Written by: Danielle Baron, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
These days, anyone can step into the perceived role of a coach, but a minority of them are actually effective. Nevertheless, the most valuable kind of coach is one who has not only gained the experience but also effectively imparts their knowledge, staying a few steps ahead of you and devising a system to expedite your progress. Coaches should themselves have coaches and mentors to continue their journey of self-improvement, creating a chain of coaching expertise. Authenticity in coaching is paramount; if it's solely profit-driven, it won't yield the desired results. Opt for a coach who shares the same fervor for your industry as you do.
My primary focus is on education mentoring and coaching. During my coaching experiences, I noticed a scarcity of coaches in this field who lack familiarity with the education system, often not viewing it as a profession compared to roles in, for example, finance. Hopefully, as an education entrepreneur, I've shattered this stereotype. My life's work centres on breaking stereotypes: I defied the stereotype of a single mother, and now I'm challenging preconceptions as a Ms. Great Britain Finalist. Yes, I'm primarily a businesswoman, but I also wear multiple hats - coach, therapist, teacher, former assistant headteacher, advocate for diversity and equality, writer, presenter, keynote speaker, curve model, and even an upcoming role as an extra in a movie. Why limit yourself if you don’t want to? Select a coach who can assist you in applying your skills to any endeavour you wish to pursue.
5 tips to help you to find the right coach
Experience and Expertise
A great coach should have a wealth of experience and expertise in the specific area you're seeking coaching in but also know how to deliver it to help you. Whether it's business, sports, personal development, or any other field, their knowledge should be deep and relevant to your goals.
Effective Communication
Effective communication is key. Your coach should be an excellent listener who can understand your needs, provide clear guidance, and offer constructive feedback. They should also be able to convey complex ideas in a simple and understandable manner or rephrase or reword based on your cognitive needs and problem-solving skills.
Empathy and Support
A great coach should be empathetic and supportive. They should genuinely care about your success and be willing to support you through challenges and setbacks. Their encouragement can be a powerful motivator. They need to see your potential before you do and to call you out or question you to challenge you too.
Personalised Approach
A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works in coaching. A great coach tailors their methods and strategies to your individual needs and goals. They understand that everyone is unique and requires personalised guidance. Sometimes there are many routes to get to an outcome so a coach needs to be flexible and to understand this and to give you autonomy with this.
Accountability and Goal Setting
A good coach helps you set clear, achievable goals and holds you accountable for your progress. They should provide structure to your coaching journey and track your development, making necessary adjustments along the way.
5 outcomes to show that your coach has been effective
Achievement of Goals
One of the primary indicators of effective coaching is the achievement of the goals you set at the beginning of the coaching relationship. If you've reached or exceeded your goals, it's a clear sign that your coach has been effective in guiding you toward success.
Improved Skills and Performance
Effective coaching should lead to a noticeable improvement in your skills and performance in the area you're being coached in. This improvement might be seen in your work, sports, personal life, or any other relevant domain.
Increased Confidence and Self-Awareness
A good coach helps you develop greater self-awareness and confidence. If you feel more self-assured and have a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, it's a positive outcome of effective coaching.
Sustained Positive Change
Effective coaching should result in lasting, positive changes in your behaviour, habits, and mindset. These changes should persist beyond the coaching relationship, demonstrating that you've acquired new, sustainable ways of approaching challenges.
Independence and Self-Efficacy
As coaching progresses, you should become more independent in managing your goals and challenges. Your coach's effectiveness is evident when you no longer rely on them to the same extent and can apply the strategies and skills you've learned on your own.
Ultimately, effective coaching should empower you to take control of your own growth and success, leaving you better equipped to face future challenges and continue your journey toward personal and professional development.
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Danielle Baron, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Danielle catalyses children and adults to rise like a phoenix from the flames 🔥 and to reach their optimum potential. She is an entrepreneur, inspiring 11+ and 7+ entrance exams tutor, rapid transformational therapist®️, business coach for overachievers, a life coach for all, and an NLP Master practitioner, and she is also certified by the ILM.
One of Danielle’s much-loved abilities is being an overachiever because she thrives on the excitement and follows her passion, which is to help people live fulfilling lives.
Over the last five years of her tuition business, Danielle has become extremely popular and respected in the tuition industry and is a mentor and coach to other tutors to help them increase revenue in their businesses, but ultimately to be the best tutors they can be. Her own tuition service incorporates coaching for parents and children throughout the exam process and NLP classes for children to help them with lack of confidence, bullying, and anxiety and to help them focus on the imminent goal of exams and to visualise and believe in their success.
Danielle’s second business, coaching and therapy, has been a long time coming and her personal interest in people and psychology led her to invest in the most high-quality courses to be the best for her clients. For her rapid transformational therapy ®️, she had the privilege of personally being mentored by Marisa Peer, a world-renowned therapist. Rapid transformational therapy is a combination of NLP, CBT, psychotherapy and hypnosis.
It has been Danielle’s personal experiences that have led her to where she is today. At age four, her father died of suicide, which installed in her a determination to help prevent people from ever becoming despaired again. Her best friend passed away at fifteen, which solidified Danielle’s determination to live life to the full. Growing up with a single parent, they struggled with money, but Danielle was very inspired by her mother’s work ethic, which had a huge impact on her.
As a teacher in some schools, the politics and bullying amongst staff were toxic and she suffered from depression, stress and burnout and was treated badly at her most vulnerable time of being pregnant and having a newborn and that’s why she’s passionate about helping teachers. She wishes that she had someone to help her at the time.
She has been through the journey of setting up successful businesses on her own while undertaking childcare as a single parent of two after she divorced and strongly believes anyone can achieve anything they put their mind to with grit, focus, and passion.
