new
When you coach someone you help
my coaching skills through webinars,
skills – some of them very quickly!
raise their self awareness and open up
tried my hand at drawing, and attended online workshops where I’ve learnt new skills and techniques that will help me continue to grow my business. However, one of my biggest
Until I experienced the benefits of being coached at first hand, I hadn’t
as a coach. In my previous
redundant, and also found myself
corporate roles I managed
dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis.
teams to deliver projects
These events acted as my catalyst for
and had always been a
change and I made the big decision
problem solver. Looking
to set up my own business.
back I realized that whereas
thinking about why I wanted to set up my own business and who I wanted to support. My business was ‘born’ in October 2014 and my purpose
our thoughts and make some progress.
realised what a powerful tool it could
came in 2014 when I was made
qualification and spent some time
listen to ourselves, start to untangle
building confidence is coaching.
be and it made me want to train
treatment I started a coaching
given space and silence we can really
for discovering your potential and
opportunities for personal growth
While I was going through
new lines of thinking. When we are
One of the most useful tools
I had thought I was coaching my team members I was in fact giving advice in disguise! It can be difficult to understand how coaching works and how effective it can be until you’ve tried it. A coaches’ role is to ask
then, as it still is today, was to help
questions and facilitate
people grow and develop, overcome
conversations that lead to the
obstacles, accomplish goals and enjoy
coachee coming up with their
success in their business or chosen
own answers, which is very
career. Being really clear on my
empowering. The coaching
purpose has helped guide me in the
relationship can last a lifetime,
right direction, although I have taken
or a few months and it gets
some wrong turns along the way.
richer and deeper with
As a business owner, rather than an
time and as trust builds.
Issue 8 – Strategy and Personal Development | 47
