Coaching

It occurs to me that many people probably don't understand what coaching is or how they might benefit. Since I am advertising myself as a data management coach, the first task in marketing myself may be to do some education on what should be expected from a coach and differentiate coaching from consulting.

If your only exposure to coaching is youth activities or watching your favorite team on TV you may have an idea that coaches call the shots, that they direct, and are to be obeyed. Nothing could (or should) be further from the truth. My job as your coach is to understand what your capabilities are (as well as those of your "team") and to use that knowledge to help you find ways of attacking your goals that are likely to lead to success.

You might also have developed the idea that coaches are cheerleaders and that one of their main jobs is motivation through exhortation. Again, not true. While I will be quick to affirm strengths and celebrate success, I will not create unrealistic expectations. A coach's goal is to help you to understand the most effective ways at your disposal for addressing the problems and challenges that will confront you.

A youth soccer example will illustrate. If you are fast and by nature aggressive, you can succeed as a defensive player by attacking the ball and taking it away from your opponent before they have a chance to score. If you are not the fastest player on the field and are a bit passive or hesitant, you can still produce a good result for your team by merely staying between the ball and the goal and delaying your opponent until help arrives or forcing the play out to the edge of the field.

In data management, similar principles can be applied. An aggressive, direct approach may succeed for some while a more calculated and collaborative approach may work better for others. In any case, you will want your coach to be able to help you find the successful path which calls for experience as well as expertise on his part. One of the least appreciated values a coach provides lies not in what you do but in what you DON'T do. Your coach wants you to be successful and will help you avoid situations in which you can't or are unlikely to succeed.

You have knowledge, talent--all the raw materials for success or you wouldn't be where you are. Sometimes what you don't have is time or some specialized expertise and in that case you will want a consultant who can come in and get 'er done. But sometimes this is counterproductive because you won't be able to keep calling the consultant back each time you need a change or repair. If you have some time, a coach may be a better alternative since he will leave you with success strategies and tactics that you can continue to apply.

You want your coach to be at your shoulder, ready to answer your questions but also to be asking you questions continuously to help organize your thought processes. In that sense a coach is more than a teacher and more than a mentor. A teacher will not be responsible for the application of the subject matter. A mentor may be standing by at the end of a phone line. The coach will be there with you.