COACH
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October 2019
Coach-in-the-Spotlight: Karen Allan
Coach
After thirty-five years in education, with seventeen of those as a Head Teacher, Karen Allan was ready and had arrived at the stage in her life for a new adventure. Two events which further supported her decision to leave her headship were having Coaching suggested to her as part of her professional development within a Head Teacher appraisal review process and the fact her friend was going on a cruise. Karen had always appreciated the benefits of Coaching in the past and the additional opportunity to go on the cruise both secured her final decision. Karen never realised the ‘buzz’ she would get from Coaching - helping others to help themselves. Both the ‘ILM Level 5’ in Coaching and Post Graduate Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring really deepened her knowledge and understanding. She is now ready and raring to go in her new career.
Karen never realised the emotional draw Coaching would have impacting upon her personally. She has always been considered as a ‘matter of fact’ person, so this has been surprising for her as a Coach.
As part of her current learning, Karen is conducting an enquiry study for her advanced practitioner research and critical analysis. This has developed from one-to-one to Coaching a team. Her enquiries have looked at how creative strategies such as using a ‘mood board’ with a team can really make a difference when identifying how individuals come together to work as a team. This has been exciting for Karen, analysing how the resource has really unlocked the level of conversation within the team, its members all contributing as equals. Participants of the team that Karen has worked with have then gone on to use this strategy successfully with their own teams.
Advice for anyone considering a career in Coaching is to really make sure that you want to do it and be aware of the larger picture before you commence. Your business will not just be purely Coaching. You will also need to market and run all aspects of the business yourself, which for some people may be completely different to what you have done previously. It is really important to research this aspect too in addition to the Coaching course.
Locations for Karen’s Coaching sessions have occurred in a wide variety of places to suit the client. This has also extended to Skype and telephone Coaching sessions which have proven to be more successful than what Karen originally thought they would be. The telephone sessions for instance, have really enhanced her skill set as she is having to acutely listen and know when to pause without being able to read client’s expressions and body language.
Aspects which Karen particularly loves about her new career in Coaching include being there for clients and listening to them share particular aspects of their lives. The fact that you are not giving the answers but enabling a client to succeed with either a particular challenge or goal through being there with you is incredible. Asking a key question just at the right time can be just the prompt they need to be considering their thoughts in a more meaningful way and thinking more deeply.
A fun fact about Karen is her claim to fame! At sixteen she was part of the team that won the Metropolitan Area Police Road Safety Quiz. As part of this, the team went onto the television show ‘Magpie’ (Blue Peter equivalent for younger readers!). After her appearance on the show she received a fan letter telling her that she had a ‘stunning personality.’ Nowadays, she doesn’t think she will become very famous in her new sport of the triathlon sprint, but she loves the experience of taking part nevertheless.
Karen never realised the emotional draw Coaching would have impacting upon her personally. She has always been considered as a ‘matter of fact’ person, so this has been surprising for her as a Coach.
As part of her current learning, Karen is conducting an enquiry study for her advanced practitioner research and critical analysis. This has developed from one-to-one to Coaching a team. Her enquiries have looked at how creative strategies such as using a ‘mood board’ with a team can really make a difference when identifying how individuals come together to work as a team. This has been exciting for Karen, analysing how the resource has really unlocked the level of conversation within the team, its members all contributing as equals. Participants of the team that Karen has worked with have then gone on to use this strategy successfully with their own teams.
Advice for anyone considering a career in Coaching is to really make sure that you want to do it and be aware of the larger picture before you commence. Your business will not just be purely Coaching. You will also need to market and run all aspects of the business yourself, which for some people may be completely different to what you have done previously. It is really important to research this aspect too in addition to the Coaching course.
Locations for Karen’s Coaching sessions have occurred in a wide variety of places to suit the client. This has also extended to Skype and telephone Coaching sessions which have proven to be more successful than what Karen originally thought they would be. The telephone sessions for instance, have really enhanced her skill set as she is having to acutely listen and know when to pause without being able to read client’s expressions and body language.
Aspects which Karen particularly loves about her new career in Coaching include being there for clients and listening to them share particular aspects of their lives. The fact that you are not giving the answers but enabling a client to succeed with either a particular challenge or goal through being there with you is incredible. Asking a key question just at the right time can be just the prompt they need to be considering their thoughts in a more meaningful way and thinking more deeply.
A fun fact about Karen is her claim to fame! At sixteen she was part of the team that won the Metropolitan Area Police Road Safety Quiz. As part of this, the team went onto the television show ‘Magpie’ (Blue Peter equivalent for younger readers!). After her appearance on the show she received a fan letter telling her that she had a ‘stunning personality.’ Nowadays, she doesn’t think she will become very famous in her new sport of the triathlon sprint, but she loves the experience of taking part nevertheless.