Why is Coaching so important in today’s world?

When illustrating the tension between urgent and important, Stephen Covey asked, “have you ever been too busy driving to stop for gas?” I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately, as I’ve been hearing both first-hand and anecdotally, “I just don’t have time for a coaching session – I have too much to do!” Friends, I propose the times when we feel we are too busy for coaching are the precise times when coaching is most important!

Not only has the pace, volume, and complexity of work seemed to accelerate (particularly since COVID), but also there is a sense of uncertainty given economic, geo-political, and climate concerns. There is more discord than discourse. There is more striving to be understood than listening to understand. Fear beckons us to old habits, reacting to our environment… versus being intentional with how we respond to the circumstances around us.

What is the remedy? To pause, reflect, challenge our thinking, examine unexamined scripts, and embrace new possibilities… in short, coaching. Coaching helps us adapt to transitions, build resilience, and stay grounded when faced with change. Many of my clients have said they value coaching sessions because coaching carves time out of their busy lives to pause, remember what is truly important, and choose how to honor their values in whatever situation they face. It is such a gift to be truly heard and understood, being asked reflective questions by a thinking partner.

That is filling our tank before it is empty, so that we can continue on our drive to the destination of our choice.