My boss once said something to me that made me pause and think.

“If you want executive coaching, I can arrange it.”

I told him I was open to it.

But internally I was wondering:

What exactly is coaching?
What would a coach actually do?
I’m already a senior leader… what would the benefit be?

I had heard the term executive coaching before, but if I’m being honest, I didn’t really understand what it meant.

Was it like therapy?
Was it professional training?
Was someone going to evaluate my leadership style?

I said I was open to coaching… but I never actually followed up.

Instead, something interesting happened.

The more curious I became about coaching, the more I wanted to understand it from the inside.

So rather than simply hiring a coach, I decided to become one.

That meant going through the training and experiencing coaching myself at the same time.

And that’s when I really began to understand what coaching is.

Coaching Is Not What Most People Think

Many people assume coaching means someone giving you advice or telling you how to improve.

But that’s not actually what coaching is.

A coach doesn’t tell you what to do.

A coach helps you see more clearly.

Through thoughtful questions and reflection, coaching helps you uncover:

• patterns you may not realize you have

• assumptions influencing your decisions

• beliefs that may be limiting your growth

• new ways of approaching challenges

It’s less about fixing something and more about expanding awareness.

And awareness is powerful.

Because once you see something differently, you suddenly have more choices.

Why Leaders Work With Coaches

At first, I assumed coaching might be something people used when they were struggling.

What I learned is that coaching is often used by high-performing leaders who want to continue growing.

When you move into senior leadership roles, something interesting happens.

You often receive less direct feedback.

People may hesitate to challenge you.
They may filter what they say.
Or they may assume you already have everything figured out.

Coaching creates a space where you can:

• think out loud

• explore complex decisions

• examine your assumptions

• reflect on how you’re showing up as a leader

Without judgment.

Without politics.

Without someone trying to manage the outcome.

Coaching Creates Space to Think

In busy professional lives, we rarely pause long enough to really think.

We react.
We solve problems.
We move on to the next task.

Coaching slows things down just enough to ask deeper questions:

Why did that situation affect me the way it did?
What outcome do I actually want here?
Is there another way to approach this?
What kind of leader do I want to be?

Sometimes the most valuable thing coaching provides is space to think more intentionally.

So What Is Coaching?

At its core, coaching is a conversation designed to help you think more clearly, see more possibilities, and make more intentional choices.

It’s not about advice.

It’s about awareness.

And awareness can change everything.

Curious About Coaching?

If you’ve ever wondered what coaching might offer you, you’re not alone.

Many people hear the word coaching and aren’t quite sure what it actually means.

If you’re curious, I offer complimentary discovery sessions where we can explore what coaching is and whether it might be helpful for you.

Sometimes the best way to understand coaching…
is simply to experience it.