- “I’m struggling at work. What can I do about it?”
- “I feel stuck where I am. How do I discover and pursue what’s best for me?”
- “I’m not sure if I want to continue working or studying in my field. What can I do?”
- “I want to change something in my life but I’m afraid of what may happen. What do I do?”
- “I want to become x. How do I go about getting there?”
- “How do I find a job, any job?”
Because of my roles, I have regular conversations with many people who ask questions like the ones above. Answers to these questions are as varied as the people asking them. However, one thing is for sure: finding answers is much easier if we have the right resources. Unfortunately, most people don’t know what’s available to them. Here’s a brief introduction to some professions who can help us.
- Teachers: We all know this one. Teachers can be excellent when we know what we need to learn or are going through a set study plan (e.g., school or certification). You want to learn software engineering? Find a good course and teacher. But what if we don’t know which path we want to take, especially after a certain age?
- Mentors: Mentors provide insights into specific industries, professions, or life experiences that we are interested in. Great mentors are several steps ahead of us in the path we want to take. Mentors are the people who can say: “This is what my journey looks like, and here are the decisions I made and the paths I took.” We can learn from their lessons and do what resonates with us. Sometimes, they may be open to connecting us with the people in their network for us to learn from others and navigate our paths.
- Coaches: Coaching has grown so much over the years. We have more types of coaches than we have flavors of ice cream! The essence of coaching is to help us dig deep to discover who we are, what we want, and what our beliefs and blindspots are. Then set goals and work through internal and external challenges to achieve our goal(s). Coaches ask us the right questions and help us find our answers in a way that can transform us.
I have had the privilege of having many coaches over the years for different purposes. It’s one of the best investments anyone can make in themself. With broad strokes, I break down coaching into these types:- Business, sports, and other specific coaching: Sports coaches are the most widely known. You can probably name a few. We know they make a huge difference. These coaches are more knowledgeable about the specific area we want to learn. They spend time with us to help refine how we do things. Coaches in this area know the area well, help us see the big picture, clarify what we want, and play to our strengths to pursue them. They hold us accountable to get there.
- Professional coaching: covers various topics depending on our seniority and area. Executive coaches, leadership coaches, communication coaches, sales coaches, etc., are all under this category. Each of us works through various challenges in our workplace. Professional coaches help us analyze, assess, and address them. They help us be better and more effective professionals in whatever we do. There’s growing evidence that professional coaching has one of the highest returns on investment for businesses when investing in people.
- Personal & life coaching: This is the broadest umbrella of coaching and because of its broad reach, is ambiguous for many and its value is questioned the most. Life coaches can help us figure out who we are and what we want beyond what we do. Topics can vary from career, relationships, well-being, fulfillment, spirituality, or many other aspects of being human.
International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the body that oversees programs training coaches focusing on the last two areas. Although being ICF-certified is neither a requirement for coaches nor a guarantee to be a good coach.
- Business, sports, and other specific coaching: Sports coaches are the most widely known. You can probably name a few. We know they make a huge difference. These coaches are more knowledgeable about the specific area we want to learn. They spend time with us to help refine how we do things. Coaches in this area know the area well, help us see the big picture, clarify what we want, and play to our strengths to pursue them. They hold us accountable to get there.
- Therapists, psychologists, and counselors: Professionals trained to help us with our mental health and well-being, especially when we are going through a hard time. They can help lighten the heavy burdens we carry with us, whatever they may be. Unfortunately, in many circles, it was believed that going to these professionals had a stigma around it and meant that we were somehow broken. As we talk more and more about mental health, the perception is changing. In a good world, we don’t go to doctors only when we have a serious problem. We go to doctors for regular check-ups and tests and to prevent major issues. The same is with therapists.
Takeaway
Here’s a simple guide to finding where you can start:
- Do you know what you want to learn? (e.g., want to learn software engineering) Are you sure? Find a good teacher/trainer who teaches software engineering.
- Do you know what path you want to embark on? (e.g., becoming a product manager or engineering manager) Are you sure? Find a mentor who does it in a similar organization.
- Do you want to improve your career or work experience? (e.g., have better relationships with your colleagues or manage stress better) Find a professional coach.
- Do you want to know what’s important to you, get better at it, and be more fulfilled? (e.g., be excited to wake up every morning) Find a coach.
- Do you want to feel lighter as you go about your day? (e.g., dealing with lack of motivation) Find a therapist.
Do you want to live your best life? Work with one or more of these professionals regularly. It can be a significant investment, but it’ll pay off faster than you imagine. If you work for or study at a large organization, your organization likely has benefits covering part or all of the related expenses. Ask your HR team today.
Alternatively, there are hundreds of places you can start from. Feel free to send me a note with some background about yourself and what you need.
This post barely scratches the surface but highlights the key professionals we can get help on our journey to growth. In a future post, I’ll expand this to create a more complete “support network”.
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