COACHING: THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUST
"We need people in our lives with whom we can be as open as possible. To have real conversations with people may seem like such a simple, obvious suggestion, but it involves courage and risk."
-Thomas Moore
When we’re struggling, it can be challenging. It can be lonely and isolating. Opening up and sharing our innermost feelings is difficult and requires trust.
The first time I went to a coach, I’d just had an Ofsted. I’d been through many of them before – but never one like this. The inspector was arrogant, rude and hostile and did not want to listen.
Even though the judgement was good, we were left (school leaders, teachers, and governors) feeling bullied, bruised, broken and angry. It was an incredibly damaging process – and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I couldn’t sleep, and I couldn’t get over the injustice of the whole thing. We should have come out of the experience feeling validated, celebrating our strengths and feeling confident and being better able to improve. Instead, we felt demoralised.
I felt ashamed – that I had let the staff down. I felt embarrassed that I couldn't get past the injustice of the inspection process, and I felt angry - so very angry. I could so easily have walked away at that point from a job I loved deeply.
And then, I found Amanda, my coach. She allowed me to have a voice. She listened carefully to what I felt without making assumptions and judging, and she helped me put things into perspective. She helped me to focus on the present and future rather than dwelling on the past. It wasn’t easy to share my story. But I trusted Amanda, and she gave me the support and guidance I needed to overcome the situation and move on.
If you’re finding things difficult, a coach could help you too – you don’t have to struggle alone. Do your research and find someone you feel comfortable working with and can trust. It made a world of difference to me – and it could work for you too!
