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Coaching for Work

By ACS Distance Education on January 31, 2019 in Careers, Jobs Success & Psychology | comments

Have you ever heard the terms Success Coach? Culture Coach? Workplace Coach? Service Coach?  

Are you interested in supporting or working with others? 

 

Coaches are supported by a range of services, including: coaching industry bodies, professional supervision, bookkeeping and other administrative services. Coaches may become involved in industry bodies, or may actually work for these organisations.

Scope of Work

The type of work undertaken by people in this sector can be quite variable. Those working for organisations that represent the coaching industry are likely to spend time assisting coaches, producing newsletters and industry reports and organising events. Those providing supervision are likely to spend a lot of time teaching and mentoring other coaches.

Some of the daily work tasks people in this sector may be involved in include:

  • Professional development - networking, PD study, travel, conferences
  • Communications - writing reports, newsletters, web sites, blogs, public speaking
  • Administrative - reception, managing memberships, record keeping, marketing
  • Financial management - fund raising, budgeting
  • Services - professional supervision, arranging certification, conferences, shows, awards

What You Need to Learn

  • Basic coaching skills - rapport building, focus on solutions, goal setting
  • Marketing skills - advertising & promotions, sales, product launches
  • Organisational skills - planning, time management
  • Business knowledge - management skills, resource management, accounting
  • Project management – planning & overseeing projects from beginning to end
  • Specific knowledge - a working knowledge of the organisation you want to work in, other organisations in your area of expertise
  • Technical skills - understanding IT, computers and software, publishing platforms, printing
  • General writing skills - grammar, punctuation, sentence structure

Starting a Career

People who end up working for coaching organisations or administrative services usually have a background in the industry. For example, a coach may start a career coaching individuals or teams, e.g. in sports, then progress to a job that is more about supporting coaches through an organisation rather than providing the actual coaching services, or they may get involved in a school that teaches coaching.

Other people may become involved in support services by transferring from similar roles in other fields. Some ways to get into this area of work include:

  • Getting out there - having a website presence, public speaking
  • Networking within your industry - going to conferences, trade shows
  • Being a member of an industry organisation - submit newsletter articles
  • Offer free talks to industry groups or organisations

Progressing a Career

To progress a career in this sector you must remain active. This means getting out and meeting other coaches to find out their thoughts on the industry, liaising with government representatives, and discussing coaching with allied industry bodies. You also need to keep up with research through reading journals and newsletters, conducting your own research, and continuing professional development.

You can do well in this sector by:

  • Networking - use social media, attend conferences
  • Joining industry bodies
  • Developing your public profile - public speaking, internet presence
  • Professional development - training courses, workshops
  • Learning - courses; intensive online courses, part time courses