What a career transformation coach actually does (and how it helps)

So you’ve heard about coaching and been seeing multiple so called ‘coaches’ on social media offering advice and guidance on all manner of things.

Maybe you’ve heard word of mouth about the amazing results people have had working with coaches.

Your friend’s - sister’s - husband’s life was changed by coaching perhaps? And they were just as stuck as you are now.

So like any intelligent person you’re intrigued by the possibility of what coaching could do for you.

But before you get excited – do you really know what coaching is?..

What exactly happens in a coaching session?..

If you’ve never had coaching before it can be confusing.

But it’s not your fault for 2 reasons:

1. Coaching often gets lumped in with other more well know interventions such as therapy, mentoring or consulting.
2. Anyone can call themselves a coach and do pretty much whatever they want which may or may not represent what coaching actually is.

This week lets clear up confusion and mixed messages. So you can feel confident that coaching is right for the transformation you want to achieve.

I’m going to explain what coaching looks and feels like behind the scenes and how it quietly changes lives.

If you’ve been thinking that the only way to create your dream career is to get lucky –

Then you’re in for a treat because you’re soon going to discover how coaching can transform the hand you were dealt into whatever you really want in life.

The quiet power of being heard

Before I trained as a coach, I’d already had a few powerful experiences of being coached myself. And I remember being surprised by how deeply it affected me – not just in the moment, but in the decisions I finally found the courage to make afterwards.

For the first time, I had a space that felt truly mine. No interruptions. No unsolicited advice. No one trying to fix me or tell me how to be. Just a calm, focused presence on the other side, helping me hear myself more clearly.

I could say things exactly as they were, raw and real without worrying about judgement. It was incredibly energising to have someone reflect my thoughts back, not to correct them, but to validate them. And to do it without an agenda. It felt like someone was genuinely on my side, helping me get to the heart of what I really wanted, not what the world thought I should want.

For example in the case of careers: coaching doesn’t tell you what to do next – it helps you realise what you really want to do but were afraid to admit.

After almost a decade of being a disillusioned doctor, coaching helped me re-wright my life script.

The blockers I’d battled for years:

• fear of failure
• fear of social media
• fear of standing out
• fear of being judged
• fear of public speaking

– didn’t magically disappear.

But coaching made them seem smaller in comparison to the positive emotions associated with accomplishing my dream.

Coaching helps you realise you’re more capable than you give yourself credit for. The potential within you just needs space to be uncovered.

How is coaching different?

Coaching is often confused with other interventions. To understand how coaching differs from them I like to use the following driving metaphor.

You’re trying to get from A to B in your car. Here’s what you’ll get:

Consulting: Tells you the most logical route to take.

Mentoring: Shares their experience of driving the route they’ve already taken.

Therapist: Repairs or restores any broken parts of your car.

Counselling: Listens to your concerns about driving the car.

Coaching: Gets in passenger seat of your car and drives with you. Provides encouragement and support to navigate your own chosen journey from A to B.

To summarise.

Consultants give clear logical advice based on their expertise.

Mentors give guidance based on their experiences and serve as role models.

Therapists help resolve past traumas which impact day to day functioning.

Counsellors help manage significant levels of mental distress which are preventing normal functioning.

Coaches empower people to progress towards their desired future destination.

8 insights into what coaches do 

Ask questions

Not just any question but deep powerful questions that you’ve never thought to ask yourself before. Then they...

Hold space

For you to think about your answers and extract those buried nuggets of gold from deep within your mind. As you talk unjudged and uninterrupted a coach listens and then gently...

Challenges

Any stories or assumptions that aren’t serving your goal of getting from A to B. Gently reflecting back to you in a way that allows you to call yourself out and see patterns. A coach...

Believes

Wholeheartedly that you are capable, resourceful and full of potential. This unconditional positive regard helps you to gradually build your own self-belief by...

Raising awareness

Of your values, beliefs, strengths, past achievements and past overcome obstacles. As well as your current reality, your desired reality, your options and your actions. All of this helps you move forward. Coaching is all about forward movement, action and...

Accountability

Not to the coach, but to your goal. At the end of each session you’ll commit to an action that will move you forward closer to your goal. You’ll then be interrogated for the utmost specificity of exactly what you’ll do, what time you’ll do it and how you’ll avoid potential obstacles. The most important thing to remember is that coaching is a...

Collaboration

Towards your desired goal. There’s no right or wrong answer to the questions. It’s entirely up to you to interpret the question with your own mind and whatever feels right for you is the right answer. Because the primary focus is your goal, at times this will take precedent over your comfort. This is why the trust established between you and your coach is so important as well as that unconditional positive regard. Because whatever comes up is to benefit your growth towards your goal, not to make you feel comfortable staying the same. This is what it means to take...

Responsibility.

There are many things in life that happen that are not your fault. But if they’re interfering with the life you want to live then they are your responsibility. This is the spirit of the coaching I provide in The Empowerment Clinic. Because I believe that you can only access your true power to create the life you want once you take responsibility for the life you have.

Coaching transforms inner change into outer action

If you’ve made it this far, chances are coaching has already sparked something in you. Maybe it’s a curiosity. A pull towards something more fulfilling. A quiet knowing that you’re ready for change, but not quite sure where to begin.

You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Coaching is a space where you can think clearly, feel deeply, and take steps forward with confidence – even if you’re afraid.

Stay Healthy

Lewis

P.S If it resonated, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Connect and message me on Linked-In.

If you’re wondering whether coaching could support you through a career transition:

1) Book a free intro coaching call in The Empowerment Clinic. It's my virtual coaching room where I run the Confident Career Change Coaching program to help you 'flow' into a career that truly fulfils you.

2) Join below so you don't miss next weeks Lew's Letter 👇🏾