10 Career Coaching Myths You Need To Stop Believing
There’s a coach for everything these days. You can have a life coach, a performance coach, a spiritual coach, and even a money coach. Coaching is one of the fastest-growing industries and at the moment it's still an unregulated industry. But there is also a lot of confusion and misinformation about what coaching is and what it isn’t. In particular, there are misconceptions about career coaching that linger despite its popularity.
In this month’s blog, I want to call out the myths that surround career coaching and help you to get a better understanding of whether hiring a coach is a good investment for you. So let's sort fact from fiction by busting these ten career coaching myths.
Myth #1 - I tell my coach all my career frustrations and they make all my problems go away
Reality - Yes, you can express your frustrations but your coach won't tell you what to do. That's not their job and it would be irresponsible of them to do so. Coaches can’t and won't give you all the answers or tell you what to do. There is no one fast solution or “career hack” to solve your job frustrations. What you do next will depend on your goals, your needs, and your expectations. You’ll collaborate with your coach. They are trained to ask questions to help you explore all your options so you can come up with the best way for you. Coaches don't tell their clients what to do - that’s the opposite of coaching.
A coach assumes that you are smart and resourceful and helps you to close the gap between what you are capable of, how you are currently performing, and what you aspire to in the future.
Myth #2 - A career coach who isn't an expert in my sector can’t help me
Some people mistakenly believe that the only person who can coach them effectively is someone who’s worked in the same sector as them and has that background.
Reality - Whilst it can be helpful to share backgrounds, coaching isn't mentoring so they don't need to know about your sector to get results. If you’re not sure what the difference is between coaching and mentoring you can find more here In fact if a coach's and a client’s backgrounds are too similar it can be counterproductive. The most important thing is that the coach has relevant experience to understand the context in which a client is operating. A good coach respects boundaries and doesn’t go into advice-giving mode. Instead, they help clients find their own way - helping the client understand themselves and those around them so they can apply their strengths to get results.
Myth #3 - Anyone who has advice or tips to share can be a career coach
I’ve heard this one so many times before “I think I’ll just ask my friend to help me”. Or people who’ve awarded themselves “coach” status because their mates have told them they’re really good at giving advice about work.
Reality - Simply calling yourself a coach doesn’t make you one. Professional career coaching draws upon a deep skillset and toolkit. Most coaches will have recognised qualifications that are accredited by a body such as ICF, AC, or EMCC and they undergo regular supervision and complete annual CPD. They have a foundation in models and methods of practice and stick to a strong code of ethics. If you’re looking for a coach ask them about their qualifications, coaching can be a big financial investment so be sure to do your due diligence.
Myth #4 - Coaching is only for underperformers and those who are struggling in their careers
Some of my clients have been offered coaching in the past and felt like it was a sign that their performance wasn’t up to scratch or they felt reluctant to ask for help because they’d been told that coaching was about fixing something or someone that is ‘broken’ or failing at work. Maybe you’ve been somewhere coaches have been deployed as a last-ditch effort to address someone's capability when nothing else has worked. If you were, that’s a sign the management misunderstood the role of a coach.
Reality - Coaches don’t fix people. They shouldn’t be brought into an organisation to manage people out and they aren’t last-resort performance enhancers. Done correctly coaching builds self-awareness. Coaching is about supporting and developing you through your career and not fixing ‘bad apples’. Coaching is there to help you identify your skills as well as your weaknesses. To spot your skills gaps and your blind spots and also to help you play to your strengths. Top professional athletes work with coaching their entire careers because they understand how invaluable the support is, which is why so many organisations offer coaching as part of their CPD programmes.
Myth #5 - Coaching takes too long
Maybe you think you’re too busy for coaching. You’re already drowning in work and don’t have the time to give to coaching.
Reality - Sometimes you have to slow down to speed up. Anything worth doing takes time. Try to see coaching as an investment in yourself. According to a coaching study conducted at Ashridge Business School, two-hour coaching sessions four to six weeks apart is an effective model for coaching. So about one hour per week in total. Is that too much time to spend on your own professional development? What is your career worth to you?
Myth #6 - Coaching is only for senior managers and leaders
Have you worked in an organisation where coaching was reserved only for those working at very senior levels? You don’t need to be at the top of your career before getting a coach.
Reality - Coaching can benefit a wide variety of people. Although it's increasingly used to support new and developing managers, anyone can benefit from coaching to help with clarity and direction. Coaching is an effective way of fast-tracking your career because you’re getting another pair of hands on your career and professional development.
Myth #7 - Coaching is really expensive
I really don’t have the money to spare and nor does my employer and what if it doesn’t pay for itself?
Reality - Coaches’ rates vary depending on what you are looking for and how much experience your coach has. Many coaches offer initial free consultations so you can chat with them to see if coaching is right for you. Speak to a few and don’t be afraid to ask them what results they’ve typically helped their previous clients achieve. It's not your coach's job to do the work for you but when you work with the right person, agree, and set clear outcomes at the start there is usually a significant return on investment.
Myth #8 - Coaching is soft and fluffy
“I don’t need therapy” Good, because that’s not what a coach does and if you do need therapy they will point you in the right direction.
Reality - Coaching is about the present and future and not the past. Coaches don't explore your family history, search for unconscious motivations or try to change your personality. A therapist is a healer whilst a coach is a catalyst to help you develop your career potential and help you be more successful and fulfilled at work. A coach will place emphasis on action, accountability, and follow-through.
Myth #9 - Everyone is coachable
Reality - Most people are coachable some of the time, but not everyone is coachable all of the time. The effectiveness of the coaching depends entirely on the readiness of the coachee. Have you heard the phrase “You can lead a horse to water”? If you really don’t want to be coached and aren’t engaged, then coaching is not for you right now. Perhaps later, but not now.
Myth #10 - A coach will tell you how you to do your job
Reality - Coaches are not qualified to tell you how to do your job and they don't want to anyway! That’s your manager's job. A coach is not a surrogate manager and no coach with any integrity would agree to do this on behalf of your employer. A coach can help you overcome obstacles by offering different perspectives and insights to stimulate your thinking. A coach can be a sounding board and a mirror to enable you to see yourself and your options in different ways. But you’re still in charge of you and your work. That bit is down to you!
If you work with the right person, have a great rapport with them and you’re ready to do the work, coaching can be a powerful tool. Hopefully, this article has shed some light on what coaching is and what it isn’t and how you might consider coaching to help your personal and professional growth.
I’m Amanda Owen Meehan a Career and Leadership Coach who helps women get clarity and control over their careers to be more fulfilled and successful at work and get the career they know they deserve.
If you’d like to know more about how I can help your organisation you can reach me by email at amanda@amandaowenmeehan.com or drop me a direct message here on LinkedIn.