People decide to make use of professional coaches often for very specific reasons, but in our experience a competent coach facilitates positive change in many aspects of the coachee's life. Human beings are complex systems existing within a much larger interdependent reality. As one begins to appreciate this, it becomes apparent that problems or challenges can't be dealt with independently of the broader context. As challenges are faced, grappled with and overcome, deep learning occurs at unconscious as well as conscious levels. Something may shift in a person's world view and a kind of multi-dimensional domino effect takes place which impacts all areas of that person's life. This shift not only alters one's inner world, but by extension, may influence other people, relationships, and the broader environment. The point is that the outcomes of coaching interventions can have enormous impact in the lives of individuals, organisations, families, communities and the world in general.

So what is coaching all about? Well, perhaps a good description is: “a process of enabling and empowering individuals to be as effective, successful and fulfilled as they can possibly be in whatever circumstances they find themselves.” In personal development and effectiveness terms it's clear that the acquisition of knowledge and skills has an important part to play, and it's in this realm that traditional education and training programmes have their main focus. Our experience, however, tends to highlight an apparent paradox: it's not always the most well-educated or well-trained people who are the most effective, successful and fulfilled; neither are these always the people who make the biggest contribution for good in our world - in fact often it's quite the reverse.

Let's share a couple of real examples:

Jane grew up in a family where her father drank heavily. At home she was often physically and verbally abused and decided to leave school at the earliest possible opportunity without formal qualifications. There were many personal problems along the way as she grew into adulthood, not least of which, was having to deal with her own alcoholism which she did successfully. She says she has been privileged to have had such a difficult past because it gives her the opportunity to understand and help others who are dealing with major challenges in their own lives. Currently, this same person is in an influential management position in a large international organisation, she's extremely well respected, admired and loved by just about everyone who works with and for her - an incredible role model and a tremendous positive influence for good in the world. She enjoys her life and contributes enormously to the people and the organisation she works with. She's hungry for learning, has a sense of her own spirituality and interconnectedness with the world.

Contrast the person described above with some-one else I know.

Peter comes from a respected, wealthy family and was well educated to the point of achieving post-graduate level qualifications. In his teenage years he had a talent for athletics and competed successfully at a high level. His working life started well and it wasn't long before he was earning a very high income. Then everything crashed. He lost his job and became bankrupt. He was divorced and subsequently experienced several further failed marriages. He has children who hardly know him. He drinks heavily, and there seem to be no high quality relationships in his life. He lost several jobs in the past because of “relationship problems” with either his boss or his customers. He suffers from high blood pressure and other stress related symptoms. Quite soon in conversation he communicates how unfair the world is and explains how other people or circumstances are really to blame for his predicament. He's unhappy with his life, and I think it's safe to say he's not a hugely positive influence in the world.

So what's the difference between these two people? Why is it that one person can start life in fairly negative circumstances and yet become highly effective, whilst the other, after a good start, doesn't? The answers would seem to lie beneath the level of pure knowledge or skill and have more to do with who people are rather than simply what they do. We are after all human “beings” and not human “doings”. Our experience shows us that changes occurring at the being level cause profound and automatic changes at the behavioural or doing level. Interestingly, most training programmes focus on behavioural change (ie the doing level) by simply teaching people a new set of behaviours in the hope that newly learnt behavioural patterns will automatically replace old, and presumably less useful, ones.

Unfortunately, even though we learn what to do in order to make us more effective it's still very difficult to change the old patterns. I may know, for example, that I need to lose weight, and even how to do it - change my diet and exercise more - but unfortunately my knowledge doesn't guarantee success. Have you ever been caught in this trap? In order to get the desired outcome it's necessary to make changes at a deeper level than pure knowledge and skill. So let's briefly explore the deeper being level. My sense is that our being has to do with our real core. It includes what we understand to be our purpose in life and incorporates what we believe and value spiritually and physically. Our beliefs, are invariably stated as facts - as if this is really the truth about the way the world is. As Human beings, we have a tendency to hold on desperately to our beliefs - to the point of harming, killing, or going to war with those or who don't see things the same way. These outcomes happen every day in families, communities, organisations, and nations. It seems we easily question and sit in judgement of other people's beliefs, but rarely do we evaluate our own. It's important to notice that beliefs cause things to happen - they stir our emotions and mobilise us into action (or immobilise us into inaction).

We have beliefs about almost everything - ourselves, other people, relationships, the company we work for, and so on. These beliefs lead to certain behaviour patterns which in turn deliver specific consequences. It's these consequences along with the meaning and emotion that we associate with them that supply our quality of life. Effecting simple changes in what we believe and understand about ourselves and other people can cause massive change in our behaviour and in the quality of our life experience. This is where a competent personal effectiveness coach can help.

If you're considering the possibility of hiring a coach, choose wisely. It's important to understand that coaches operate at different levels. Some are extremely competent to help you gain specific knowledge and skills that you may require. Others operate at a deeper and broader personal effectiveness level and will essentially help you with your journey inwards where you'll increase your self-awareness, discover why you're repeatedly challenged by particular situations, and how to deal with these challenges more effectively. A personal effectiveness coach of this kind is unlikely to spend time teaching a Financial Director about finance. He or she is far more likely to focus on the relatively unseen below the waterline issues that impact so much on the results you're experiencing in your life.

It goes without saying that the coach you choose should be some-one you can trust. The coach should be of high integrity, not only from a trust and confidentiality perspective, but also from a place of reliability - the coach needs to be true to his or her word. The relationship established should not be a dependent one. Over time you need to feel that you are becoming more personally empowered through the coaching experience rather than becoming increasingly reliant on your coach. If you are repeatedly challenged by particular issues, people or circumstances that act as barriers to achieving much higher levels of effectiveness, or perhaps you have reached a certain level of success but are still not experiencing a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction with your life, then you may want to think about finding a coach to help you implement practical solutions to achieve your desired results.

Unfortunately, even though we learn what to do in order to make us more effective it's still very difficult to change the old patterns. I may know, for example, that I need to lose weight, and even how to do it - change my diet and exercise more - but unfortunately my knowledge doesn't guarantee success. Have you ever been caught in this trap? In order to get the desired outcome it's necessary to make changes at a deeper level than pure knowledge and skill. So let's briefly explore the deeper being level. My sense is that our being has to do with our real core. It includes what we understand to be our purpose in life and incorporates what we believe and value spiritually and physically. Our beliefs, are invariably stated as facts - as if this is really the truth about the way the world is. As Human beings, we have a tendency to hold on desperately to our beliefs - to the point of harming, killing, or going to war with those or who don't see things the same way. These outcomes happen every day in families, communities, organisations, and nations. It seems we easily question and sit in judgement of other people's beliefs, but rarely do we evaluate our own. It's important to notice that beliefs cause things to happen - they stir our emotions and mobilise us into action (or immobilise us into inaction).

We have beliefs about almost everything - ourselves, other people, relationships, the company we work for, and so on. These beliefs lead to certain behaviour patterns which in turn deliver specific consequences. It's these consequences along with the meaning and emotion that we associate with them that supply our quality of life. Effecting simple changes in what we believe and understand about ourselves and other people can cause massive change in our behaviour and in the quality of our life experience. This is where a competent personal effectiveness coach can help.

If you're considering the possibility of hiring a coach, choose wisely. It's important to understand that coaches operate at different levels. Some are extremely competent to help you gain specific knowledge and skills that you may require. Others operate at a deeper and broader personal effectiveness level and will essentially help you with your journey inwards where you'll increase your self-awareness, discover why you're repeatedly challenged by particular situations, and how to deal with these challenges more effectively. A personal effectiveness coach of this kind is unlikely to spend time teaching a Financial Director about finance. He or she is far more likely to focus on the relatively unseen below the waterline issues that impact so much on the results you're experiencing in your life.

It goes without saying that the coach you choose should be some-one you can trust. The coach should be of high integrity, not only from a trust and confidentiality perspective, but also from a place of reliability - the coach needs to be true to his or her word. The relationship established should not be a dependent one. Over time you need to feel that you are becoming more personally empowered through the coaching experience rather than becoming increasingly reliant on your coach. If you are repeatedly challenged by particular issues, people or circumstances that act as barriers to achieving much higher levels of effectiveness, or perhaps you have reached a certain level of success but are still not experiencing a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction with your life, then you may want to think about finding a coach to help you implement practical solutions to achieve your desired results.