From Powerful Questioning to New Insights: My experience as “Coachee”

When I applied to the Organizational Coaching program at UBC, admission required that I have a session with a professional coach. I was fortunate to have a friend who was an accredited coach, having gone through the program at Royal Roads. The conversation was so effortless that I wasn’t even aware until recently that she had created a process for me to think about an ongoing problem from a different perspective and to keep me on track. I was surprised that in only 30 minutes her powerful questions helped me to generate new insights about myself that I am sure I would not have reached on my own.  

Now 6 weeks into the program and 3 weeks into my practicum, I have had a number of “coaching exchanges” with my fellow UBC cohort members. I knew that I would enjoy having the opportunity to practice coaching in a low-stakes situation, but I have been surprised at how much I have benefited from being coached through some real-life decision-making. Through this process, I have come to appreciate how the coaching methodology is a truly powerful way to effect change in a relatively short period of time.

The most profound example is when I received coaching on navigating a crossroads in my career. For the last 6 months, I have been playing mental ping-pong about whether I should continue to default to the security of full-time employment and pensionable earnings, or whether I should take the risk to fully invest in my consulting and coaching business without a safety net. Before being a “Coachee”, I thought I had considered all of the pro’s and con’s of each scenario, but I still felt stuck.  

I explained my dilemma, and my coaches listened with genuine curiosity and empathy. I felt heard and understood, which made me feel safe to go deeper when prompted. They challenged my assumptions by asking powerful questions and reflecting back what they noticed in my responses, drawing out insights that I had not considered before.

With each exchange, my coaches were able to walk with me (not lead me) down a path towards a decision that I now feel at peace with. Realizing how effective coaching can be has made me even more excited and confident in my decision to pursue this profession as a full-time career.

Thank you to my fellow Learner Coaches for their generative listening, curiosity, creativity and thoughtful questioning. I am grateful to have an instant network of kind and brilliant people to learn from throughout this program and beyond.