Executive Coaching - A Guide For The HR Professional.pdf

Carter’s Story 151
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At some point midway through the coaching I had a conversation
with one of my colleagues who asked me why I was getting all
the “lousy” assignments and a light bulb went on. I also realized that
corporations are not always nice places to be in and decided to move
on. This would not have been possible had the coach not set
the foundation for my decision during the coaching conversations we
were having.
His style appealed to me as it was not hugely psychological; it felt
like having a guide. He is friendly, an experienced professional, someone
with great integrity and great values. A real person, who is not
taking you through a psychological method but someone to talk to.
You don’t end up dissecting yourself; rather you look at yourself in a
different light.
One of the things that I sabotaged during the coaching engagement
was an assignment he gave me. I was to talk to five people
about my greatest achievements and failures. I was afraid to do it.
We often don’t give good feedback face-to-face. You tend to downplay
weaknesses and shortcomings. Some people are able to make
that work, but I was not going to do it.
He and I talked about the options that lay ahead of me. I don’t
have to duplicate what I was doing all my professional life and sit on
another board. I could do extensions, do a master’s degree in arts or
history, or, as I chose to do, invest heavily in the Internet start-up. It
was 2001 and things did not go as well as I planned but I took my
risks.