Latest updated: 26 June 2023

Seeking the assistance of a coach is a fantastic way to pave the way for new development opportunities. To make the most of coaching, there are several things you should consider to prepare yourself and create the right conditions for success. As a client, you play the decisive role, and to achieve the desired results through coaching, you must be dedicated, curious, and open to change.

We have seen many examples of how coaching can lead to fantastic results. When a client is matched with the right coach and coaching is conducted in the right way, it can result in tremendous career and life development for the client—whether through significant changes or small changes with significant impact.

However, successful coaching is not automatic. The outcome of coaching depends partly on the coach's competence, but it also relies on you as the client—how well you have prepared for coaching and the attitude you bring to the sessions.

Therefore, let's take a closer look at how you can prepare for your first meeting with the coach and what you should consider to get the most out of your coaching experience.

To get the most out of coaching, there are several things you should consider to prepare yourself and create the right conditions for success. As a client, you play a crucial role in this process...

Before you embark on coaching, you need to ensure that you understand what coaching is, how it works, and what is required of you. Coaching is not the same as advice-giving, and the coach's role is not to tell you what career choices to make or exactly how to solve problems or conflicts in your life. A good coach helps you develop so that you can make your own decisions and overcome any obstacles. Coaching involves formulating concrete goals and sub-goals and then creating a plan to achieve them.

This leads us to the next important point: Before coaching begins, you should have a somewhat clear idea of what you want to achieve through coaching. You don't need to have fully formulated, concrete goals and sub-goals at the start; these can be formulated together with the coach. However, you should at least have a general vision of your goals, so that you can explain to the coach why you want to be coached and what you hope to achieve. If you lack an overall vision, it will be difficult for the coach to assist you. Reflect on what you want to achieve in the long term, medium term, and short term, so that these questions don't come as a surprise during your first session.

Create the right conditions before coaching begins

It's important that you are matched with the right coach. If you choose to engage Zebrain for coaching, you will undergo a behavioral analysis that forms the basis for the matching process. Your needs and areas for development also play a significant role in the matching, which is facilitated by artificial intelligence. This is crucial because the personal chemistry between you and the coach must be good for you to achieve the desired results. It's also important that the coach specializes in the specific areas of development that are important to you.

Once you have been matched with a coach, you will likely have some exchange of information via email or phone before starting the coaching process. At that time, you can provide the coach with preliminary information about yourself and what you hope to achieve through coaching (which you have already thought through). You can give the coach a brief written summary about yourself, your career, and your goals, without being overly lengthy but including relevant specific information.

During the communication with the coach before coaching begins, there are two other important things to consider. First, you need to ensure that coaching takes place under the right conditions based on your situation. What does your schedule look like?

Keep in mind that coaching also involves tasks to be completed between sessions. When you are coached by Zebrain, you will receive personalized exercises through our automated platform. Can you manage them if there is only one week between sessions, or would it be better for coaching to occur every other week, every third week, or once a month? Agree with the coach on the conditions required for you to truly benefit from the coaching.

The second thing you must consider is to ask questions of the coach if you are unsure about how coaching works or what is expected of you. Think carefully about what you wonder about and also prepare any questions to ask during your first session.

Be dedicated and open-minded

Even before coaching begins, you should consider what is required of you to achieve the desired results—what genuine subject you want to reinforce or focus on.

Your attitude and mindset throughout the coaching period will be crucial to its outcome. You must approach coaching with dedication and commit to seizing this opportunity. If you are dedicated and have truly set aside time for both the sessions and the work between them, you will have a greater chance of achieving the desired results.

You must also be honest with the coach and be willing to speak the truth about yourself, even if it is painful to admit your mistakes and shortcomings. It is also important to be open-minded and ready to question your own perception of reality, as well as to try new methods and tools that you might not typically use.

Last but not least, you must be patient and understand that development takes time. Therefore, do not be too hard on yourself if you do not make significant progress right away. Allow yourself to celebrate the small accomplishments and sub-goals you achieve during the course of coaching, so that you feel motivated to continue striving.

With the right preparation and attitude, coaching can make a significant difference in your life, especially in the long run. Take it seriously, and over time, you will be able to fulfill your vision and reach your full potential.