What is coaching and why your team needs it

October 3, 2024
9:19 am
Tarmo Pihl

With the 2024 Parisian Olympics this summer, we have all been exposed to the best of the best athletes in the world in fencing, swimming, running, kayaking or climbing.

What do all of these people have in common, beyond a will and determination to become the best at what they do? They all have a coach. That coach is not better at their field than the athletes are. What they bring to the table is a way to reflect, bring perspective and train a “winning” mindset that help the athlete learn from each competition, grow and improve.

Athletes and world leaders have coaches. Why don’t you?

If we look beyond sports, personalities such as Oprah, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs all have worked with coaches throughout their successful carriers.

If the best of the best have a coach, why shouldn’t you?

What does a coach help with?

A mental health coach is not a psychologist. They do not even have to be an expert in your domain.

They are there to help you figure out the best way to reach your goals, both personally and professionally. They look at your life holistically and identify areas for improvement.

They also help you find solution to sometimes unnoticeable hurdles and habits that slow you and bring you down. They tend to be action oriented and address work-related and/or personal challenges to help individuals develop strategies to better manage their mental health.

Even without being experts in your field, coaches can often help more effectively that we can help ourselves for several reasons:

they bring an objective perspective which allow them to identify patterns and challenge our limiting beliefs
They know to ask powerful questions that will make us reflect and find insights to find our own solutions
They listen actively using frameworks and technics that help us pinpoint blocks and motivations.
They hold us accountable and help us stray on track

That being said, many coaches are also experts in specific areas. Regardless of their prior expertise, coaches get through rigorous training and structured methodological learning process to get certified.

These certifications can vary depending on countries and specialities. The International Coaching Federation certification (ICF) is a good example of what a coach goes through before being able to practice: depending on the level of the certification, Associate, Professional or Master, they will have to do each between 60 and 200 hours of training, 100 and 2500 hours of coaching experience, undergo mentorship sessions followed by an exam before obtaining their certification.

Mental health coaching can be done at the team and/or at the individual level. Both are recommended to get all the benefits.

A mental health coach can address employees’ work-life balance issues, organisational challenge, help with prioritisation and reducing mental load and much more as we see below.

All of which then leads to more efficient framework and better communication at the team level.

What are the benefits of mental health coaching?

A mental health coach will, together with the employee, establish clear goals to achieve in a wide range of areas including:

Stress management
Building resilience
Overcome procrastination
Learn to better focus – fight distractions
Developing healthy routines
Improving communication skills
Enhancing work-life balance
Boosting confidence and self-esteem
Coping with change and uncertainty

Let’s look at Sarah’s story. She is a mid-level manager at a tech startup who was struggling to keep her team motivated during a challenging project. Sarah noticed her team’s enthusiasm waning and productivity dropping. She felt unsure about how to reignite their passion and drive. HR encouraged her to seek help from a professional coach, Alex. Through a couple of sessions Alex helped Sarah:

Identify the root causes of low motivation
Develop active listening skills to understand team concerns
Create personalised recognition strategies
Implement regular feedback sessions

With Alex’s guidance, Sarah:

Introduced a peer recognition program
Established clearer communication channels
Aligned individual goals with team objectives

Within two months, team morale improved significantly, and project milestones were met consistently. Sarah reflected, “The coaching gave me practical tools to connect with my team and foster a more positive work environment. I feel more confident in my leadership abilities now.“

While not directly related to mental health issues such as depression or anxiety usually addressed by psychologists, coaching in these area can have a positive impact on the bigger issues’ symptoms.

By tackling these challenges, the individual will not only improve their personal wellbeing but also their performance which can lead to personal development and career growth.

Consequently, mental health coaching for individuals often has repercussions on the overall team productivity, communication and retention rates.

Coaches can help with making things clearer so we can reach our goals faster.

How to find a coach?

It requires careful consideration and research. Some companies take care of that part for you and provide mental health coaching in addition to other wellbeing resources. All you have to do is check with your HR departments.

Others do not provide this kind of support and it is then on you to find the right fit. You can use friends recommendation, search engines and online directories to identify coaches that could fit your needs but make sure to always check for qualifications and reviews before you schedule a discovery call. We recommend to always check the background of the coach you are interested in and make sure they are certified through an internationally recognised body which has adequate standards in place like ICF or ANSE.